No question that email marketing is a strategy that many deem an effective way to "get the word out" about the product, event or services they are promoting. The market has become saturated with companies that say they offer such services but none more visible than Constant Contact. In fact they have become the "Old Navy" of marketing strategies. On a daily basis I sometimes receive up to 10 messages from organizations and individuals who are all using Constant Contact. I won't say how many I actually open but I will say it's typically less than 10%. So why does Constant Contact suck if so many people are using it you say? Exactly that...everyone's using it! They have become the "biker shorts" of marketing, once everyone starts using em' the cool factor has worn off and it's on to something new. Not to mention their sightly logo dawns itself at the bottom of your well crafted email. In fact you are paying them to market their company...they should be paying you! Save your money and personalize your marketing campaign and your return will increase...guaranteed. Here is a video with a few helpful tips for the savvy marketer.
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Love it! I wanted to try something... ANYTHING... to get my name out there, but I've found that nothing works better than these 3 things.... 1.A well maintained relationships, 2.A steady pace, and 3.Have/Give the same energy to everyone that you did when they FIRST took on your product or service. Ya can't go wrong with these 3... Bravo April!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Stephen. Relationships are absolutely key! Nothing beats word of mouth marketing to people you know and support you. I say save your money and send personal emails to your contacts list. That will give you a higher rate of return. S&B Seasoning is on the move!
ReplyDeleteDitto on relationships! That's the new paradigm--returning to the old paradigm.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that how it always works, the old becomes the new-new? Nothing better than building lasting relationships, even if in the beginning they do not produce visible results. The future hold endless possibilities.
ReplyDeleteThe basic problem with Constant Contact is that they create expectations that just are not realistic. Their advertising is so good that folks think it is easy to use. First and foremost many folks have never thought about what it takes to create content. No email marketing platform is going to be effective absent interesting and informative content.
ReplyDeleteWe have recently started www.mygroupid.com which is an insanely simple email marketing solution for small businesses. with MyGroupId, you don't need to mess around with templates. Just type the email, attach images / youtube link and send from your email program. We will automatically create the branded email from it. We are also putting together a resource pack of email content and stock images that can be used by our customers for free.
ReplyDeleteOur only restriction is no more than 4000 emails in a month to keep out spammers who usually use much larger email lists.
It will be great if you guys can try it out. Send an email to signup@mygroupid.com to create a free account. You never need to visit our site or install any software - everything is done through email from setting up the mailing list to sending the email. Thanks for trying!
I recommend www.savvysender.com for email marketing. It is easy to use and they offer a free 2000 contact plan.
ReplyDeleteI agree!! They are a big fraud and try to lure small companies in, you spend a bunch of time and money and then afterwards they tell you all the reasons why they can't meet your requirements!!
ReplyDeleteSTAY AWAY, THEY TRULY SUCK!!!!
No offense, but you should really do your research thoroughly before you make certain assertions, based on emotions, in your post.
ReplyDeleteYou said, "Not to mention their sightly logo dawns itself at the bottom of your well crafted email. In fact you are paying them to market their company."
This is an option that can be easily removed. Blame the people who aren't tech savvy, not the company that can remove this for free and within a minute.
I was once told by a Constant Contact supervisor that it didn't matter if the software didn't work properly, it was my job to make the customers love using it. That is unfortunately the attitude of the upper management as well.
ReplyDelete