Who's reading my newsletter?

[babywings76]

I'm starting to wonder who really is getting my newsletter. I subscribe to iContact and I swear every month my opens are getting smaller and smaller. A few weeks ago, I got an e-mail from a customer who was thanking me for some help I gave her with an exchange and other things. Then she said that I can send her PC news to that e-mail address and that she loves PC. Well, I went to add her to my list, only to realize I already had that address down for her in iContact and my address book. So I send out my newsletter and I only have a 20% open rate, and her name isn't listed. And it's been over a week since I sent it out.

I feel like going through my contact list and saying that I am calling to verify if they have been receiving my newsletters. That I've been trying to send them using iContact and am checking up on the service. Is that a terrible idea?

[pamperedpals]

I don't think it is a bad idea.

I did a trial with iContact and had the same problem, that is why I do it myself. :)

[PampChefJoy]

One thing I just read recently pointed out that alot of email programs, particularly webmail or cell-phone based web browsers/email programs automatically convert html emails to text only. Or they disable links. Since the icontact open/click tracking is dependent upon that line of code being triggered in html, there are many times when someone reads your email but it won't register. I don't know know how much of a percentage that is, but it probably has happened to you.

[babywings76]

I guess no matter what, it's not a replacement for phone calls. I haven't gotten any business from my newsletter in a LONG time. I guess it keeps my name in front of my contacts, but still...I get jealous when I hear all these success stories of outlet orders and such.

[PampChefJoy]

I think very few people could be successful in this business by doing email-only customer contact. Ours is a business that was founded on face-to-face (or at least voice-to-voice!) interaction and it's what makes it so successful.

[raebates]

I find that the response to my newsletters is usually from people with whom I have a great relationship. Though, I do get the occasional person who comes to a show after I haven't seen them for a couple of years who says, "I love your newsletter. I always read it right away."

[vonfirmath]

At work, when I send things out to a large list, (and our server limits addresses you can send to as well) -- I have to do this weekly. I have set up two separate lists. "List1" and "List2" and everytime I send it out, I send to both lists.