Benchmark has a pretty robust set of features that would be beneficial for anyone looking to do newsletter and email marketing. Benchmark has a tabbed user interface that allows you to get to each section at the click of a button. Based on my review I would give Benchmark a 4 out 5 based on the features evaluated.
Pros
Benchmark offers some of the basic features you find in many other online email marketing services. You have the ability to use mail merge. This features allows each message to go out personalized to everyone on your list. They also offer image hosting. One of the things that make Benchmark stand out is their competitive pricing. For a person just starting out this might be a good option in terms of budget.
Cons
Although Benchmark offers image hosting, you have to pay an additional $5 fee to use their image hosting gallery. Otherwise, you can host the images on your own website. Also, they do not offer survey or RSS feed options. If these are features that you must have then you might be better suited using iContact or combining Benchmark with another service.
Pros
Benchmark uses a step by step approach to creating your messages. This type of wizard interface keeps you from missing something as you create your messages. Certainly you must agree the more professional you present yourself to your customers the reputable you appear to be.
If you aren't design savvy, Benchmark offers over 150 templates you can use instead. They have 50 theme based templates and over 100 non theme based templates. They also give you the ability to create your own custom templates through their HTML editor.
Cons
One of the draw backs to using Benchmark is that they don't offer the ability to use custom fields. This can be an important feature as you begin to target you niche market. The fields available may not entirely suite the audience that you serve. Another thing they don't offer is the ability to attach files to your emails. If you deliver any type of digital product you will have to embed a hyperlink in your email for the customer to retrieve your digital product.
Pros
Benchmark offers a really robust reporting and tracking system. There are various variables you can run reports on. Some of them include click thru tracking by day, url and email address. This is probably one of the most important features of any email marketing program. You must be able to track the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. Another thing that I like about Benchmark is that you can track the hyperlinks that are being clicked in the emails you sent. This is huge when you are trying to determine who to target for specific products. This type of feature gives you a clear indication of your customer's interests.
Cons
None
Pros
Benchmark has a feature called List Builder. You can use this tool to place forms on your website or blog to gather people's contact information. They also have a easy to use import and export feature. You should always keep a backup copy of your list just in case. Benchmark also allows you to use autoresponders to manage subscribes, unsubscribes, double opt-ins and confirmations. You can also segment your lists into sub lists based on the subscriber's interest, click thrus and any other relevant information. This can be accomplished by running a report. Another great feature they offer is the ability to know who your newsletter is being forwarded to.
Cons
None
Pros
Benchmark boasts about the many campaign management options that come with the service. They offer options such as scheduling date and time to send your message. You have the ability to schedule a send time down to the minute. This is crucial if your tests have proven that a certain time of day yields the best results in terms of open rate. This is definitely a worry free feature.
Forward to a friend is also a very useful feature. On top of that you will have the ability to know who the message was forwarded to. Benchmark also offers the ability to send to multiple lists. This way you can keep your list segmented but still have the ability to send to whomever you want whenever you want without having to send you message out multiple times.
Cons
None
Pros
Benchmark offers tech support via phone, email and online. They have an online knowledge base and FAQ section. They also offer screenshots and tutorials.
Cons
Benchmark's knowledge base did not appear to be as robust as some of the other email marketing services I've reviewed. They have a rather simple search interface that may or may not yield the results you are looking for. That being said, the service itself is easy to navigate and you probably wouldn't have a difficult time working through the system.
Comments
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