Hi, I am working on a new project/site and would like to implement a newsletter program, but I'd not spend on AWeber or anything similar that's paid. Looking for a free one. No matter if it's simple, as long as it's easy to manage and as long as I'll be able to export contacts to AWeber, later on... Which free newsletter program would you recommend?
I would definitely go with Mailchimp. Can Store up to 500 subscribers and send up to 3,000 emails a month. Easy to use, easy interface, a lot of features and simply cool! It Offers a lot of features and functions for an email marketing service and in a user friendly way. Its not free, but the pricing for more subscribes or emails is also very fair.
Well, there's your problem. You won't be able to import your leads to Aweber. Most reputable Autoresponder companies will not allow you to import leads. You'd have to email 'em on your free emailer and ask them to enter their email address again in the new opt-in form. However, if you just want to 'test the waters' - you can play around with a free autoresponder until you are convinced of the profitability of having your own list. I'd bypass Mailchimp though... they don't allow affiliate sales... There's plenty of free Autoresponders for you to chose from - but when you're ready to get serious, you might as well accept that you'll have to start again on a professional Autoresponder.
Mailchimp doesn't allow affiliate sales? Where did you hear that? I read on Mailchimp's site that they only ban sites that are blacklisted by spam filters.
It's actually rather widely known... here's a link to their TOS: http://mailchimp.com/legal/acceptable_use/ You'll note that they specifically ban "affiliate marketing" - then give a detailed explanation about it... they carefully try to contradict their own TOS - but it doesn't take very careful reading to see that any sort of MMO affiliate offers will get your account terminated. You'll notice that they also forbid any "Work from home, make money online, or lead generation opportunities. Since my own list is about providing information about list building to make money online, I couldn't even get off the ground at Mailchimp. This really hasn't been a secret online - just Google "Mailchimp Affiliate Policy" and you'll see plenty of examples... Here's a specific example: Now, you can't get any more precise than that... Mailchimp has a policy that forbids what is not even an issue with Aweber or Getresponse. I can send emails through Aweber that would not be allowed through Mailchimp. And yes, I have accounts at both. I no longer use Mailchimp.
Wow, thanks for the info. I've gotta say I've been using Mailchimp and my newsletter doesn't have affiliate stuff on it; it just talks about my blog posts. I do have some affiliate links on my website, however which mailchimp has no control over, of course. I'm glad I saw this thread. thanks again.
Now, there is a way to get around it. In fact, although I didn't have Mailchimp in mind when I wrote this, you can take a look at how to promote affiliate programs without ever emailing about them... which, of course, would be the only way to make Mailchimp work reliably without loosing your account. You can click here: How To Craft The Perfect Email Series to read about it. In essence, you'll do all of your selling on your website - and only use the newsletter to inform and entertain. Mailchimp can't possibly have any problem with you linking to your own website... so you've already been doing what I share with people on my site. I just don't like to be restricted in my emails in any way... I accept legal restrictions, but I chafe at restrictions that Mailchimp puts in place - admittedly to make their job easier. I just don't want to have to think about what I'm writing about when I put together an email for my list.