My earlier blog answered the question – what is email marketing software, what does it actually do? In it, I summarised email marketing software as providing the three essential components of  a bulk emailer service; function to upload an email list, function to create an email and the function to broadcast to all recipients on the email list in as near instantaneous time as is reasonably possible. This is perhaps a statement of the blindingly obvious to anyone who is already a regular user of an email marketing system but there remains some level of misunderstanding as to the breadth of the service that is provided by bulk emailing software to the wider E-marketing sector.

The first and most powerful point is that email marketing software such as Email Blaster UK does not by itself provide a general E-marketing service unless as part of a wider package. To illustrate this point, consider that a business wishing to market a new product using the internet route via email marketing, will require a range of components typically including; a legitimate list of email addressees, the make-up of the transmit message and essential but peripheral  items such as a linked website. Email marketing software services alone will not provide any of these components although it is certainly true to say that software providers such as Email Blaster UK will assist in these areas and may indeed have in-house or partnership arrangements with companies that can accommodate many of these components.

Email list

This is the most repeated area of confusion. It is quite common for potential users of email marketing services to assume that an off the peg email list will be offered as part of the service; in my experience the most oft repeated request is “can you offer an email list or where do I obtain such a list?”. This aspect is grossly distorted by the fact that there are a large number of agents – so called list brokers, who advertise off the peg email lists, often containing one million or more individual addresses. Now as I and other representatives of the email marketing industry have warned, purchased email lists are usually worse than useless, being mostly junk or harvested listings. And, using a purchased list for the purposes of email marketing is in breach of all the protocols adhered to by all legitimate emailing software providers and in the case of B to C marketing is considered illegal. So it is impossible for email marketing service providers to offer a list; no, the email list must be one developed by the user from contact lists or from a source of trusted provenance.

In summary; legitimate email marketing service providers cannot under normal circumstances provide the email list, this is entirely your responsibility.

 Email content design.

Good email marketing service providers such as Email Blaster UK will assist enormously in enabling the user to create a good looking, professional and code optimum email but it is in the end the responsibility of the user to develop the themes, graphic style and text content. Again obvious to many, but often not appreciated is the point that the email marketing service provider is not going to design the newsletter or marketing email for you (or at least not without charging). The leading service providers do offer extensive and easy to use templates as well as ample help desk assistance from which a very effective and efficient newsletter or message can by created but unless you have commissioned and paid for a design service, it is up to you to create your newsletter for transmission to your list.

 Delivery performance clicks and spam.

Statistical analysis of email campaigns shows that the quality of results – in the form of delivered, opened, link clicked, varies enormously from near zero opens to over 95%. But this performance is almost totally dominated by the quality of the email list, with the wording of the subject line and email content a poor second. A club newsletter sent to a list of members for example will achieve near 100% opens, whereas a punt at a list of past customers which may be a bit old for example, may achieve less than 20%. And a purchased list (which Email blaster UK does not allow in any case) will achieve near zero opens. So the quality of delivery of an email campaign is generally not within the scope of the email marketing service – it’s the quality of your list and the subject/content of the email. It also should be noted that a campaign transmitted to a dodgy list will generate a host of spam complaints and is likely to lead to the blocking of the originating IP and the sender. Notwithstanding the operating protocols and legal prohibitions, email marketing companies strive to avoid spam complaints for this reason; it harms their IP reputation and can cause interruptions to service for other customers.

 In summary.

An email marketing software service will not;

1. Provide an off the peg email list for you.
2. Design the newsletter or marketing message for you.
3. Guarantee good delivery performance against a poor email list.

It will assist you comprehensively to achieve good delivery and good opens however by offering user friendly software and to market much more effectively.

Mike

Email Blaster UK