Newsletter Software
For almost any Internet Business to be successful, you need a newsletter.
This helps keep you in contact with your customers.
Allow them to opt-in to your newsletter to keep them up to date on products you have to offer.
Don't just use it for selling, though, give them something worthwhile.
If you don't, they won't want to continue getting the newsletter - and you may have lost a customer.
Also, make sure you don't spam by sending it without their permission - you know, the "opt-in"
part.
I've used three different cgi scripts for newsletters.
I used Subscribe Me Lite which was
very easy to set up and use.
It is not feature rich, but can do the job for a simple list.
They do offer a Professional and an Enterprise version which will include most features you
could think up.
The Lite version is FREE, the others are not.
I can only tell you about the lite version:
Some of the pluses: fairly easy to install; sending is very easy; very easy to include a
subscribe/unsubscribe section in any of your web pages.
Some of the minuses: you cannot send your newsletter in both HTML and plain text at the
same time; you cannot view your list of subscribers easily (you must view a text file outside of
their administration section); you can subscribe and unsubscribe only one email address at a
time within the administration section; you are not notified of subscriptions or unsubscriptions;
you cannot send emails in batches; you can have only one newsletter.
I've also used, and am currently using Dada
Mail for some of my newsletters.
This script takes a bit more to install, but is still fairly easy to do if you follow the
instructions.
It is also FREE and feature-rich.
There is a Pro version for $50 which will allow you to remove the link back to Dada Mail.
Some of the pluses: can receive subscription/unsubscription notices; can view, subscribe,
and unsubscribe email addresses easily, and more than one at a time; can send both HTML and
plain text (even as different text) for the same message; can send emails in batches (which is
very important for larger lists if your host limits how many you can send at a time); you can
have more than one newsletter, and if you have the ability via your host and your knowledge,
you can set up an email discussion list; you can archive your messages and allow or not allow
the public to view them (for your eyes only or not).
Some of the minuses: for the novice, it can become a bit difficult to set up certain features;
customization of your subscribe/unsubscribe page is a bit more difficult; plug-ins can be a bit
confusing (but are optional anyway).
I am also using PHP List.
This script has pretty much the same pluses and minues as Dada Mail, however, it also has a great
feature that we especially needed for our Verse of the Day mailing.
We needed something where we could enter the mailing in and assign a date to have it sent.
This script allows for that.
It allows more than one list, and even more than one template for HTML.
You do have to set up a cron job for the scheduling to work, but once set up, it runs great!
My top choice is PHP List or Dada Mail, if you are have the knowledge, or someone who can
help you has the knowledge, to set it up.
Once set up, there are few things you have to worry about.
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