6 Things To Be Aware Of While Selecting A Follow-Up Autoresponder/List Server

I don't know about you, but according to me, the best
marketing tool for your online business other than your
domain name is your follow-up autoresponder/list server.

While a good one can make running your online business a
dream, a bad one (or transferring your list) can turn it in
to a nightmare. Based on my experience here are 6 things to
be aware of while selecting a follow-up autoresponder (or
transferring your existing list to a new one).

1) Make sure your follow-up autoresponder has a "List
Broadcast" facility.

This way, there is no need for a investing in a different
list server to manage your opt-in list.

2) Make sure you read the "Fine Print" before signing up for
any service.

When I first decided to get one for my growing opt-in list,
I came across one that looked absolutely great. It seemed to
have all the features and the price was dirt cheap too.

I signed up immediately and soon my list outgrew the 1000
barrier. When I decided to send this news to my subscribers,
I got a notice something like this: "Your List Has More Than
1000 Subscribers. If You Would Like To Send A Broadcast To
Your List, Please Purchase The List Extension Feature"

I cursed myself for not reading the fine print.

3) Inquire if they have any list transfer policy.

This is very crucial if you're changing your existing list
server and have a relatively large list.

One autoresponder I checked had a list transfer policy which
stated that you cannot upload more than 2500 subscribers in
a given month!

4) Always upload a DEMO list and send a test mail to see if
everything is fine.

Recently I checked an autoresponder that had everything one
could dream for. When I shifted my list to this one and
sent a broadcast, I couldn't close the window!!! It kept
displaying this...

Mailing xyz@xyz.com
Mailing xyz@domain.com
...
...
Don't Stop Till You See "Finished Mailing"

It took more than an hour to mail to my entire list and all
the time I had to keep watching the process. This might be
OK for those who have unlimited Net access, but for those
with dial-up plans, it can be a nightmare.

-----SIDE BAR-----
It's very easy to create a demo list if your domain has
"Catch All" e-mail address feature. You can create a list of
20 or so with addresses like this:

you1@yourdoamin.com
you2@yourdomain.com
you3@yourdomain.com

... so on.
-----SIDE BAR-----

5) Inquire whether they have any limit imposed on the no. of
subscribers.

6) See whether they have any limit on the message length you
send to your list.

Finally, ALWAYS check your new service THOROUGHLY before
leaving your old one. Most of them offer a 30 day guarantee;
which should be a sufficient time to make any decision.