Sending newsletters techniques?

Discussion in 'General Marketing' started by IcePoster, Sep 20, 2006.

  1. #1
    Hey to all!

    Can anyone suggest any resource where I can read about sending newsletters strategies? I mean when to send them, how to format them ... any advice?
    I plan to start email marketing campaign soon, so ANY info will be appreciated...

    Thanks in advice,
     
    IcePoster, Sep 20, 2006 IP
  2. jhmattern

    jhmattern Illustrious Member

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  3. ResidualGuy

    ResidualGuy Peon

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    #3
    Hello IcePoster,

    All of the sites you'll find, including those that jhmattern posted, will tell you to be sure to be able to track your mailings. Knowing who has "clicked" on links and who has "opened" your emails are very important tools, helping you to track which of your marketing campaigns are most appreciated by your mailing subscribers. Most available newsletter marketing software offer these kinds of tools by default, but be sure to look for them in any product you are considering.

    What most email marketing programs do not (or can not) provide is delivery statistics, such as (but not limited to) successful delivery, "bounced" or undeliverable email such as permanent (user unknown) or temporary (mailbox full, connection reset, blacklist/banned, and more) nofitication.

    If you choose to "do-it-yourself", l can recommend a service (of which I am a principal, disclaimer disclaimer) called InboxResponse.com which plugs into just about any mailing list software that you should choose to use to provide you with statistics like these:

    [​IMG]

    http://www.inboxresponse.com/cgi-bin/login.pl?ref=digpoint

    Our service will also "post" back to your own site all of your "hard" or undeliverable email addresses, to simply the removal of "bounced" email addresses from your list(s).

    Many Internet Service Providers today are placing restrictions on email marketing such as banning/blacklisting any network which sends more than 10% email to undeliverable email addresss on their network, such as America Online (http://postmaster.info.aol.com/guidelines/standards.html). A service like ours will help keep this from happening.

    Good luck in your online marketing.

    ResidualGuy :D
     
    ResidualGuy, Sep 23, 2006 IP
  4. Lynn Terry

    Lynn Terry Peon

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    #4
    Here are a few tips from my recent article titled When Should You Email Your List?...

    The Most Responsive Day & Time to Send Your Email

    Look at the stats or the date-stamps for your newsletter sign-ups and note what time and day you get the largest number of subscribers over a period of time.

    People are creatures of habit, so the most active day of the week and time of day for sign-ups is also a great time for sending email to your list.


    Know Your Intentions

    Different mailing lists have different objectives. Some are used to build relationships and develop trust with potential clients or customers (monetized with your own products, or “soft sell” recommendations and reviews). Some lists are specifically for after-the-sale follow-up communication, customer service (and backend sales). And others are simply sales tools (think JCPenneys or Victorias Secret for example, where people sign up to hear about sales and special offers). Every list needs a main objective, and this determines what/when you email.


    What You Should Send to Your Subscribers

    First, go back to your own sales copy. What did you offer as an incentive to subscribe to your list? Did you tell your visitors that they would get certain types of tips, maybe free resources on the topic, or did you offer them freebies and deals? Jot down a quick list of everything you offered or promised and post that by your monitor… because this is what you want to make sure you are delivering, first and foremost.


    And finally...

    More does not always mean better. There is a delicate balance between emailing often enough not to be forgotten between issues, and emailing so often that you outright annoy your subscribers!
     
    Lynn Terry, Sep 23, 2006 IP
  5. IcePoster

    IcePoster Guest

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    #5
    Thanks to all! Great advice :eek:
     
    IcePoster, Sep 25, 2006 IP
  6. massimastudios

    massimastudios Peon

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    #6
    Very good info guys. I want to ask what newsletter software/provider do you use... I found constantcontact but I want to have some feedback about them and others...

    Thx
     
    massimastudios, Nov 1, 2006 IP
  7. arena

    arena Banned

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    #7
    i thought of asking before i need newsletter subscription box similar like which you see in most ebook asking us to subscribe.Just simple name and email.Where to find that script.Any help will be appreciated.
     
    arena, Nov 1, 2006 IP
  8. znitch-search

    znitch-search Peon

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    #8
    Guys.. sending newsletters are a waste of time now. Years ago, when your email inbox was NOT cluttered and SPAMMED to all-get-out newsletters were fine...

