Disappointed in the daily email limits set by hosts....

[DAN_TURNER]

Over the last many versions of ACT, I've developed a well maintained and relatively large database for my contacts that I would keep up to date on activities; as well as invitations to events plus keeping a regular contact with potential venues (this is for an formal band/swing orchestra by the way.....so marketing is one on one).

My long time relationship with ATT and now ATT/Yahoo are coming to an end with the limits now set on the number of emails via Act and Outlook that I can send each day....heck, each hour as it were.  For monthly events I need to contact between 2500 and 3000 accounts twice before the event.  For venues...I need to run about 2500 per month.  And then general maintenance and smooz...for birthdays and "good news/congratz" type of notes....about 100 per month.

Since I also have a full time career....trying to dribble out so much per hour per day is not what I ventured my time, effort and expenses into Act just to be stymied from optimizing it's capabilities in making contacts and maintaining relationships.

Any thoughts or suggestions along the lines of another host with unlimited mailing....or at least sufficient mailing to cover the relatively small volume that I've got into my database?

Thanks!!

Dan Turner

Conyers, Ga

[dshaw111]

Swiftpage fully integrated to Act!

Go to http://www.swiftpage.com/en-us/platform/email-marketing.shtml

[DAN_TURNER]

Thanks David!!

I've been searching around the last few days to find the alternatives...Constant Contact, Switpage, etc.

In reading the privacy/rights policies...am I correct in my interpretation that my database used through Swiftpage, et al....can be gleaned by these hosts to become their property?  When they compile my database into their huge database, they can then use my information without hesitation because I'm granting them ownership?

Just thinking aloud...given that, I'm going to pay $xx per month for the use of their site and then give them my databases for free?  If they fold, they can have the option to destroy or transfer the databases to any new prospective owners.

If...for any reason...my accounts find some reason to search out and couple me with the Switpage (constant contact, etc.) hosts, that I have expressed in the agreement to indemnify, hold harmless and cover the expenses of Swiftpage in any lawful matter.

I'm always willing to stand corrected if I'm mis-reading the fine print of the privacy/agreement instruments.

Thanks again for the response...I'm not directing complaints to you, I just spent a little time on the lawful documents with both and feel a little more than disappointed with my perception of the sharing of my work of many years with an offshoot of the software group that allowed me to buy their product, build up my maintained databases and then pay them to optimize it on their hosts while they have the right to harvest all my work.<G

"That's some Catch...that Catch 22!"   J.Heller

[dshaw111]

Hi Dan,

I have never heard of Swiftpage 'owning' your data.

Your data remains with you in your ACT! database.

It might be different for other non-integrated solutions such as Constant Contact.

[wellmet]

Dan,

If you sign up for an account with Microsoft for an Offic 365 account you can send 10,000 emails per day.  That should solve your email issue.  Your cost will be $15.00 per month and it's relatively easy to set up an account so you could probably be up and emailing in a couple of hours at the outside.

With regards to the agreements with ConstantContact, etc. they actually have to have you agree to allow them to have a copy of your database in order to even temporarily store it for you.  I read about it some time ago and everyone makes you agree to those terms because of privacy issues or something along those lines.  If they didn't you could sue them for stealing your data when they made a nightly backup copy of their systems because your data was on their system at the time they backed it up, etc.  Some vendors have rewritten the agreement to effectively explain what is going on but some haven't.  That being said it does pay to read what you are agreeing to.

I play the clarinett for the Celebration WInds here in Birmingham so I thought I'd help out a fellow musician.

Stan

[jimdurkin]

Stan,

I was reading the 365 Message and Recipient Limits http://help.outlook.com/dd630704.aspx

It seems to contradict itself. Yes the daily limit is 10,000 ( with an account) but the per minute limit is 30?

"If a user sends a message to multiple recipients, and the number of recipients for that message exceeds the recipient rate limit, the message is blocked for delivery to all recipients."

Is this language stating you cannot send a single email to 1000 recipient in a single blast? It sounds like recipient 501 thru 1000 would never receive the email because it will be blocked?

BTW - I always thought you had a little woody-ish qualities.

-- Jim Durkin

[wellmet]

It does seem strange to have two different limits that would tend to conflict with one another.  It would be pretty difficult for a single user to send 10,000 messages a day without sending more than 30 in a minute sometimes.  However to further cloud the issue you can set up dynamic or static distribution groups that count as ONE recipient and send a single email to the whole group.  I'm sure he can come up with some way to use Office 365 Enterprise that would work.  Here is a link to the information on bulk emailing.

http://help.outlook.com/en-us/140/ff381292.aspx

Stan

[DAN_TURNER]

Thanks Stan!!

I'll look into Office 365 as to an option to marketing.

I have to raise an eyebrow or two when I read little phrases in the Privacy/Users agreement that I've read recently.  I just want someone to send out my mail....not take on a partner.<G

Here we are....and not that far away in Atlanta, The Sentimental Journey Orchestra:

SJO-SingSingSing

.....my good friend Reed Lukat is on clarinet in the midst of this chart.  A Loyola grad, he readily admits to spending more time playing jazz downtown N.Orleans when he should have been in class.  Wonderful reed player and the SJO lead tenor sax.

We musicians have got to stick together....or the DJs will take over.<G

[dshaw111]

Hi Dan.

My question to you:

1. Do you want to have a feedback from each recipient?
2. Do you want each email to be personal using a template?
3. Do want the emails to be totally separate?

If so you need SP. I don't think the Office 365 emails have the above features but I could be wrong.

[DAN_TURNER]

Thanks for the note Dave.

I seem to find a good relationship with clients with the regular personalized mailings.  It was well worth the while to grab the contact info, birthday, anniversary, etc. info to pick them up each week as well.

I pretty much would like to continue using the ACT program via Outlook and into a email host to continue up the momentum.

Dan