Autoresponders - I'm confused. What should we do, once and for all?

[TelegramSam]

Hi Guys,

I am trying to find the right solution here so that we can send out a monthly newsletter and a series of autoresponder messages as needed.

We have 4 websites and combined we have about 14,000 customer emails.

These are single opt in but have bought from us and want our newsletter.

We have never done an online newsletter. Now we want to start.

After a lot of research I have found out we can either have our own software solution (such as AutoResponse Plus, MailLoop or Interspire) or we can use a hosted solution such as Aweber or GetResponse.

I know there may be a few others, but for now, let's just stick to any of the above options.

It seems that for best deliverability, a hosted double opt-in solution appears the best. I don't know if this is factual or sales spin from these companies.

(I'm not sure how isp's know whether something is double opt in or not).

However, a self-hosted solution seems less expensive in the long run.

So the problems I see with a hosted solution (aweber / getresponse) is how can I import 14,000 single opt-in emails (all have bought something though), if these services require double opt in.

Also, with any of these solutions, hosted or self-hosted, can I use the service if I have 4 websites, or do I have to buy 4 packages?!

Here's an article I found which if implemented can theoretically help improve deliverability of emails:


Nova Blog 6 Simple Steps To Improving e-mail Deliverability


I'm not sure if this helps us to make a decision or not.

So guys, what recommendations can you please give based on our situation?

Many thanks.

Sam

[Diver's]

Hi Sam, this is a comparison by Dr.Quek. about 11 Autoresponder, i do not want to confuse you, but maybe this will help. Remember, he might be bias because he is selling his own autoresponder. but he does gift for free. Yes, you can transfer the database.

but to me personally, i would prefer Mailloop. Aweber is also great choice.

check this link ok Sam..

Comparison Chart

[livingwell]

I think Aweber or Getresponse would do the job.

[dbarnum]

Hi Sam,

Don't be afraid to try and stick with a couple. We use ProfitAutomation, Willie Crawford's private label 1shoppingcart solution that you can upgrade and downgrade at any time, tying it in with a shopping cart, affiliate marketing program and a lot more.

And we use Aweber, which seems to boast a higher delivery rate and hence opt in rate among many. But you can’t do as much with the leads like you can with the above set up, so you may want to convert or send these folks there through a special promo.


And vice-versa: set up special promos for your 1shoppingcart folks so they get in your Aweber account.


Images with links to both companies are on the sidebar of my here:

http://movingaheadblog.com

(the blog content is being updated, so it may look strange off and on this weekend with double posts, etc.)

[radhika]

1. For a list of 14,000 emails you simply need a VPS. VPS comes from 30 - 40 dollars now a days with good RAM. Shared host will also do but the optimization of website/server, you will have more control over VPS than shared hosting.

2. The post that you have mentioned explains the ways to improve email deliverability. Most of them need simple configuration changes especially you are on cpanel. Even with all those precautions, few emails might be pushed to unk folders. So you need a constant watch over your email deliverability.

3. Yes. Long run your own software is better, especially if your email list growing big. But as I said you need to know little tactics like subscribing your own lists using free email addresses and see where email are landing, white listing your server ips with yahoo and hotmail etc.

Good luck!!

.

[novasoft]

Originally Posted by TelegramSam

Hi Guys,

I am trying to find the right solution here so that we can send out a monthly newsletter and a series of autoresponder messages as needed.

We have 4 websites and combined we have about 14,000 customer emails.

These are single opt in but have bought from us and want our newsletter.

We have never done an online newsletter. Now we want to start.

After a lot of research I have found out we can either have our own software solution (such as AutoResponse Plus, MailLoop or Interspire) or we can use a hosted solution such as Aweber or GetResponse.

I know there may be a few others, but for now, let's just stick to any of the above options.

It seems that for best deliverability, a hosted double opt-in solution appears the best. I don't know if this is factual or sales spin from these companies.

(I'm not sure how isp's know whether something is double opt in or not).

However, a self-hosted solution seems less expensive in the long run.

So the problems I see with a hosted solution (aweber / getresponse) is how can I import 14,000 single opt-in emails (all have bought something though), if these services require double opt in.

Also, with any of these solutions, hosted or self-hosted, can I use the service if I have 4 websites, or do I have to buy 4 packages?!

Here's an article I found which if implemented can theoretically help improve deliverability of emails:


Nova Blog 6 Simple Steps To Improving e-mail Deliverability


I'm not sure if this helps us to make a decision or not.

So guys, what recommendations can you please give based on our situation?

Many thanks.

