Newsletter Email software questions:

Business
1

I have a weak local ISP that provides me with a dynamic IP address which is often a blacklisted one and I have a good dedicated IP address with my LAMP VPS account and plenty of unused RAM and CPU. My desktop is WIndows XP and not a server.

I am not interested in free newsletter software or service where you pay by the email.

Two questions:

  1. It seems to me that I clearly want to go with a LAMP software package such as Interspires for example.

Would anyone suggestion a Windows based solution for my desktop instead and why?

  1. Software suggestions? I am already looking at Interspire and PG

Thank you!

2

You’ll never get the kind of delivery rates companies that do e-mail marketing right get running any kind of software off your own server. Not having a blacklisted IP is just the tip of things to do. Have you already ruled out using an e-mail marketing service like Constant Contact or MailChimp or Vertical Response?

3

CampaignMonitor is another good choice.

4

Dan.

Thank you for your response.

Yes, I really would prefer to use my own software. The email addresses will primarily come from my customers so with a little work I would imagine good delivery rates and I would likely call a good customer and ask what there new email address is if appropriate.

We are in a small craft business and have a good relationship with our customers. It is part of our style of business to do things as much as possible ourselves - including taking product photos etc…

Any thoughts on emails sent from a webhost’s webserver vs using my desktop and local ISP?

Currently Interspire looks like the best software for us - any more ideas?

M_wb360,

Thank you for your idea _ I will take a look although I thought that was a service?

5

I wasn’t referring to having the e-mails to mail, but getting your mail to their inbox. That’s more than just not being blacklisted. Even if you know all the ins and outs of mail server configuration, SPF, DNS configuration, etc. there’s no chance you have the track record and connections to be on the trusted mailers list at major email providers, which the big e-mail marketing companies can do.

No matter what you do, more of your mails will end up in spam boxes or undelivered, especially after the first mailing. Many ISPs that see you sending mail in bulk can terminate your service, whether you have permission to mail those people are not. Using your VPS is your only realistic option if you’re going to do it yourself.

6

Thank you for confirming that using my VPS account’s mail server is the best route (excluding mail services).

Presumably, I will have to handle bounced emails the old fashioned way with hard work by contacting each customer who does not receive our newsletter.

If need be to have them add our email address to their address book or white list as the need arises.

I look on this in a positive light as a good reason to say hello to a customer.

I fully understand that mail services have relationships with the hotmails and Yahoos of the world.

7

You could try something like IMmailer if you want to run it right off your own server…

8

Thank you but that softwrae looks quite limited.

I am trying Nuevomailer now which has very good support something lacking most elsewhere.