Guest Author - Pamela Blackmon

With so many email marketing providers available, it can be tough to wade through the hype to figure out which company to use. While nothing beats hands-on experience, following the suggestions below will help you to start by asking some of the right questions.

Price. While cost is always a key factor in the decision about which marketer to use, you’ll want to look beyond the numbers to be sure you’re getting most of the services you truly need to ensure the success of your ezine. Many companies charge you a certain rate per number of subscribers on your list. As your list grows, so does your monthly fee.

Customization. How flexible are the templates? Do you need to know HTML? If it’s a pre-formatted template, what elements can be changed? Color? Font size or style? Can you upload your logo? Can you upload pictures and, if so, how simple is the process? How easy is it to customize the template? Are the instructions easy to understand and implement? Will the company create a template specifically for your company?

Reports. Accessing and understanding vital statistics like your open rates, click-through rates and other basic information is crucial to measuring the success of your newsletter campaign. Take a look at the types of statistical reporting offered and be sure it’s what you need.

Customer Service. How accessible are the customer service representatives? At the very least, the provider should have a help section with frequently asked questions (FAQs). Many also offer forums where peers willingly answer questions. Depending on the speed with which you need an answer, you should also find a phone number and/or email address to contact customer support during regular business hours. Live chat is also another excellent way to get your questions answered. The site should clearly list when customer service representatives are available and through what medium.

Trial Offers. Limited trial subscriptions that let you try before you buy are common among ezine marketers. They hope you’ll love their service so much that when it’s time to ante up your credit card number, you’ll do so willingly and without question. Take advantage of this trial period and use every feature possible to see if it’s truly a fit for you and your publication.

Tools. Does the company offer a spam checker to ensure that your ezine doesn’t unintentionally contain potential triggers? What about a spell checker in case you overlook a misspelled word? How easy is to add a new contact? Multiple contacts? Remove duplicate email addresses? Collect data about your subscribers?

Resources. Webinars, teleseminars, blogs and monthly newsletters are all great ways for your email marketer to keep you in the know about the latest trends and changes in best practices and email promotion. Check out their resources section to see what they offer and whether you think they’ll help you grow as an ezine marketer.