    NOW, forgettit!

    why?
    1. 0.0003% response rate.
    worst marketing method online todate. next to same success rate as spam.

    2. if you have enemies/competitors who give you blacklisted spam email addresses like q2lk4jwqlkqwekjh5@hotmail.com then SPAMCOP will blacklist your domain. and SPAMtrap ANY email even legit ones that have your domain name in it...

    for example...
    if you submit a resume with the words "MAGNA CUM LAUDE" You'll never get to the HR dept.

    3. Use a blog/webpage update email alert instead. see: znitchit.blogspot.com
    it sends a small filter capable email alert to BRING READERS BACK to your website. The value of your site is based on recurring traffic... reading an email i their inbox is worthless to your website's networth. :cool:

    4. if you do a bcc blast, your smtp will flag you and you'll never be able to send email again. :eek:

    Dont do a newsletter.. see above post... do an email update alert instead... you'll find an example AND the simple javascript code to use at http://znitchit.blogspot.com

    this WILL work but not a good idea

    forget msn.. nobody uses it. spend the same energy on google
     
    znitch-search, Nov 1, 2006 IP
  9. arena

    arena Banned

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    #9
    Yes its worth.i myself hate SPAM and i got 300 per day.If i do email campaign who knows i may fall into junk box.
     
    arena, Nov 1, 2006 IP
  10. jhmattern

    jhmattern Illustrious Member

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    #10

    I'm sorry, but even if your intentions are good, you're giving really bad information here. First of all, your response rate statistic may as well have just been pulled out of a hat. It depends on a variety of factors, such as bought / rented lists, versus opt-in lists you build yourself, your niche, how often you send newsletters, etc.

    I get several hundred spam messages each day, just counting the ones that make it past the spam filters. That doesn't stop me from reading newsletters I chose to subscribe to on a daily or weekly basis depending on its frequency. And I often use them to keep on top of everything from tech news to writing markets. If you target your readers effectively, and they choose to sign up, it's a very effective way to get in front of their faces and to the forefront of their minds regularly.

    As long as you use legitimate and respectable methods, and don't start acting like a spammer, chances are that you'll be perfectly fine. There's a risk to email marketing just like with any other marketing method. It's abused more than most, but that doesn't mean you should avoid it altogether.
     
    jhmattern, Nov 1, 2006 IP
  11. Bernard

    Bernard Well-Known Member

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    #11
    You should be fine with a double opt in system.
     
    Bernard, Nov 1, 2006 IP
  12. znitch-search

    znitch-search Peon

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    #12
    Hi Jennifer,
    I am referring to DIY SELF newsletter campaigns. if a mom and pop webmaster trys to launch their own email campaign, then they are in for a world of hurt... professional campaigns solve most of the problems i've mentioned BUT BUT... are not cheap... so I still recommend spending email newsletter dollars on Press releases instead... let google and yahoo do all the optin alert based emailing or use znitch.com's update alerts at znitchit.blogspot.com

    eitherway, letting a professional 3rd party send alerts out is much safer than smtp'ing it yourself.
     
    znitch-search, Nov 1, 2006 IP
  13. jhmattern

    jhmattern Illustrious Member

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    #13
    That's fine, but it came across as you saying not to send newsletters at all... and the OP was asking about all different types of strategies. ;)

    Press releases are probably the second most abused form of marketing online, but I'm not in the mood to get on a rant about that again right now. :)
     
    jhmattern, Nov 1, 2006 IP
  14. Bernard

    Bernard Well-Known Member

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    #14
    I use the phplist script and it works fine.
     
    Bernard, Nov 1, 2006 IP
  15. znitch-search

    znitch-search Peon

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    #15
    Ranting.. yes.. i know... when ever you got a good solution... spammers muck it all up... agreed...

    glad we clarified... look forward to swaping ideas as time goes on! :)
     
    znitch-search, Nov 1, 2006 IP