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02.26.07
Email Marketing Means Knowing Your ISP
 By
Steve Delgado
When it comes to using an installed email marketing software solution, your best delivery option is through an SMTP mail server.
Typically, when you sign up with an Internet Service Provider (ISP), they usually provide a number of email addresses you can use, plus use of their outgoing (SMTP) mail server.
There are thousands of ISPs across the nation and worldwide, however, and it is almost impossible to know how each of them behaves toward bulk delivery of email marketing messages.
It is therefore incumbent on you, the ISP customer, to know the rules and regulations of your ISP with whom you contract.
Some ISPs may block access to all other outgoing mail servers using the standard SMTP port 25. Sometimes they limit outgoing bandwidth, because spikes in bandwidth usually indicate high volume mail traffic.
Many ISPs spell out their email sending restrictions on their website, typically as part of their user licensing agreement. If the restrictions placed on emailing by your ISP are unsatisfactory, you should change ISPs; after all, they are competing for your business. Pressure them to provide the services you need to run your business more effectively.
General rules about ISPs
As a general observation, the larger the ISP, the more restrictive they are towards emailing. Large ISPs typically lack the flexibility to accommodate everyone adequately, so they basically provide a broad range of services geared toward the general masses, not your small business. A bulk email marketer is not part of the general mass of Internet users, however, and requires special consideration.
The technical support staff at our company, Arial Software, are constantly asked which ISPs we recommend; unfortunately, it
is impossible to recommend any company because many ISPs are typically serving local or statewide markets. National ISPs include large companies like Cox Communications, BellSouth, and Verizon Online. As mentioned, these ISP "big boys" typically have many requirements for sending emails because of their huge volume of customers and their catering to this segment. Smaller ISP companies, with more control over individual configuration, may be more willing and able to accommodate your email needs.
Samples of ISP rules
Here are some examples of email requirements from a few larger ISPs.
Cox Communications
Cox Communications allows bulk email marketing, but you need to follow their rules. These include using valid From, Reply to and Return Path addresses within email messages. For lists over 1,000 emails, you must send them during low traffic times, usually between the hours of 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. Central time.
Continue reading this article.
About the Author:
Arial Software is a leading developer of email marketing software products for both small business and enterprise-level customer email communications. More information on improving your email marketing deliverability can be found at http://www.ArialSoftware.com
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