I've been helping a friend that owns a local restaurant get proactive about marketing her restaurant, which means building a list, so I helped her decide on using AWeber vs Infusionsoft.
Since she is new to all of this we started updating her Facebook Fan Page and I recommended she create a Birthday Club to capture the pertinent info for her visitors:
Since 2008 I've been a big user/promoter/supporter/trainer/consultant of Infusionsoft. However, Infusionsoft is not for everyone.
Before I was an Infusionsoft Consultant, I was a boot-strapping entrepreneur, so I gladly help my entrepreneurial clients get started with the right tools at the right price.
At the end of the day, growing a thriving business is all about list building and email marketing is a vital component for most any business today, which is why new businesses should take a look at getting their list-building and email marketing started with AWeber.
AWeber lets you start for $1 and you only pay $16.15/mo until you surpass 500 names on your list so you won't pay much to begin your email marketing efforts.
(Formerly) Cool Thing #1 About AWeber: Back in the day they offered Saturday Support via Chat! before Infusionsoft did.
But that was a million years ago.
Bummer Thing #1 About AWeber: Naming Lists is a pain! You have such limited naming options for your contact and prospect lists.
I'm building a "birthday list" for my client so logic would dictate that I name the list....Birthday!
Not with Aweber because some dude in Alberta or Tokyo or Riverside already has that name. (WTH?)
Aweber has just one big database so if someone takes the name you are hosed. So now I have to name the list like an AOL username - birthday_102!@#$_money_list_with_a_happy_face. (Nice, huh?)
The AWeber tech support dude - who was very nice and prompt and knowledgeable, by the way - tells me:
Support: [10:18:03 AM] It needs to be a name that has not already be used by another customer.
Wes: [10:18:29 AM] What?
[10:18:35 AM] In the entire world?
Support: [10:19:40 AM] In our database.
Wes: [10:20:30 AM] So I can't name my list of people that fill out my birthday form "Birthday" because some dude in Alberta Canada named his list Birthday first?
Support: [10:21:13 AM] It has to be a unique list name that has not be taken.
Wes: [10:21:37 AM] that's the craziest thing i ever heard.
[10:21:38 AM] oh well
Support: [10:22:55 AM] The list names are specific an pertain directly to your campaign. If 1,000 people had the list name "birthday", then a subscriber could not directly unsubscribe from your specific list because there are so many other lists with that name.
Wes: [10:24:26 AM] I've used Infusionsoft for 4 years and we name the list whatever we want. I only have one Birthday list. Who cares if Bubba in Montana has a birthday list? Amy Smith in Mississippi is not subscribed to Bubba's birthday list. She's subscribed to mine, therefore, she can unsub from mine.
AWeber lets you add your logo to their default Thank You page. If you want more than that you have to create your own Thank You page on your own site.
That is not a huge deal, especially if you are good with Wordpress or a similar CMS, but a lot of people are not good with web sites. Many of my clients are locked into onerous contracts with their web guys (or gals) and/or bought some package from the Yellow Pages and either can't update their sites, can't update them easily and/or can't reach the leeches they are paying through the nose each month to make a change on their own sites.
Presenting additional offers and information and upsells and invitations to interact with your social media sites is a huge opportunity for your Thank You page.
Not being able to do this easily with AWeber is a bummer in my opinion.
It's a nice Saturday morning so I'll wrap this up for now but stay tuned for more updates and feel free to add your own below in the comments section.
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Market like you mean it.
Now go sell something.