1 E-newsletters Paul Clarke Nonprofit Resource Center November 23, 2010

2 Four To e-News or Not Comparing Options Available How to Choose Tips for Use

3 To e-News … Reasons to:  Looks professional  Effective method  Cost-effective  Timely  Builds relationships

4.. or Not Reasons not to:  No purpose  No time  No list  No one responsible

5 How to Choose Between Marketing Software or Online Services

6 Major Differences Reporting Features  Software – few and basic  Online – many and detailed

7 Major Differences Cost  Software – one-time, ranges $179 to $985  Online – monthly price / fee based on addresses, etc, ranges $6.95 to $5000

8 Major Differences System Requirements  Software – depends on your SMTP server  Online – internet connection

9 Comparing Options Pricing Ease of Use Formatting Reporting Help & Support Tracking Personalization Segmentation Preview Archive

10 Ease of Use WYSIWYG (more or less) Templates! Stock photos & images Real-time support

11 Reporting Open & Click tracking Monitor list growth & attrition View campaign results

12 Comparison Chart

13 Comparison Chart

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15 GetResponse Trial Notes:  Newsletter templates  Custom template for $595  No stock images (except stamps)  Auto-saves  Can create ‘plain text’ from HTML

16 iContact Trial Notes:  Well-designed templates  Easy to edit  Creating contact lists difficult  No stock images

17 Mail Chimp Trial Notes:  Aesthetically pleasing  Free  Downloadable analytics  No stock photos  Inflexible template designs*  Difficulty using navigation links

18 Salsa Trial Notes:  One-stop platform  Intent to be customized  No stock images  Limited templates

19 Vertical Response Trial Notes:  Can’t change background  Limited fonts  Stock images  Saves as you advance

20 Constant Contact Notes:  WYSIWYG  77 Newsletter templates  Stock photos  Creates plain text automatically

21 Overall Tips Think fast read Limit images Send frequently Know your audience Don’t send too often Make it personal

22 CAN-SPAM Act Violation of these rules is subject to fines up to $11,000 Legitimate services require clients to abide by the rules

23 Alternatives newsletter_tools.php Helping Nonprofits Make Smart Software Decisions

24 How to Decide Number of s / people Integration ability Fancy factor

25 Resources Comparison of Service Providers: A Guide for Nonprofits l-service-provider-comparison-report-2010 Network for Good’s: Seven Steps to Better Nonprofit fundraising-guide/