Choosing an Email Newsletter Broadcast Service
Coming up with a plan is only half the battle. Find out how to execute and get those newsletters out there.
Coming up with a plan is only half the battle. Find out how to execute and get those newsletters out there.
One of the most important decisions you’ll ever have to make in email marketing is which company to choose for delivery. Though I’m not going to talk about individual vendors (many, many good ones are out there), I am going to give you some things to consider, questions to ask, and online resources to help you as you evaluate different services.
All of this is based on my experience, and I’ve done everything from managing a request for proposal (RFP) process to finding a vendor for an organization sending more than 6 million emails a month to searching for a cost-effective solution for my own, much smaller volume email newsletter. The good news is many of the more affordable solutions have now added features that were once only available from the high-end vendors. So no matter what your budget, you can probably get all the features you need and want.
In-House or Outsource?
This is typically the first question you’ll face. You actually have two outsource options. Here’s how the choices break down:
An in-house solution is a good choice for you if:
An internal IT team can make or break an in-house email solution. If you’re uncertain whether your IT group is up to the task, don’t risk it.
An outsource/self-service solution is a good choice for you if:
Many organizations, both large and small, go this route, and there are vendors at both low and high price points. It’s important to find a vendor you trust and check the company out carefully, taking an especially hard look at data security and the company’s long-term viability.
An outsource/full-service solution is a good choice for you if:
This model is more common for one-off emails than email newsletters, probably because of the cost. Also, as the interfaces on the other solutions have become more user friendly, doing the send yourself has become less daunting.
For more on this topic, read Brady Brewer’s ClickZ article, “A Case for Outsourcing Email Marketing.” Although it was written over two years ago, the points he makes are still relevant today.
Tracking and Reporting
Tracking and reporting are two of the benefits email offers over postal mail. These capabilities can tell you a lot about your readers. Things have come a long way here; both big and small providers can now offer most of these capabilities:
Though it’s helpful to get the aggregate quantities, make sure your chosen system will give you the granular details, such as which recipients opened/clicked and when (day/time). Also, look for a system that provides you both total and unique figures for the opens and clicks, preferably by link for the clicks.
Registration/Subscription Management
Making it easy for people to opt in to your email newsletter is critical to your success. Make sure the solution you provide delivers. Here are some options to look for:
Editorial Interface
This won’t be an issue if you’re going to simply forward your content to a full-service vendor that will input and send it. But if you or someone in your organization is going to handle the send, noting that interfaces vary is important, so choose one you’re comfortable with. Some things to look for are:
Other Resources
ClickZ, on its Email Strategies subsite, provides a list of email service providers, which you can use as a starting point in your search. Check out the rest of the ClickZ Email Strategies site for additional articles about choosing a vendor.
Another helpful site is Ralph Wilson’s Survey of E-Mail Marketing Programs, which he produced a few months ago. He surveyed his readers about the email marketing systems they had used (70 in all). Data collected includes the list sizes each vendor handles, training, ease of use, support, and overall quality. The basics are available to everyone; to see the open-ended feedback you must be a paid subscriber.
Thanks for reading and happy holidays! I’m always happy to get feedback, so let me know what you thought of this article or share a suggestion for a future article.