admin answers:

Well, I have spent a gazillion hours looking into this myself. I’ve learned a lot through the trial and error method and the school of hard knocks because I’ve actually used several different ones.

I’ve also gotten opinions from some of the “super affiliate” top marketers on the web who have big lists they email to all the time.

So here goes a brief rundown of what I’ve learned:
1. I contact is the cheapest and most basic. Very few frills.
2. Constant contact is a step above icontact in terms of bells and whistles but if you boil it all down they are not that different (cc costs a bit more).
3. Lyris is a lot more than just an email program. They offer some pretty awesome data and lead-tracking capabilities through their own software. If you want to be able to track the buying behavior of all website visitors, such as those who buy in a store vs. Online vs over the phone, etc. Then this is the one for you.
4. Almost EVERY super affiliate with the big email lists strongly recommend Aweber for the highest open rates in the industry. (And the thus the highest % read and the lowest deleted %, etc.)

They’ve got the greatest autoresponder programs for you, which provides the most important element to making money: Continual followup with different people in the right way.

Full Disclosure: I have no commercial relationship or interest in any of these (or any other) email programs.

Conclusion: If you’re building a big list strictly for web marketing, then Aweber is the best. If you’re using the email list and the website to complement and support a bricks and mortar store, then Lyris is the best. If you just want to send out less than 1,000 emails once a month, perhaps in newsletter format, then Constant Contact will work just fine. And icontact is similar but the budget choice.

If you want to be #1 in Google (and other search engines) in your local market, for what you sell, I can show you how. It’s pretty easy if you know what you’re doing. Http://www.thetaxdoctor.info; http://www.thetaxdoctor.info/custom7.php or email me at ucanbenumberone@gmail.com

admin answers:

Are you looking to improve your current email marketing? Or increase you email list? Looks like two questions.

To increase your email marketing list, include a link to a web form on your postal mail piece directing the consumers to visit that site and register for any number of reasons (sign up to receive special offers, sign up for our email newsletter, sign up for acces to XXX, etc). Once they register, they are providing you with their email address so the email is can spam compliant.

admin answers:

To determine the value of an email campaign, direct your users to a specific URL. This allows you to track response rates.

One bit of warning… Do not attempt to email people/businesses who have not opted-in to your specific campaign. Spam will destroy the value of your business and is grounds for prosecution and lawsuits in many states and countries.

Hope this helps!

admin answers:

Review this site, they have a lot of quality info about email marketing and they have the best email marketing autoreponder online:
http://www.GetResponse.com/index/Heaven4Affiliates

admin answers:

You have to set it up so a holdout cell of records gets only direct mail. The quantity depends on your overall universe. The other test cells obviously have both direct mail and email. You can then measure the impact in response rates by looking at a cost per lead or other cost-per metric. You need to do it with costs because obviously it’s more money to do both direct mail and email.