Get Repeat Business with Email Marketing Software

As an Internet entrepreneur, the most valuable asset I have is my mailing list of past customers. Whenever anyone orders a product from one of my websites, they have to enter their contact information just in case I need to get in touch with them to confirm a billing address or notify them of a shipping delay. And of course I keep all that info on hand to periodically reach out to these same customers to tell them about sales or special deals. Having the right email marketing software makes this task a whole lot easier, and has resulted in a lot of repeat business for me.

I've tried a lot of different email marketing software over the years, so by now I've come learn exactly what to look for in this type of product. I've discovered that the particular brand doesn't matter as much as the actual features that you get for your money. Some products come with a lot of bells and whistles (and a proportionally higher price tag), but I've found that I'm not likely to use many of those things. Instead, I've had the most success with mid-range email marketing software that's a cut above the basic stuff, but not quite as elaborate as the top-shelf offerings.

Before purchasing any email marketing software, I recommend that you check for the following capabilities. First of all, there should be a mailing list management feature to help keep your contacts organized. While you'll frequently want to send your mailings to everyone on the list, there will be times when a more targeted approach is called for. Therefore, having the ability to segment your customers according to different criteria is a must.

A second must-have feature in email marketing software is a tracking component. After all, if you can't tell how many people respond to your mailings, then you'll never know how effective your various campaigns are. Good email marketing software will be able to track every message you send and will be able to show you which customers on your list opened the message, how many friends they forwarded the message to, what links they clicked on, how long they stayed on your site, and if they bought anything as a result of your campaign. With this kind of data at your fingertips, you can create very powerful advertisements that will get your customers to keep coming back.

And finally, you have to take deliverability issues into account. Any email marketing software you buy should comply with the 2003 Can-Spam Act (which essentially means that there should be a prominent opt-out link somewhere in the message) and should be tolerated by the leading ISPs as legitimate mailings. If you choose a product that cannot make these claims, then you run the risk of your messages not being delivered to customers, leaving you right back at square one -- and out a couple hundred bucks in the bargain.

If you do any kind of online selling, then email marketing software is an invaluable tool that will greatly enhance your ability to communicate with customers. Put some time into choosing the right product, and watch your repeat business go through the roof!