List management can also add opt-in names automatically, so none of the people who've specifically requested information from you, your leads, fall through the cracks. Some companies offer a complete lead generation system, tracking open rates and click-throughs in order to identify those with the greatest potential for the sales team. Reporting by campaign will help you determine analyze success across multiple users and multiple templates, revealing which message style, content, send time, etc, works best. This can guide future marketing decisions.

Some email marketing companies offer add-ons like surveys and polling, mail-merging, and message templates. Depending on the company, these features may be included in a monthly fee, or you may be charged a flat fee per feature or per email.

The companies that offer email templates do it in several different ways. Some allow you to upload HTML created in other programs such as Microsoft FrontPage and Macromedia Dreamweaver. But for those of us who are not graphic designers, or are just too busy to dive into new software, many services offer a user-friendly friendly template creation tool. They typically feature a WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) screen where you can create content using familiar editing commands. It often takes less than an hour to master, and you can produce professional-looking e-brochures without the extended cost and effort. In most services, templates can be shared across user accounts for a consistent look company-wide.

The next step
With 90 percent of your customers using email several times a day, email marketing campaigns are essential to remain competitive. There are many reputable email marketing services on the market, and they offer a varying degree of services. Before choosing a vendor, decide which features are important for your business.

Remember to ask about a provider's compliance strategies for email marketing laws, their opt-out list management and their server compatibility with recipient ISPs. If you can, test the usability and capabilities of the company's editing tools before purchasing. By comparing pricing and service levels before you start, you can ensure that you have the best partner to help you build a strong email marketing presence.

Missy Lucnik is the Marketing and Design Manager for SwiftPage in Denver, CO. SwiftPage is designed to make email marketing one of the most cost-effective tools for both the sales and marketing teams. For more information, visit http://www.SwiftPage.com.