OT: how best to create html newsletters?

OT: how best to create html newsletters?



Of course there are many parts to this question...

I use mach5 mailer www.mach5.com. It can use most databases and has many
features to massage the database and deal with bounces etc. Of course the
real questions is how much work do you want to do, and how much control do
you want to have? Mach5 also has a subscriber service where they do the
work for you. They have a free download, so you should give it a try...

As a side note, they have a great stat program also...

Peter

At 06:19 PM 5/16/05, you wrote:
>I'm sure everyone here received (non-spam) html newsletters and at least a few
>of you create them as well. What do you use? I've looked at using Outlook
>(w/MS Word as the editor) or using Incredimail or similar for creating
>newsletters to send to subscribers, but they don't seem well suited for the
>task.
>
>Also, how do you send them? I know many hosts have no-mass-email policies, as
>does my ISP. Gotta be an "official" way to do it.
>
>Thanks,
>Tom
>
>

OT: how best to create html newsletters?



We use Lyris. We used to use DADA mail... but that took quit a long time
to send as our lists got bigger (all optin, or customers only).
So we now Lyris. It's really neat becuase we can personalize each email
with the persons name... I think the more personal you can make things
the better.

Kelly

>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> | -----Original Message-----
>>> | From: [email protected] [mailto:owner-merchant-
>>> | [email protected]] On Behalf Of Tom
>>> | Sent: Monday, May 16, 2005 7:19 PM
>>> | To: Merchant-Users
>>> | Subject: [mru] OT: how best to create html newsletters?
>>> |
>>> | I'm sure everyone here received (non-spam) html newsletters and
>>> at least
>>> | a few
>>> | of you create them as well. What do you use? I've looked at using
>>> Outlook
>>> | (w/MS Word as the editor) or using Incredimail or similar for
>>> creating
>>> | newsletters to send to subscribers, but they don't seem well
>>> suited for
>>> | the
>>> | task.
>>> |
>>> | Also, how do you send them? I know many hosts have no-mass-email
>>> | policies, as
>>> | does my ISP. Gotta be an "official" way to do it.
>>> |
>>> | Thanks,
>>> | Tom
>>> |
>>> |

OT: how best to create html newsletters?



Kelly,

There is no need for Dave to use static pages either for rankings or speed,
etc. As he has stated before, he is using sebenza's php solution with
smarty "pants" templates which are blazing and less load.

Jason


> I have to interject. The solution isn't dumping a mirror site and
> staying with dynamic merchant pages.
>
> The solution is making a choice and sticking to it. There are a ton of
> good reasons for using a static mirror
> over the merchant catalog. Speed and Usability for the customers, lower
> cpu overhead, serving more traffic
> including spiders on a lower end server than possible with dynamic
> merchant pages alone....
> The choice to me isn't to dis on static mirror pages... but to keep your
> site clean and use static pages
> OR dynamic pages...
> I use a static mirror. I also use rewrite rules to keep googlebot and
> other spiders in my static mirror.
> I use a robots.txt to keep them out of Merchant2 folder. I help the
> spiders keep their indexes clean.
> so they don't see 3 versions of a page... they only see the same one the
> customers see.
> My dynamic pages are important from a development standpoint. They let
> me see how my static page will look.
> But ... my site map points to my static pages, my menus in my store
> point to my static pages.. My
> categories are static pages... AND I generate them all dynamically when
> I want to in order to keep
> it all up to date... The dynamic part of my store is integral to the
> store... but I don't run my customers
> through it... that way I don't have to go spend tens of thousands of
> dollars on a server...
>
> The choice is clear... use one method or the other... and beleive it...
> you can switch from dynamic
> to static with only a slight bobble for a few weeks in your rankings...
> just be smart about it, plan it
> and tell googlebot via 301 redirects where to find the replacement
> page... googlebot doesn't want
> to be a pain and lose good resources. You just gotta play by their
> rules. And I've found
> conincidentally that their rules... make for a good website... easy to
> use by people.. and that's
> most important to me... all the traffic in the world will only cost me
> money if it doesn't convert.
>
> Kelly
>
>
> Aquapro wrote:
>
> >So true! Just giving one store owner's true story for any newbie out
there.
> >
> >There are many merchants who have purchased and implemented mirror
creation
> >Miva modules which are still being sold. This change in Google's strategy
> >makes all of those solutions useless. The ONLY solution now is optimizing
> >existing Merchant pages.
> >
> >We've been online since 1998. Those solutions were put in place
originally
> >because Google and many other spiders could not read or properly index
> >dynamically generated pages. The dynamic pages they did index ranked
lower.
> >
> >We just weren't paying attention to changes made over the last two years.
> >
> >I would advise anyone with the same problem to contact Google directly.
It
> >will take them a while to get back to you but will give you a chance to
> >explain yourself so you don't get banned. In our case, simply deleting
the
> >mirrors will be enough as we've been in their index for years.
> >
> >
> >Dave Hauser, President
> >Aquarium Professionals Group
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: [email protected]
> >[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Keli E
> >Sent: Monday, May 16, 2005 1:32 PM
> >To: Miva Merchant Users
> >Subject: Re: [mru] OT: Google link?
> >
> >
> >Since time began, ANY time you had to go out of your way to apease the
> >search engines, it has been considered *spam* and banable.
> >
> >--
> >Keli Etscorn, CEO
> >Bear Canyon Consulting, LLC
> >-----------------------------------------------
> >RealEstateAgentHouse.com Realtor Solutions
> >#1 in Google |Albuquerque Web Design
> >KeliE.com |Nationally Featured Design
> >BearCanyonSEO.com |Search Engine Optimization
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Aquapro wrote:
> >
> >
> >>SEK, CBS store map and any other form of mirrored pages are a thing of
the
> >>past when it comes to Google. Either the PHP Frame solution we have or
> >>Search Friendly links with dynamic Miva pages are the only way to fly.
Get
> >>rid of anything else fast!
> >>
> >>
> >
> >