Sam

Sam,

That article you quoted is from my blog and I have had discussions with a lot of marketers who use hosted services like aweber, and after those discussions I have come to the conclusion that a self hosted solution works just as well if you use the steps I have in my blog post.

The only down side is that in case there is a spam complaint and your ip gets blacklisted in any of the DNS based blacklists then you have to keep mailing and force them to get your IP whitelisted. In case of a hosted solution, their staff will do the needful, so basically if you train a virtual assistant to do the same, you are free from this burden.

Hope that helps...

[TelegramSam]

Thanks for the input guys.

Of the products I mentioned, which do you think are best and why?

Cheers.

[igorhelpsyousucceed]

hey Sam,

I would suggest to use GetResponse.

Yes, you pay more than with a self-hosted
software, but they will do all the hard work for
you.
All you will have to do is actually write the email.
The techniqual aspect of it will be covered with no headache.
You can import your 14,000 members into any list that you
will create.
You can create as much lists as you want, as much campaigns as you want
and you won't have to pay any extra on this.

~Igor

[Devon Brown]

1. I would use a 3rd Party (hosted) auto-repsonder. Because you wont have to worry about getting your own server, Whitelisting your IP's, deliverablity, and all of that other technical mumbo jumbo.

2. I would use ether Aweber or Icontact.

3. If you have a pre-existing list & you need to transfer names/emails into your new autoresponder then you'll want to use Icontact. If i'm NOT mistaken, Icontact will let you import an already existing list (assuming it's legit) and aweber will not let you import a pre-existing list (again - if i'm NOT mistaken.)

4. I've heard very good things about Icontact. (although I personally use aweber)

5. I personally dont do double opt in and I wouldnt worry about it if i were you. The auto-responder companies want you to do double opt in because its an extra safe-guard and makes sense from their perspective...HOWEVER...Whenever i've done double opt in i typically lose about 25% (or more). - Meaning that about 25% of the people who legitimately opted in end up NOT clicking the verification link (so they never end up on my list).

6. It doesn't matter how many websites you have. You can have separate lists in each auto-responder. In other words you have your Main auto-responder account" then you have List 1 (from website 1) - List 2 (from website 2) etc... you can usually have a ton of different "lists". Whenever I make a new site with an opt-in box, I go into my auto-responder account and click "create new list" or "create new auto-responder".

Hope all of that made sense ;-)

Go back and re-read #3 as far as which one to use

[KenStrong]

I like AWeber the best, but as mentioned the drawback is every single one of those 14,000 is going to have to click on a confirmation email to stay on the list. But maybe you could offer a compelling bonus if they do click (you can customize your confirmation message to a large extent at Aweber).

And if they don't confirm, you still have them in you aweber database, they're just not receiving any of your broadcasts. You could send them reminders about confirming.

[TelegramSam]

Thanks for all your input.

I do seem to be getting differing views, which in a way is good as that means we have quite a few options.

I do like the sound of aweber going forward, but it certainly wouldn't be suitable for the 14,000 existing single optin emails we have. I wouldn't even try to get them to double opt in.

(As an aside, a number of guru's have differing views on single versus double opt in. I am tending to lean towards single opt in overall, perhaps with double opt in for some of our special reports/niches. Comments?)

[jacktackett]

Telegram Sam - not sure why you opened a second thread on the same topic, but if you just want a straight recommendation then here's my 0.02$

If you want a self hosted solution use fellow warrior Neil's script Autoreponse plus. For the price nothing comes close to its functionality.

For a hosted solution - use iContact. As someone else here said they will let you import names without forcing a double opt in, but at this level - 14,000 - your account will be under sort of parole and if you get a certain percentage of complaints (the percentage is competitive information - and differs for each of the major ISPs. If you cause problems, they will nuke your account (but so will any provider). With a self hosted solution- cause problems and your ISP/Hosting provider will nuke your account. Its just the nature of the business.

Also iContact has a community feature that is well liked by Google - if you publish to the community it will get index rather quickly by the googlebot. Can provide some nice link juice.

But as everything in IM - you should test, test, test. As you have probably guessed by now - and if you've searched the forum using teh search funtion - there is no definitive right answer to what is the best autoresponder. In the end - its a personal decision.

good luck (and get over the analysis paralysis and get a move on with your business - just make a decision and get on with it ;-) )

--Jack

[abo28]

My advice: do not do it yourself! I mean, use a hosted solution. Aweber, GetResponse, Constant Contact, Icontanct... wahtever. If you use your own script, you'll have to handle all kind of spamming complaints every single day.

Plus, installing and maintaining the script is a headache. All kind of dumb problems may arise. You get rid of all these using a remotely hosted autoresponder software.

Bogdan