Productivity Portfolio

There are many factors to consider before committing to a vendor. I’m not just referencing whether the firm complies with CAN-SPAM. While it’s easy to think you can find all your answers from the sales pages on the websites, I don’t think so. You’re better off rolling up your sleeves and trying to create one or more email campaigns on these systems.

Even before creating a test account, I would check to see if the firm offers a webinar or live demo. These tend to be scripted events, but they provide a good sense of what the company offers. They can also cut some of your testing time, as the system will be familiar to you when you start.

One of the disappointing aspects was how different companies let you test their system. I understand why these firms take a restrictive approach, but some are so limiting that you can’t tap the power of their systems and reporting. Some firms offer a free account, which allows you to email a few addresses. Other firms do not offer free accounts as they think it allows abuse. Instead, they offer a 30-day money back guarantee.

You should make an effort to test different email providers and talk to the support reps whenever possible. Although it takes longer to fully test multiple vendors there is a definitive advantage. For example, I didn’t go into this process with usability requirements. But, after trying different systems, it became clear that the interface could play a big role. This is especially true if you don’t plan to use the systems daily. You may also find that the third vendor you test has a feature you never knew you wanted.

Here are 10 questions to get you thinking about this process.

1. Do you have a relationship with the people on your mailing list?

In other words, do you have permission to email these folks? Most of you will answer affirmatively. You’ve gathered emails from your customers and they’ve granted you permission. Some may have purchased email lists or co-registration names. Regardless of the source, most email marketing firms will insist your list go through an opt-in check. This is where each name on your email list first gets an email asking them to opt-in before subsequent mailings can go out.

This step can be a barrier for some firms especially if they’ve already done an approval process or know their client list is clean. In some cases, this can be negotiated if you provide enough proof about how you collected the names. As example, one firm asked if I had “IP logs that could verify people granted us permission”. Also, recognize that the people giving you these requirements may not understand what they’re asking, but will gladly tell you whom you need to contact.

Sometimes one opt-in per unique email address isn’t enough. As example, the firm I’m working with has a system that emails a product file to individuals on demand. Many of their clients request multiple files. If we were to create email campaigns based on product, each email address would have to be approved for each product. If John Smith requested an online brochure for Product A and then Product B, we might need to send two opt-in requests even if he already opted in to the Product A list.

2. How many people are on your email list and how often do you plan to email them?

The main reason for knowing this info is to find your costs. Some firms will charge you based on how many email names are on your lists. Others will do it based on how many emails you send. Most companies will charge you a recurring monthly fee based on a combination of email names and messages. There may also be charges for other services such as storage or reporting. If you’re a nonprofit, you may be entitled to a price break.

3. How is your data protected and who has access to it?

Your client list may be one of your most valuable assets and you should make sure the vendor you choose protects it. Does the company restrict access to the computers that hold your data? Do they backup their data?

One of the first email marketing firms I tested produced various certificate errors during login. When I clicked to see the details, I noted that the SSL certificate expired and it was issued to a different domain. I sent an inquiry to the firm asking about these items and didn’t hear anything back. The other extreme is you may get documents outlining a firm’s network and security that is meant for a systems admin and not a marketer. In other words, you don’t get the Cracker Jack popcorn box with the decoder ring as the prize.

4. How can you import data?

All the vendors have a way to import data usually as a CSV or XLS file. The trickier part was whether you need to define your custom fields first or if you could do it later. You also want to see how the firms handle duplicate records. For example, does the firm overwrite the previous entry or do they allow you to add data to the existing record.

5. Do you have many email lists?

If you offer one product or service such as a newsletter, this probably isn’t an issue. However, if you offer an array of products or services, you need to give some thought on how you organize your records. For example, do you create a record set, which has a field for each of five products you offer, or do you create a separate list for each product in which case an email address could appear on multiple lists. Don’t be shy in asking the firms what they suggest as they can tell you the advantages and disadvantages to each approach.

6. Can you query and segment your mailing lists?

All the marketing vendors I reviewed allowed you to add custom fields to their database or list. You could then query or segment that mailing lists based on certain fields. As example, you might want to send an email to clients in a geographic area.

One reason this is important is cost. Usually, you don’t pay extra for segments, as they are a subset of a contact or member list. As example, if you have a list that has checkbox fields for Product A and Product B, that individual could belong to the following segments:

No products
Product A
Product B
Both products

If your vendor wants separate lists, an individual might be on the Product A list and the Product B list that means you could be charged twice.

The firms I tested allowed simple querying based on the email address. Many allowed you to query any field and a few allowed you to query the data including previous email activity. As example, I could select all clients where the STATE= NJ and who opened the 04/21/07 mailing for Product A.

7. Does the firm allow autoresponders or follow up emails?

An autoresponder is a type of email that is sent out based on a certain condition. For example, you might have an auto responder that emails the recipient 7 days after they first subscribed to your email list. More advanced auto responders let you build a series of email messages such as a new tip every three days. One item to check is what fields can trigger an auto responder message. Some firms just use the date the email address was added to a list.

As expected, the firms that excel at auto responders build this into their relationships. Shortly after signing up for their systems, you start getting a series of tips on how to better use their system.

8. What happens to emails that bounce?

It’s inevitable that some of your email will bounce back. Some firms automatically remove the email address from the list or make it inactive. Others allow you to set a threshold before the email is removed or becomes inactive.

Ideally, you want to know why the email bounced as its one problem to have a bad address, but a different one when the recipient has their mailbox full.

9. How do they handle plain text and HTML emails?

You should use a provider that offers plain text messages and HTML messages. Although most firms allowed these options, some made it difficult to create the plain text message. You had to strip out the HTML code and paste it in.

10. Do they offer email templates and an easy way to create new ones?

Ironically, most companies boasted how easy it was to create emails using their email templates and WYSIWYG editors. I found many of these systems were more complicated than they should be unless you were a designer and pasted code from a package like Dreamweaver. Some vendors also retain an element of their branding unless you pay a premium.

My suggestion is to test using an email that you’ve sent before. See how easy it is to copy the layout in the new system. You may find that you can’t host images with the service but have to reference a URL on your own site.

There may be an added advantage to using the vendor’s templates. Most of these companies have thoroughly tested their templates with major email services and applications. They know which vendors rely and or ignore various CSS or HTML elements. This may seem like a small point, but it is important. Your emails may look different in Yahoo! mail compared with Outlook 2007.

Yes, stayed tuned as there is a part 2. Go grab some Cracker Jacks in the interim. 

Related Article:

Selecting Email Marketing Services - Part 2