Frequently Asked Questions

Select a Question from the list below to see the answer.


1. Setup and Administration

Q
What do I need to run EmailMaker?
A
Any PC or Mac with an internet connection.
Q
What are the limits to the trial version?
A
The trial version is exactly the same as the full version, but is restricted so that you can't send more than 20 emails at a time. Once you've decided that you want to use EmailMailer, just give us a call and we'll arrange the rest.
Q
For how long can I use the trial version?
A
For up to 30 days. You will be assigned a dedicated account manager who will contact you to answer any questions you may have.
Q
What sort of businesses use EmailMaker?
A
We have clients in pretty well every sphere of the commercial world, plus many charities and public sector institutions. Many clients are large household names, but others are SME's, specialist internet traders, web start-ups etc. The common thread tends to be that they're organisations who don't just want to 'send lots of emails' - they want to use EmailMaker as the basis of ongoing intelligent and targeted campaigns.
Q
Do I have to sign up for a minimum period? What is involved in signing up?
A
No - Pay per Send accounts have no minimum period. If you want a Value Plan account (fixed monthly fee) then the minimum period is 12 months. There is very little paperwork - simply sign and return a one page order form and set up a Direct Debit.
Q
How do I pay? How frequently is the billing?
A
Invoices are generated on the last day of each month and refer to the previous calendar month's activity. Payments are by Direct Debit.
Q
What online or telephone support is there to help with problems?
A
We're here and available during UK office hours, via email or telephone. You will be given a named email marketing consultant - who can help you get the most out of your email marketing - and access to a dedicated support team for any technical enquiries.
 
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2. Security and Delivery

Q
How does EmailMaker stop my email being blocked as spam?
A
Spam filters generally work on a 'points' system - there isn't one factor that'll get your email blocked. Much, of course, depends on the content. Read our quick guide or talk to us if you have any questions about do's and don'ts.

We have links and working relationships with all the large email providers (AOL, Hotmail etc). We also take great care to conform to their best practise guidelines and technical specifications. EmailMaker emails 'announce themselves' as such, and are fully traceable back to our servers - one of the characteristics of less reputable mailing software is that it tries to disguise its origin. We also take great care to 'vet' our clients in order to weed out those who might be sending spam email - this protects you from being tarred by association.
Q
Is EmailMaker on any 'whitelist' of allowed mass email providers?
A
Everything within EmailMaker is password-protected and unique to you. Our clients include large public bodies and financial institutions - probably the two sectors most sensitive about data security - and our systems are specified to match.

Our servers are physically situated across two secure locations in the South East of England, and managed according to a strict and professional routine. We do not accept 'blind' web sign-ups (via credit card, PayPal etc) and enforce a strict anti-spam policy in order to protect our clients from association with less reputable e-marketers. As a UK company we are bound by the Data Protection Act to keep your data private and secure. Please talk to us if you require any further reassurance.
Q
I have been offered an overseas service. Why should I choose a UK-based provider?
A
Two main reasons:
Support: We offer personal customer service during UK office hours, and are very, very easy to get hold of should you need help with a feature or technical support.
Deliverability: The email marketing 'culture' in the UK is tighter and more professional, with an emphasis on targeting emails to those who have opted-in to receive them (the vast majority of spam emails originate from providers in the USA). This gives us two advantages - we don't have a problem with our servers being 'blacklisted' by ISPs, and we are geared up to provide 100% delivery, rather than expecting many emails to be rejected. UK companies also have to abide by the Data Protection Act.

You should also carefully compare features between products - especially on the tracking/reporting front.
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3. Managing Addresses and Lists

Q
Do you sell mailing lists?
A
We do not sell lists ourselves.

If you are buying lists externally, we recommend that you carefully check the source of any you purchase. We can recommend a reputable and reliable source of good quality lists; they are leading members of the DMA and will offer you independent and unbiased advice. Contact us for more details.
Q
How large can my address books be? How many campaigns can I create?
A
You can create as many campaigns as you like, and send them to as many people as you like. Some of our users have over a million addresses held... others have under a hundred. There are no 'upgrade costs' for extra storage etc.
Q
Can I send from my own email address?
A
Yes. EmailMaker can be set to send from any address at 'yourdomain.co.uk'. However, we recommend that you use a dedicated domain for your email marketing sends, to avoid your main domain being affected by blacklisting. We can help you with this.
Q
How do people unsubscribe?
A
This happens automatically. You can use a drop down menu to insert an 'unsubscribe' link in your email - users who click this are taken to a web page that confirms their wish to opt-out and following this they'll be removed from the relevant list.

You can easily export a list of unsubscribers from EmailMaker to help you manage any offline lists you have - this will export in a format you choose. As a failsafe, EmailMaker won't re-upload any names that have previously unsubscribed to a list - but you should always take care to delete them from your own records should you be keeping separate information locally.

If you're a web programmer, you can use our API to unsubscribe users.
Q
Can I use email lists provided by [company x]? Can I export them from [software y]?
A
EmailMaker supports CSV files. The vast majority of companies and software can therefore integrate with it.
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4. Creating Emails

Q
I'd like to get a template professionally designed.
A
We can offer you a full HTML design service if required - from a single template to a full suite. In fact, we design for some very well-known companies. Once we've designed a template you can edit it yourself and use it time and time again for no additional charge. Contact us for more details.
Q
Can I use a template produced by my own web designers, or via Frontpage, Dreamweaver etc?
A
Yes - EmailMaker can upload any HTML page so if you want to create something externally then that's no problem. However you can still edit your template within EmailMaker.
Q
Can I add attachments, embed scripting etc?
A
No, as this will lead to a large proportion of your emails being blocked by spam filters and anti-virus software. Instead of an attachment, upload a document to a page on your website and place a link to it on your email. That way your recipients can choose whether to download it or not - and you'll also get a report on exactly who has done this.
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Testimonials

‘It only took me one email marketing campaign to fully understand EmailMaker. Its a really user friendly system which takes the pain away.’
Lee Wallis, Mioomi Management Ltd www.mioomi.com

‘I am so pleased with EmailMaker. The results I am getting from my campaigns are excellent.’
Tas Anastasi, Cyplon Travel Ltd www.cyplon.co.uk

‘It’s made my life so much easier and the reporting is brilliant!’
Steve George, Black Pig Ltd. www.blackpig.co.uk