Configuring List-server

To make a list server function as a newsletter list requires that you modify its default configuration. The following configurations should be set.

1. List Type: Read-only Announcement list. Only owner of list can post messages to list.

2. Subscription: Does not require owner approval for people to join list.

3. Archive: Readable by subscribers only. If non-subscribers can read newsletter, why should anyone subscribe?

Using List Server

Now all you have to do is post your newsletter to list and it will be delivered to all subscribers. You will still be required to deal with delivery failures. If reason for delivery failure is because email box no-longer exists, then you should delete that address from your list immediately.

A delivery failure can also occur because email box is too full, or because mail server is down. You should establish a policy for dealing with delivery failures. You have three choices.

1. Ignore them and let number of messages returned because of delivery failure grow to enormous size. Advertisers will not use newsletters if they find out they are paying for a large number of non-deliverable addresses.

2. Delete them immediately. If you do that, you may be removing many subscribers who only have temporary problems mentioned above.

3. Keep a delivery failure address on your list until it fails three times. After three consecutive delivery failures, it is unlikely that situation will clear up, so you may as well delete member.

If you want to publish a quality e-newsletter or e-zine, you need to spend more time working on content and less time administering subscriber list. For this reason, you should use a list-server application. But make sure that you are comfortable with operation of list-server before you commit your valuable subscriber list. ---------------------------------------------------------- Resource Box: Copyright(C)2002 Bucaro TecHelp. To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on Web visit: http://bucarotechelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter Send a blank email to bucarotechelp-subscribe@topica.com

Having read those, are you feeling all jumped up about marketing now? Or are you a little bummed out?

Personalization should make your customers/readers feel you understand them. It can have a warming effect on your relationship with them. It can even allow you to target products and messages specifically to their interests. These are universally agreed to be good things.

The challenge now for players in industry is to set a few guidelines and limitations for themselves, i.e. just how personal can we get before we've gone too far? As a heavy user of e-zines, I love personalization - within limits:

Please, use your e-zine to speak to me in a one-on-one, relaxed style about marketing or whatever your topic is.

Speak to me personally about your own professional experiences, failures and successes.

Speak to me of inspiring case studies involving real people.

Survey me to find out what I need.

Subdivide your opt-in database into super-specific categories so you can narrowcast your messages to your various target audiences.

Use software to personalize your e-zine by sprinkling my first name throughout copy. (Yes, I still get a kick out of that!)

That's personalization at its finest. But hamsters in your colon? Like guy breathing down my neck in bank line-up, you just got much, much too close. And instead of inspiring me, you've creeped me out.