E-mail: The Right E-tools for the Job

Plus, the programs effortlessly manage list maintenance chores, such as activating new subscriptions, handling mailing list unsubscribes and tracking bounces.

Some programs also offer valuable reports that enable you to track how many subscribers on your mailing list actually open your marketing e-mails, how many click on the links in those e-mails linking back to products on your Web site, and how many of those e-mails are forwarded on to friends and colleagues as word-of-mouth referrals (possibly the most precious of promotions your e-mails can trigger).