When it comes to email marketing, you have a number of choices.

You can do it entirely yourself. You can do it yourself using online software like dotMailer or AWeber. Or you can outsource to a specialist like 2nd Impression.

Doing it yourself entirely

You can do it very basically through something like Outlook. You’ll have to CC or BCC all your database though, unless you have the time or can be bothered to send it one by one.

Alternatively you can buy some email software, put together an HTML email using WYSIWYG software (unless you can write HTML) and then send your email out.

Pros:	Low Cost
Cons:	i) Finding the time to get round to it. ii) Having to think about what to say and how to say it. iii) Increase your chances of being blocked by spam filters. iv) Risk of sending spam to incorrect addresses. v) Having to learn and follow certain dos and don’ts. v) Probably won’t appear as professional as you would like. vi) Probably won’t happen as often as you want.

Note: Is the only Pro really a Pro? Are you actually saving anything if you end up not sending emails as often as you’d wanted or in the way that you wanted?

 

 

Using Online Software

There are some good online DIY email marketing companies out there, like Dotmailer, AWeber and Pure360. They have templates you can choose from to create your email and, depending on your package, you’ll be able to add images and personalise it to an extent (most have additional charges for this). Until you reach a certain subscriber level – charges are generally based on that – they can provide you with a good solution.

Pros:

Cost*, Templates provided

Cons:

i) Finding the time to get round to it. ii) Having to think about what to say and how to say it. iii) Bespoke/personalised templates can add to the cost. iv) Risk of sending spam to incorrect addresses. v) Limited to your own resources, the copy, which is still your responsibility, might not read as professionally as you would like. vi) Probably won’t happen as often as you had intended. vii) Risk of data hackers stealing your client subscriber data.

Note: *Cost is only good for smaller databases. Once you get up to 3000-5000+ email addresses then the cost efficiency in doing it yourself diminishes.

 

 

Outsourcing to a Company like 2nd Impression

They do it all for you. You just let them know what you want to say, in as many or as few words as you want and they’ll draft up a design for you to look at. You can get as involved as much or as little as you want or have time for. Costs are fixed, so you can budget properly.

Pros:

i) It’s all done for you. ii) All emails are bespoke and personalised at no additional cost. iii) Professionally copy written to achieve the best results. iv) Your data is checked and cleansed before sending (so you’re sending to the right people). v) Emails sent as though from you – any address you specify. vi) All bounced emails and remove requests are managed for you. vii) Your emails will be CAN-SPAM compliant. viii) Emails sent as though from you – any address you specify. ix) Your data held confidentially and securely offline. x) You can focus on running your business.

Cons:

Cost …although not as costly as you think and compares favourably with online systems, especially if your database is 3000+

Note: Contact 2nd Impression for a quote. You might be surprised.

 

Image credits:   Which one  – sam.soneja, Bude  – Stinging Eyes, Which way arrows – tm-tm