6 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
6 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Auto Responder & Bulk email Questions

by sunlander
5 replies
Hi

I have 5,500 emails that I have gathered over the past year by selling physical goods on eBay.co.uk

I now have a website and would like to be able email my existing customers once a month with new product news and include in the email a link to the new website, something like the way Amazon email their customers.

I have tried Aweber but they are very restrictive as to what I can do and don't seem to allow me to email my customers as this would be for Aweber a direct first time contact, and thus not allowed.

I have had a business relationship during the past year with all of these customers via eBay and PayPal but none of them have gone through the double option process on Aweber. So there is no way to prove to AWeber that I am not just another spammer.

I am now looking at and considering
1. mailloop-7 $197
2. interspire $495

But the thing that concerns me with either of these 2 products is:

1. I would like to avoid the emails being marked as spam
2. I would like to avoid losing my ISP connection (the ISP doesn't want to be marked as a spammer )
3. If I install either of the above 2 products on my Hosting I would like to avoid losing my Hosting on Hostgator Baby Croc (who also doesn't want to be marked as a spammer)

Talking amongst ourselves we have mentioned
1. authsmtp
2. Virtual SMTP Servers
3. Etc

but we are are groping in the dark and would be grateful for any advice

PS sorry for the lack of links but I'm new on this forum and cannot post links


Best Regards
Jeff
#auto #bulk #email #questions #responder
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by sunlander View Post

    I have tried Aweber but they are very restrictive as to what I can do and don't seem to allow me to email my customers as this would be for Aweber a direct first time contact, and thus not allowed.
    This is always the problem, in these situations.

    The reality is that because of the way the industry works, an autoresponder company that does let clients import "lists" of this nature is going to have dreadful deliverability, because it will be abused by spammers. So if you do find an AR company that allows this, they probably won't be any good anyway and you shouldn't use them.

    It's kind of related to the old Groucho Marks thing: it's not quite that "you wouldn't want to be a member of any club that would have you as a member", more that you wouldn't want to be a member of any club that also admits other members who "look the same as you on paper" because that would make it a useless club. :confused:

    It's second-hand information only, but I have a couple of clients who use Mail-Loop and speak highly of it, if that helps. That self-run solution may perhaps be worth looking into?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3118289].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author webapex
    Vertical Response is one service that seems more geared for real time messages.

    Your biggest headache is probably getting one of these mail management services to accept your email list, transfer between services is probably easier, maybe a talk with a rep, explaining your method of generating the list could get you in, I hear some gradually add your list to the new account to see how it goes. Hopefully the dreaded re-opt-in can be avoided.

    Work At Home Business Resources » Autoresponder Services Review
    Signature

    “An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field” Niels Bohr

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3118362].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author rxcknrxll
    Alexa is right. High delivery rate is mandatory, or else what is the point of sending the emails to begin with? I use Aweber, and they WILL let you import your list. I've done it. They have a procedure in the admin section that will allow you to import your list. You need to tell them where/how you got the emails, etc. And then Aweber will send them a confirmation email, which you can edit.

    I've worked with clients who have lists from a few hundred to a little over 10k emails. We can be very comfortable thinking we have these people on our list, and we don't want to lose them. Thing is, if they're not willing to click to confirm, there's not REALLY on your list anyway. You will lose some people when you import, but it's a great opportunity to find out what you're really working with.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3559768].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author drmani
    Originally Posted by sunlander View Post

    but we are are groping in the dark and would be grateful for any advice

    PS sorry for the lack of links but I'm new on this forum and cannot post links


    Best Regards
    Jeff


    This may not appeal to you, so feel free to ignore the suggestion.

    I would suggest building a new double opt-in process that explicitly
    tells your buyers what you intend offering them - and getting only
    those who really care enough about the value to sign up.

    That list will be several times more responsive than a more general
    one anyway - it's the essence of "permission marketing".

    You could set up an autoresponder on a proven service like Aweber
    or GetResponse or IMnica or any other with good deliverability rates.

    Then, you either email each buyer individually, using some form of
    mail merge software and sending them out in batches ONE TIME ONLY
    using your own email address... or send out a postcard or letter
    in the post (you likely have that since your list was built off
    eBay sales) in which you invite them to join this list.

    Add this step to your process by having an insert included in
    all pieces you ship out to new buyers in the future.

    Make it more attractive to join the list by throwing in some gifts
    or incentives for opting in.

    You may not get more than 15% of your bigger list to opt-in and
    confirm - but my experience is that you'll make more than 3x
    more sales from this narrowed down list than you could with
    a mail blast to all of the existing customers you've not been
    in touch with since they bought from you.

    Hope this helps.

    All success
    Dr.Mani
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3560848].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author newlife456
    Has anybody used BZ9 as a list builder? They say they have that feature.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3568439].message }}

Trending Topics