Select The Best Host For Your Email List
Is your email list growing? Choosing a provider for email list hosting and management is an important strategic decision for the email marketer. Follow these guidelines to find the best provider for your needs.
Most marketers don’t have the technical facilities in-house to host their own email list. Here are some features to look for when choosing an email list-hosting provider:
1. Flexible list formats available according to your needs — announcement lists, email newsletters
2. A robust hardware and software configuration that can handle large lists and get the messages sent out quickly
3. A heavy-duty Internet connection, with plenty of bandwidth
4. A system designed specifically for email marketing — providing such features as auto-scheduled campaigns, statistics (bounces, opens, etc.) and personalized messages
5. A foolproof subscribe/unsubscribe system — so you don’t end up doing it manually
6. Automated management of bounces, duplicate addresses, and bad addresses
7. Feedback loop arrangements with major ISPs such as AOL
8. Whitelisted at major ISPs such as AOL
9. Smooth integration between the list host’s system and your in-house marketing database
10. A flexible list management arrangement — so you can manage your own lists via Web interface
11. Daily (or more often) backups, so your valuable email lists and message archives are protected
12. A strong technical support program, so any glitches get handled quickly and effectively
13. Value-added services, such as marketing consultation, editorial services and copywriting
14. Flexible pricing schemes, so it’s affordable for you to run a small list when you’re just starting out — and so the per-message cost goes down as your list size scales up
Effective list management and fast, smooth message delivery are essential components of a successful email marketing effort. Choose a reputable provider who offers a rich, flexible list hosting solution — and who has the processing power and bandwidth to scale upwards as your lists grow.
For more information about hosting your email list with MustangList.com, contact us.