Guide to Email Software Basics

Selecting a business email software is an important part of setting up your network

By Heather Topham Wood, Freelance Writer

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Compare top business email programs

If you have never used business-specific email programs, you'll want to test drive and review a few prior to making your purchase. You can use review sites to make comparisons and learn about the features obtained by popular programs.

I recommend: Download.com, a part of CNET Networks can provide you with plenty of information on email software programs. Find recommendations for email software that fall into categories like: most popular, editor’s picks and new releases. PC Magazine also gives reviews for top names in email software programs, like Thunderbird, Eyejot, Outlook and Windows Live.

Receive quotes from providers of email software

Email software basics include working out the cost of email software systems. Once you determine the program you want for your company, shop around and look at different vendors to find the best pricing option. Also, consider perks, like free technical support, when pricing out business email software.

I recommend: IBM offers Lotus Notes, a popular business email solution at a moderate cost. Select request a quote from their website in order to get in touch with a sales representative. Mail Trust offers a free 14 day trial to potential subscribers. You can also take a virtual tour through their site.

Integrate the email software program

Once you have purchased the software program that you want for your business, you'll need some technical support in order to integrate the system with your current network. You should rely on information technician specialists to give you guidance on how to install the email software for business with the least amount of hassle and cost.

I recommend: On Small Business Software, you’ll find recommendations for email software applications as well as advice on how to incorporate systems into your business. If you select Outlook Express as your providers, Microsoft has several help pages to guide you in setting up the program.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When setting up email sending software, you'll have to select a domain name through your email host. Most companies choose their company name as their domain.

Guide to Producing Your Own Electronic Newsletter

Relevance and trust are keys to getting your message through

By Lou Bortone, Creative Director, Granite Planet Productions

1. Timely — don’t send a newsletter unless you have news
2. Relevant — recipients are much more likely to open and read your newsletter if the content is valuable to them
3. Concise — e-newsletters should be brief and focused

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Select an e-newsletter service supplier

Several e-newsletter vendors make creating your newsletter quick and painless. Costs and features vary, but most provide user-friendly, turn-key solutions.

I recommend: Constant Contact, Bronto and Exact Target are just a few of the services that offer everything from design templates to list management.

Build your list and get permission

Develop a database by putting a 'subscribe' box on your Web site home page. Make it easy for subscribers by requesting only their email address. Ask their permission with a 'double opt-in,' which asks for an email address, then sends a confirmation email asking subscribers to click on a link to confirm their participation. Another way to grow your list: Include a 'Forward to a Friend' button on your newsletter.

I recommend: E-dialog is one company that provides database list management and comprehensive email list services. Most companies, such as eNewsletters Online, allow you to import existing mailing lists and databases. ListPower is another easy-to-use mailing list manager.

Develop and compose your content

Start with engaging, compelling subject lines to gain attention. Content should be relevant and useful to your target audience, and you should present it in a straightforward, honest tone. Avoid industry jargon or 'sales speak.' Also, design matters! It should facilitate scanning and skimming.

I recommend: E-newsletter copy tips are available free from The Levinson Letter. Most newsletter services, like MyNewsletterBuilder, offer pre-built templates and design advice.

Make it interactive

Take advantage of the interactive and personal nature of email newsletters by starting a conversation with your customer. Keep you goals in mind. What do you want your reader to do? Provide info? Respond to an offer? Fill out a survey? Make sure you include a call to action.

I recommend: For a good list of email tactics, visit MarketingSherpa.

Track results and evaluate

Once your newsletter is sent, you can track open rates and 'click throughs' to evaluate your campaign. Use this info to improve your next newsletter.

I recommend: Most email newsletter vendors, such as Vertical Response, offer extensive reporting and tracking tools. To learn the lingo, Azavar provides definitions of various email marketing analytics.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make your privacy policy clear. Never rent or sell your list.
• •  Offer your readers both HTML and text version of the newsletter.
• •  Avoid sending your e-newsletter on or near holidays.
• •  At the risk of stating the obvious, link to your Web site!
• •  Make it easy to subscribe… and unsubscribe.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Investigate training for email software program options to assist with bulk email or email tracking

Bulk email is helpful when sending out large quantities of emails and learning how to do so can save businesses time, money and resources. Bulk emails are beneficial for such ventures as email newsletter subscriptions, large numbers of business associates and the like. Email tracking software and email tracing is helpful in order to make sure that emails are getting to the places they need to in a timely manner and to limit the amount of spam that comes into a business email account.

I recommend: Idealware.org offers online seminars with regard to bulk email software. Meanwhile, Microsoft.com offers a training video on how to use a common business program, Microsoft Word, to assist in bulk emailing. Visualware.com offers a tutorial to help educate users about email tracking software and email tracing.

Research options for using marketing email software programs to learn to benefit one's business

There are a number of courses, tutorials and materials to help assist businesses with marketing campaigns. Marketing email software allows businesses to present their materials in an interesting and stimulating manner. The more stimulated readers are by the emails they receive, the more likely they are to pay attention to the information enclosed in such. Many businesses will pay a great deal of attention to how their emails are marketed in order to improve their sales and support.

I recommend: For email marketing and email marketing software tutorials, FreeEmailTutorials.com is an informative resource. Additional email marketing software tutorials and training for email marketing software can be found at iSmartSoftware.com.

Invest in understanding spam blocker and filter business email programs through tutorials

Many businesses' email software systems are compromised in their efficiency because of spam. Information about spam blocker and filter email software system options can help businesses to eliminate the spam that can take up so much time when it comes to email management and operations.

I recommend: Tutorial-Net offers a fundamental education of spam and filter email software capabilities. Spam-Filter-Review offers a review of some of the top 2009 models of spam and filter email software.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  In addition to tutorials and email software provider manuals, many businesses and individuals are also assisted by forums and discussion boards. Through these environments, individuals can ask questions, post comments and read reviews about email software programs. It is also a helpful format for individuals to ask simple or complex questions without having to pay for a tutorial or an education course on the material.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

HTML email

HTML is the programming language that allows web designers to format a page with special fonts, images, colors and other design elements. Most email clients now allow you to send and receive email messages with the same type of HTML coding found in web pages.

I recommend: Find a definition of HTML email in an extensive glossary of email-related terms at Email Experience Council.

Email attachment

An email attachment is a file attached to an email message. Email clients can open some attachments such as photos and other images. In some cases, you may need to save the attachment in order to open it in a program that can read the specific file type.

I recommend: Get the definition of an email attachment in the glossary of email and web hosting terms provided by 100 Best Web Hosting.

Header

The header is the top portion of an email providing information regarding the sender, recipient, date, time and more.

I recommend: Visit POPFile to view a definition of an email header, with an example and an explanation of the different parts.

Authentication

Authentication is a process that attempts to determine the identity of the sender of an email to prevent fraud, viruses and other nefarious activity.

I recommend: Find the definition of email authentication, along with other email terms, in a glossary at Silverpop.

Email virus

A computer virus is a piece of computer code that does something malicious to your computer. An email virus is a virus that reaches your computer through email, perhaps presenting itself as another type of file or link.

I recommend: Find a definition of email virus and learn how to guard against them at PC Magazine.

Spam or junk email

Spam or junk mail refers to unsolicited email. A large majority of spam is marketing emails. Many services exist that try to block this type of email.

I recommend: Find the definition of spam at a glossary of terms related to Internet security at Viruslist.com.