OT: how best to create html newsletters?



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Tim,

Please unsubscribe from the list (or Miva support, please assist with that)
until such time as you’re willing to not place the burden of insuring your
privacy on those who are here to help you (for free). The verification
notices are really getting old.

Do you make customers of your store put up with this as well?

Dan
Impulse Creations

For low priced back issue comics and the very best in service visit us at
www.impulsecreations.net <<A HREF ="http://www.impulsecreations.net/> and be sure to">http://www.impulsecreations.net/> and be sure to</A>
look for information on our discounted subscription service with free bags
and free shipping!

-----Original Message-----
From: Tim [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2005 8:05 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: RE: [mru] Upsell Process (verification)

Tim here,

I'm protecting myself from receiving junk mail.


Just this once, click the link below so I can receive your emails. You won't
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http://spamarrest.com/a2?ZGp4AmHjZmc...KEco25mYz5yqQc
HnJ0j


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------=_NextPart_000_02DB_01C55A55.419968A0--

Ah, that was you, Kent. I posted a reminder about this module earlier in
this thread but I couldn't remember for certain who the developer was. I
actually thought it was you but I wasn't certain and didn't want to mention
your name incorrectly and offend the actual author if it turned out to be
someone else.

Anyway, I don't currently use any upsells myself at the moment but this
looks like a great option for those who do.

Dan
Impulse Creations

For low priced back issue comics and the very best in service visit us at
www.impulsecreations.net and be sure to look for information on our
discounted subscription service with free bags and free shipping!

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Kent
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2005 7:37 PM
To: Ray Yates; Merchant-Users
Subject: Re: [mru] Upsell Process


>I don't know anyone has tried this, but I've always thought upselling would
>be far more effective if you could do it on the basket page instead of (or
>in addition to) the checkout process.

I just announced a new module about a week ago, that should be just about
what you're looking for. Here's a repeat of the original email:
================================================== ==========================
=
Hi folks --

I know a lot of you are looking for a more flexible way to provide upsales
& similar discounts for your customers. This new module should be just
what you need. Upsale Magic allows you to set up discounts with many
variations on the theme of, "buy X, get a special price on Y."

Messages describing the discounts are displayed to the customer as soon as
they view any product or catgeory for which a discount is available. Many
store managers will find this to be a vast improvement over Miva's upsale
feature, which does not display the special offer until a customer is
checking out of the store.

The module's essential features are:

- Both "X" and "Y" can be a single product, or a list of products; or the
discount can apply to all products in one or more categories.
- The discount can be set to offer a dollar amount, a percentage, or an
alternate price for the item.
- You can optionally set a limit on the number of "Y" items for which the
discount will apply.
- You can set up many different discounts for various products.
- The location of the discount messages can be specified by using tokens
for OpenUI or for template modules.
- Module settings allow you to customize the message text and add HTML
formatting.

The module is available at MivaCentral.com for Merchant version 4.x,
compiled or uncompiled:

http://mivacentral.com/MMP/?product=MMP-UPSLMAGIC

You must have either OpenUI or template modules (Viking, Copernicus, etc.)
to enable the message display (or, of course, you can customize your MMUI).
================================================== ==========================
=



Kent Multer | /| P.O.Box 701895, Dallas TX 75370
Magic Metal Productions | / | (214) 570 8264 voice/fax
| | [email protected]
* Web developer/designer http://TheMagicM.com
* E-commerce and Miva
* Author, The Official Miva Web Scripting Book -- available on-line:
<A HREF ="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0966103211/magicmetalproducA">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0966103211/magicmetalproducA</A>