For the most part, email marketing consists of two main components: the people who send the mail and the entities who enable that mail to be sent successfully. And while there is plenty of capable DIY software available, a facilitator is usually employed to bring email plans from point A to point B. Things would be a quite different for many businesses if there were no email service providers (ESPs) to supply this steadily growing demand.

Effective Marketing Out of Reach
Although what we see on the surface is a simple luxury, there is complex technology behind the email system we know and love. The need for high performance hardware, software and various protocols is the reason why such a large number of organizations outsource their messaging needs to third-party companies. That need is even greater for organizations using email as a marketing tool.

Without ESPs to bear the financial and physical burden, email marketing, a relatively cheap and simple tactic, would be so expensive and complicated that it would be out of reach for most businesses. The technical aspects alone would present a greater hassle than just sending via direct mail. And sending from web-based clients is out of the question considering that…

Poor Results Are Guaranteed
Web-based email clients provided by ISPs such as AOL, AT&T and Yahoo! are perfectly suited for people who simply have a need to keep in touch with family, friends and companies they want to hear from. Unfortunately, they are essentially useless when it comes to email marketing purposes.

With most email services, there is a limit on the number of people you can send mass or bulk mail to at one time. Once you reach that limit your account is typically frozen and you’re given a warning. Do it again and your account gets suspended for good. Whether it’s from a web or desktop application, successfully launching an email campaign on your own is next to impossible. Deliverability is the name of the game and without a trusted infrastructure to support your bulk mail your campaign could collapse without ever leaving the ground.

No Icing on the Cake
A successful email marketing program is more than sending offers and even generating responses. It’s about having the ability to manage your campaigns, keep your list in tip-top shape and, most importantly, measure your success. Even with a viable infrastructure in place, finding the necessary tools to execute a marketing strategy with reliable delivery rates would be laborious and cost prohibitive for the average business.

What makes email service providers so valuable is that they provide campaign creation, list management and other vital tools all in one place. Today, there is no need to invest in a boatload of different services and piece together a solution. ESPs enable users to streamline their marketing and save money on essential features.

A world without email service providers would be a cold, dark and lonely place. Okay, that may be a little dramatic, but there is no downplaying the importance of a dedicated email marketing company and the role it plays in its client’s industry. A good ESP will always distinguish itself by becoming the tool you cannot successfully market without. Thankfully, in this world that is abundant in email service providers, users have the opportunity to choose the one that works best for them.

作者簡介:

by Denise Keller

Denise Keller is CFO and founding partner of Benchmark Email and a passionate philanthropist who has raised money for fresh water wells in Africa, grief counseling for needy children and a variety of other causes. A former accountant and an accomplished expert on enterprises, Keller showed solid business acumen at just 10 years old, when she started an arts and crafts babysitting service called “Daytime Playtime.” These days, you’ll find her detailing her newfound passion for Lean and the successes and tribulations as we make Benchmark a lean company.