| In an era when giant retailers and mega-corporations | | | | management software systems that periodically offer |
| are pouring millions of dollars into Internet marketing and | | | | introductory rates of $1 for the first month. |
| advertising, owners of small- and medium-sized can | | | | * An intuitive, Web-based interface - Web-based |
| become easily discouraged. With limited marketing | | | | software is the wave of the future; a Web-based |
| budgets, can smaller businesses compete in the | | | | email list management system means you never have |
| high-cost world of Internet marketing and advertising? | | | | to worry about software maintenance or upgrades. |
| The answer is a definitive "yes." Indeed, one of the | | | | * Limitless email lists - You should be able to maintain |
| best ways to leverage limited marketing budgets is to | | | | as many addresses as you wish and as many lists as |
| use email marketing, which can be used to streamline, | | | | you want without incurring extra expense. Beware of |
| organize, and enhance customer relationships and | | | | companies that charge based on the number of |
| communications. Email marketing is the perfect vehicle | | | | database entries you have! |
| for distributing a company newsletter, contacting | | | | * Rollover credits - If you don't use your allotted |
| potential clients, sending offers to existing customers, | | | | number of emails during a given month, a good email |
| or simply keeping in touch with an audience about | | | | marketing package will allow you to roll unused credits |
| updates and changes to the business. | | | | over into the next month, or to purchase additional |
| At first glance, it may seem that email marketing is a | | | | credits on the fly, in real time. |
| good idea in theory, but difficult to execute in practice. | | | | * Importing lists - You should be able to import entire |
| Compiling and maintaining email lists, composing and | | | | mailing lists into the online system with a few clicks of |
| keeping track of email messages and offers, and | | | | your mouse. You should also be able to rent or buy |
| sending out the emails manually or using rudimentary | | | | opt-in email lists and migrate them into the system. |
| email blast software is difficult and time-consuming. It's | | | | * Sequential mailings - The best email marketing |
| also a gamble, since so many blast emails are caught | | | | software systems allow you to import a series of |
| in spam filters and are never delivered to the | | | | messages and set up sequential mailings to be sent at |
| recipients. The only way to truly get the message to | | | | the day and time you desire. In other words, you |
| the customer is through sophisticated email marketing | | | | should be able to implement a six-month email |
| software. | | | | marketing campaign in one sitting. |
| Historically, email list management software has had | | | | * Flexibility - Look for software that allows you to edit |
| limited features, was unreliable in terms of assuring | | | | your lists and messages right up to the minute your |
| delivery of emails, and has been cost prohibitive to all | | | | mailing is scheduled to be sent. |
| but the largest companies. The good news is that new | | | | * Automated list management - Email marketing |
| products have entered the marketplace that not only | | | | software should automatically handle bounced emails, |
| overcome these limitations, but that also offer | | | | bad addresses, and requests for removal. It should |
| enhanced affordability. | | | | also allow you to remove any blacklisted addresses |
| As a small or medium-sized business, shopping for | | | | and build opt-in email lists. |
| email list management software can be tricky. Look | | | | Great email marketing software can be the great |
| for the following features: | | | | equalizer, allowing small- and medium-sized businesses |
| * Affordability - Email list management software should | | | | to compete with the corporate giants in the world of |
| allow you to send up to 50,000 emails a month for | | | | Internet marketing and advertising. |
| under $100. There are even some email list | | | | |