Most marketers don’t have the technical facilities in-house to host their own e-mail list once its size reaches tens of thousands of addresses. Here are some features to look for when it comes time to choose an e-mail list hosting provider:
- Flexible list formats available according to your needs — announcement lists, e-mail newsletters, discussion lists
- A robust hardware and software configuration that can handle large lists and get the messages sent out quickly
- A heavy-duty Internet connection, with plenty of bandwidth
- A system designed specifically for e-mail marketing — providing such features as auto-scheduled campaigns, trackable URLs and personalized messages
- A foolproof subscribe/unsubscribe system — so you don’t end up doing it manually
- Automated management of bounces and bad addresses
- Smooth integration between the list host’s system and your in- house marketing database
- A flexible list management arrangement — so you can manage your own lists via Web interface, or have the hosting company manage them for you on a turnkey basis
- Daily backups, so your valuable e-mail lists and message archives are protected
- A strong technical support program, so any glitches get handled quickly and effectively
- Value-added services, such as marketing consultation, editorial services and copywriting
- 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
- A well-defined “exit strategy,” in case you decide to switch hosting providers sometime down the road — make sure it’s clear (and in writing) that you own your list and archive and can have a copy of them any time.
Effective list management and fast, smooth e-mail-serving are essential components of a successful e-mail 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.
