Function

LinxMail¹

Most Others²

Security

LinxMail is desktop-based so your contacts stay with you and under your control.

Most popular services are in the cloud. While on the surface this appears convenient your contact lists are no longer directly under your control and are exposed to potential hacking or stealing.

List Maintenance

Bounces & unsubscribe requests are updated directly to your internal database or LinxCRM - no double-handling.

Where bounce/unsubscribe management is available it generally updates your online list, unless your CRM is connected. This means your office-based database (CRM, accounts, etc) would need updating manually.

List Segmentation

A master list of contacts is maintained, where contacts can be allocated to various groups (demographics, postcodes, etc).  Contacts can be allocated to more than one group without the address needing to be duplicated.

You may be required to create several lists, one for each group, and recreate the address in each, leading to duplication and more difficult management.

Costs

LinxMail has a one-off cost (outright purchase). Upgrades may be offered from time-to-time, either free or with a moderate charge.

Most cloud services charge either per month, or based on the number of contacts, or a combination of both. We recommend estimating typical total costs over, say, 5 yrs.

Support

Online Help system and training videos are free. One-on-one premium support, including template design, is available for a fee. Free estimates can be provided.

Generally email support is available "free" (ie. included in the monthly fee).

Templates

Some sample templates are included, plus a set of modules to build your own, with video instruction on how to edit. Although there is a learning curve in doing so, you can have infinite control over every last element of the design if you wish. You can also import existing templates or we can custom-design one to match your corporate image.

Usually a very good range of templates are provided that you can modify online (although these can sometime look rather generic, as many others might use the same template). Very often you do not have infinite control of the design, and copyright may apply.

Branding

"Powered by LinxMail" branding can be switched off in LinxMail Executive & Pro versions. We think this gives a much more professional appearance.

Many templates include branding by the service provider (often using an unmissable logo) and/or the From address will display a confusing message such as "From ServiceCo on behalf of SendingCo" which can cause the user to ignore or block the email.

Artwork

Your own logo's etc can be inserted in templates as well as low-cost, royalty-free images from services like iStockPhoto. You would have the right to re-use the images elsewhere such as on your web site or in future mailings. Images will need to be stored online, such as on your web site or Dropbox, etc

Images may or may not be included in the cost. If there is a limited range of images, there is the potential that they might be used frequently by others, perhaps even by your competitors. Generally images will stay on their server. Copyright may apply.

Server

You can use your own mail server (such as the one you use for other email) or, to get around any volume restrictions, a service such as Telstra Mass Email, or the equivalent in your country. 

They generally provide their own server - ie. mail is sent by them. This is convenient but scheduling is not always possible.

Analytics

Google Analytics is a free service which you can use to track your LinxMail campaigns. Full instructions are provided in the LinxMail Help System.

Generally very good analytics tools are included (although the counting of "opens" is known to be somewhat unreliable).   

Spam Compliance

You can set your own rules for spam compliance, to match your local regulations. This includes rules or preferences on how to handle tracking, unsubscribes and bounces.

As most services are from the USA (or derivatives of USA products) you generally have to agree to strict compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act, sometimes including a double opt-in requirement. This can be difficult or almost impossible for many users, but can lead to account suspension if not complied with.