Re: FN-FORUM: Advice required - html/email mailout marketing methods

date posted 31st January 2007 16:01

So let me get this right. All their software does is read a database
table of contact emails, loop through them and email people in batches
with a newsletter you create totally outside their software? And they
charge how much for this?

How is that different to a simple script that does the same? The one I
did was just a few lines of code, with a sleep statement to sort out the
batch stuff?

As far as checking responses and unsubscribe, in the newsletter I created
links for recipients to click, which included user_ids from the database,
so I knew who had responded.

Is this typically all newsletter software does for people, or are some a
bit cleverer? Some costs a fortune don't they? What are they doing for
that money?

--
Dominic Raywood
Rubicon Computer Services Limited
W: http://rubiconcsl.com
E: [EMAIL REMOVED]
T: 08456 521 561 (+44 1823 698420)
F: 08456 521 561 (+44 1823 690169)
M: 07050 204998 (+44 7811 252573)

>
> On 31 Jan 2007, at 3:23 pm, [EMAIL REMOVED] wrote:
>> The systems that have been suggested seem to be online based around a
>> database - am I correct
>>
>> If I was to suggest this - how would she/I create the list of our=20
>> existing
>> contacts and enter them into this new database system? I don=B9t =
> really=20
>> want
>> to recommend paying for a system that is impossible for her to work=20
>> out how
>> to use
>>
>> Basically, the sustem that I setup used filemaker pro - that basically
>> emailed a page of code to all of the contacts within that filemaker=20
>> pro - so
>> it was not an online system - but it also problematic - and now that
>> I=20=
>
>> am
>> not on hand geographically - I want to suggest a foolproof system
>> she=20=
>
>> can
>> use so I don=B9t get involved
>
> Hi John,
>
> Sendstudio is written in PHP. You download it from interspire, then=20
> install it on your server. (so you need at least rudimentary knowledge=20=
>
> of PHP - or you need to know someone who has). You create an account=20
> for your client so she can log in. She can import her mailing list=20
> from Excel or Access (sorry don't know if it will accept FileMaker=20
> Pro) . She (or you) can create her email "newsletter" in plain text,=20
> HTML or preferably both.
>
> Sendmail adds the required "unsubscribe" link to the bottom of the=20
> mailshot, handles sending out the mails in batches from the server and=20=
>
> handles the responses so you can see track what happened.
>
> Its probably not for a complete novice as you have to have a=20
> rudimentary understanding of PHP to install and of HTML to create your=20=
>
> mailshots
>
> Best regards,
>
> Ray
>
> ------------------------------
> Ray McGinty Information Design
>
> Specialising in web application development,
> e-commerce and design for print.
>
> http://www.rmid.co.uk
>
> Listed on the Business Link North East England Service Provider Register
>
>
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