Email Newsletter Software

Should I create my newsletter in a word processor or email program? Which email program should I use?

Those two questions came from a visitor to the Manager's Guide to Newsletters website. She planned to start an email newsletter that would go to parents of students at her school and wanted to know about the software she would need.

In response, we'll look at these two important questions for newsletter publishers.

Word processor or email program? This can be one of the simpler issues, at least if your mailing list is not too large at start-up. You can write your newsletter in any email program, or any word processor that allows you to save your work as plain text (ASCII). Most writers prefer to use a word processing program for at least the first draft, since it provides more text manipulation features and saving options.

Once you've written, rewritten, spellchecked, and proofread your newsletter in the word processor, copy and paste it into the body of your email program (we'll discuss how to handle that text in the next article in this series).

Of course, you'll need an email program of some kind to send out your newsletter, regardless of where you wrote it. Among email programs, check both those stand- alone programs and those integrated with browsers.

The most common program is Outlook Express, which comes bundled with Internet Explorer, and that in turn comes bundled with Windows. But, don't overlook the possibilities in the Netscape and Opera suites. In addition, there's also a new challenger, Mozilla Thunderbird, which is associated with the Firefox browser.

Turning to stand-alone email programs, take a look at Eudora (which offers an advertising-supported version and a version you can buy). It has a solid reputation among many email newsletter publishers, and I consider it the best all-purpose email client for my PC (however, I don't like it on my Mac, where I use the built-in program, Mail).

I've used all of these programs at one time or another, and each has advantages and disadvantages. In considering them, review the strengths and weaknesses of their address books as well as their message composition capabilities.

Once your mailing list grows beyond a certain point (depending on your personal inclinations), you'll need to move it out of the email program and into something more flexible.

In my case, once the list got to something like a hundred subscribers, I found the management of it frustrating. For example, adding and deleting email addresses from an email program takes more time and trouble than doing it in a word processing program or, on a more sophisticated level again, a database program.

In managing a list of several thousand, I use the Find feature to quickly pick out and delete someone who wants to unsubscribe. Similarly, it's easy to get the list back into alphabetical order at any time by using the sorting feature of a word processing program.

Another growth issue: As your subscriber list grows, you may want to move away from your email program and use an independent mailing service. In that case, you go to a provider company and upload your list one time. After that, you simply paste your newsletter into a form they provide, and click the Send button. Then, the service sends out your email using its servers.

But, to get started you need only an email program, and you have many free and worthwhile options. Try each one out for an issue or two of your newsletter, to find what suits you.

Robert F. Abbott, the author of A Manager's Guide to Newsletters: Communicating for Results, writes and publishes Abbott's Communication Letter. Read more articles about Internet communication, as well as email and printed newsletters at: http://www.communication-newsletter.com/ic.ht ml

---

How To Write Powerful Newsletters, Offline And Online

The theory of writing for newsletters is very similar to... Read More

I Finally Discovered The Secret To FREE Content No One Else Has!

There are many tips and techniques to increase your search... Read More

Ezines VS. Trade Journals

As many people know Industry Trade Journals in America have... Read More

Is It a Newsletter or Just One More Commercial?

When I purchased my very first computer, not too long... Read More

What Every Ezine Owner Should Know About Unsold Ad Space

The deadline approaches and your ad STILL has not sold.... Read More

Print On Demand Questions

Print on demand (POD), a cross between self-publishing and digital... Read More

Delivering Your Email Newsletter

After creating your email newsletter, you face the challenge of... Read More

An Embarrassment of Riches - Part I

The Internet is too rich. Even powerful and sophisticated search... Read More

Covering All The Bases: How to Make Sure Your Newsletter Gets Opened and Read

It's not enough to prepare and distribute a monthly newsletter,... Read More

Medium and the Message

A debate is raging in e-publishing circles: should content be... Read More

Some Things I Have Learned About the Exciting World of Ezines

1. Don't ever stop advertising for new subscribers.I know this... Read More

E-zine Promotion: 10 Smart Reasons To Charge A Fee For Your E-zine

You publish an e-zine, you may consider to start charging... Read More

Plagiarism on the High Seas

More and more companies are finding the value in informational... Read More

Search Engines Can Be The Online Writers Best Friend

It's an exciting time for online writers, with a wide... Read More

Learn How to Choose a Great Topic for Your Newsletter

Since you're going to write your newsletter on a regular... Read More

How to Build Your List ? 7 Powerful Strategies

If you have been an internet marketer, or had any... Read More

Write an Ezine? But I Dont Know HOW!

If you've been promoting your business on the internet you've... Read More

How To Increase Your Sales From Your Newsletter

The first and most important thing you should know when... Read More

How Many Articles Can An Author Write As An Expert In A Field?

More and more smart business people are finding the value... Read More

Publish Anything: The Saga of a PublishAmerica Author

My story is that an author who'd done online writing... Read More

Does Your Business Need a Newsletter?

Have you ever thought about it?If you don't have a... Read More

Your E-zine 13 - A Formatting Checklist

While sending out a text e-zine may seem like a... Read More

How to Format Your Email Newsletter

When subscribers' email readers (programs) receive your text newsletter, they... Read More

How To Write Effective Ezine Ads... And Then Some

When writing an ezine ad, there is a big mistake... Read More

3 Things You Need to Do to Turn Net Information into Cash

Although we are in the information age, very few people... Read More

Newsletter Design Ideas - How to Get Creative Ideas for Your Newsletter Template

If you want to have a successful newsletter, you need... Read More

8 Killer Mistakes For Ezine Failure You Must Avoid

It is true that sometimes in life there is a... Read More

Getting Subscribers For Your Newsletter Is As Simple As This...

Having a newsletter is one thing but how many subscribers... Read More

E-Power The E-zine Advantage

"Regular communication with your customers is essential to your success."... Read More

Who Is Your E-zine Really FROM?

One morning this past fall, I was going through my... Read More

An Embarrassment of Riches - Part II

The DOI Foundation has unveiled the DOI-EB (EB stands for... Read More

Where And How To Get Information For Your Newsletter And Ezines

With the rapid expansion and diversion of commerce, manufacturers, career... Read More

Email Newsletters: The Header

Managing Subscriber addresses: At the top of your email message... Read More