Hosted E-Mail Programs
Issue 115, August 5, 2002

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Dear Friends,

In this issue:

• Introducing NetAssisted Biz
• Review: Topica Email Publisher
• Review: Page Publisher

In just a few weeks I'll be in Boston (September 24) and Dallas (September 26) for the one-day Doctor Ebiz® Internet Marketing Seminar. Now's the time to sign up and get the low early-bird rate. Plus, if you register no later than August 21, you'll receive ALL the e-business e-books I've ever published (that I sell for $176.75 on my website) as a special free bonus for registering. You can get those e-books immediately so you can start learn now, even though the Seminar may be weeks away. Sign up today. http://www.wilsonweb.com/seminar/

After publishing full-length articles in the e-mail versions of Web Marketing Today since 1995, I've decided to move to a shorter, easier-to-scan format. I'll give you enough so you can get the gist of the articles via e-mail, with links to read the full-length articles on my website. This saves you download time, distribution expenses on my end, and will make my 2-line advertisers happy, since their ads help pay to get this newsletter to you.

I hope you're having a great summer.

God bless you,
Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Editor

P.S. If you sign up for the Doctor Ebiz Seminar in Seattle (October 22) or Denver (October 23), you can still get the same great deal on the e-books. Don't wait so long that you miss out this offer! www.wilsonweb.com/seminar/

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Introducing NetAssistedBiz.com

The Internet is great for marketing a business nationally or internationally, but sometimes it's hard to get much traffic to a strictly local business website. And traditional marketing via newspapers and direct mail is expensive. NetAssisted^TM Biz combines traditional marketing methods with Internet marketing strategies to increase your local advertising's impact, longevity, and effectiveness.

NetAssisted^TM Biz has been up for a month, and currently contains 14 original articles and case studies illustrating how local businesses and non-profit organizations are using Internet strategies to "NetAssist" their advertising. You'll also find links to pertinent articles and a forum where you can ask questions and discuss ideas with others. Much is free, some sections require a modest annual membership fee. Why don't you take a look and sign up for the free newsletter that includes links to free articles. View the Website. www.netassistedbiz.com

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Review: Topica Email Publisher

One of the better hosted e-mail marketing programs for small business is Topica Email Publisher, a paid off-shoot of their free Topica Exchange service. I'm delighted to see a program that novices can use to produce professional-looking HTML e-mail newsletters without preventing experts from sending custom-designed HTML messages.

A few features I don't like -- a clunky web interface, incomplete help screens, and the inability to easily subscribe an e-mail address with a name. But there is lots to like including demographic information sorts, personalization, link tracking, and delivery reporting, as well as multiple lists in a single account. The price is competitive, too. Here are the full review's subheadings:

Pricing HTML, Text, AOL, and Multi-Part MIME HTML Templates for Novices Full Custom HTML E-Mails for Experts Reporting and Link Tracking

Subscriber Management, Imports and Exports Audience Segmentation Personalization Bounce Handling Help and Support Weaknesses The Bottom Line

You can read my final analysis, qualifications, and recommendations at the end of the full review on the website. Read the Full Review.

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Review: Page Publisher

Does someone in your organization -- or a client, perhaps -- lack have the technical savvy to keep his own website up-to-date Or is the boss always blaming someone for not making timely changes to the website? Page Publisher from InteractiveTools.com is an excellent, cost-effective solution. It allows clients to make changes to specific webpages at specific spots on the page from a password-protected web interface, while preventing them from messing up the webpage. Read the Full Review.

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New Ecommerce and Web Marketing Articles

Each month our team of link editors scours dozens of online periodicals and resources to find key information on e-commerce and Web marketing. With so much new literature available to you, how do you find what you need quickly and painlessly? Here's a selective and searchable database of article and resource links to help your research and keep you up-to-date in the field. (Links gathered in a given month are usually available during the second week of the following month.)

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