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Mass Email Query

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 5:38 am
by lazersam
Hi all

I have been scanning the forum but still really need some advice on mass emailing.

I will need to mass email thousands and thousands of opted-in subscribers a bi-monthly newsletter. Each email must be personalised with information. I will send html emails but need to recognise when subscribers have their html turned off and so offer a text alternative.

I dont want to email from my own pc. I am happy to get a dedicated server. From threads I understand the mail() function isnt great for big email jobs.

Remembering that Im not a rocket scientist can you suggest how you would set this up and with what tools?

Regards

Lawrence.

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 7:59 am
by Gen-ik
recognise when subscribers have their html turned off and so offer a text alternative
The email itself can do this if you send a multi-type email, but this is getting into the realms of MIME based email which (if you're not a rocket scientist) may be a bit complicated. You could always use a pre-made class() though which are found on most PHP sites.

As for the "mailing thousands and thousands" of people part I don't know. I guess mail() would do the trick (it can send MIME based emails) but you would need to make sure your sever doesn't time-out which most do after 30 seconds of script processing.

What's it for anyway?

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 8:49 am
by lazersam
I am developing a script that virally promotes a newsletter. I anticipate huge numbers of subscribers. My biggest concern is how to deliver the newsletter, especially considering each one must be personalised.

I dont mind using a third party software like mailman or whatever - its just that I have no idea on how email works.

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 9:24 am
by patrikG
lazersam wrote:I am developing a script that virally promotes a newsletter. I anticipate huge numbers of subscribers. My biggest concern is how to deliver the newsletter, especially considering each one must be personalised.
Virally? You want to write a virus? How ever so curious. Please elabourate.

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 9:26 am
by lazersam
LOL not a virus!!! Viral Marketing.. its the way of the net!

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 9:27 am
by patrikG
And what is viral marketing?

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 9:31 am
by lazersam
Viral Marketing is when a product can be sold that has the potential to be re-branded with resold by the customer. For example; you might buy an viral ebook about web marketing and then have the ability to re-brand the book with links back to your site and your affiliates. You may then resell the book to other who may also rebrand the book if they so desire.

Its a good way to learn stuff and then get your money back reselling it to others.

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 9:32 am
by patrikG
aha

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 9:45 am
by Pyrite
So it's kinda what SCO did with Linux ..

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 10:04 am
by Gen-ik
lazersam wrote:Its a good way to learn stuff and then get your money back reselling it to others.
Oh god! You haven't fallen for one of those "make a $million working from home... just send a loads of emails to stupid people that might also fall it" type of things have you?

I think the more common term for 'viral marketing' is 'spam' by the way.

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 10:24 am
by Dr Evil
I actually use this to send out mails:
http://www.pimexonline.com/Products/mailexpress.htm
it works fine for personalised emails.

You will notice the problem is not really sending them but rather capturing the returns and unsubscribes.

BUT PLEASE DO NOT SPAM :evil: !!

Dr Evil

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 10:25 am
by lazersam
Oh god! You haven't fallen for one of those "make a $million working from home... just send a loads of emails to stupid people that might also fall it" type of things have you?

I think the more common term for 'viral marketing' is 'spam' by the way.
No I haven't! And spam is unsolicited emails. I only email to people who have already agreed to, and are happy to, receive emails from me :)

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 10:32 am
by lazersam
Dr Evil wrote:I actually use this to send out mails:
http://www.pimexonline.com/Products/mailexpress.htm
it works fine for personalised emails.

You will notice the problem is not really sending them but rather capturing the returns and unsubscribes.

BUT PLEASE DO NOT SPAM :evil: !!

Dr Evil
Dr Evil, that works from your personal pc right? Do you think that is the best way to mass email a list?

Lawrence.

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 10:46 am
by krash_control
I just thought I'd elaborate on viral marketing as I think lazersam's explanation wasn't too good (sorry lazersam).

Viral marketing can really be implemented in many ways, be it selling something, giving something away for free, or getting traffic to your site (the more popular implementations). A good example is getting traffic to your website by giving away a free ebook. Lets say I give away a free ebook called "How to get started with PHP". Now the real objective of the ebook is to get traffic to your website (let's say forums.devnetwork.net) so I give useful info on how to get started with PHP in the ebook and put a few links to this forum in the ebook. So joe bloggs comes across my website and downloads the e-book and sees the url and comes to the forum. He thinks the book is great and emails it to his wife and his best friend and they both visit forums.devnetwork.net. So by giving away one ebook I have managed to get 2 other people to the website, that's the viral part of it. Do it once and it multiplies by the efforts of others.

As for emailing people, be sure to read up on the new spam laws. It's very important to have a double opt-in list and to ALWAYS have an unsubscribe link and prefrably as much info as possible about how/where the user signed up and gave you their email address. If you all want to learn a bit more about the marketing and how to get plenty of traffic to your website then visit http://netmarketingforum.com/forum/index.php

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 3:05 am
by Dr Evil
lazersam wrote: Dr Evil, that works from your personal pc right? Do you think that is the best way to mass email a list?

Lawrence.
That is correct. This is sufficient for under 10'000 mails. then it gets tricky. I would then suggest more advanced systems directly on the mail server. I just thought PIMEX was really nicely designed.
Dr Evil