Frequently Asked Questions
About Targetware
- How long does it take to set up my Account?
- What am I responsible for?
- How do I login to my account?
- Why was I logged out of my Targetware account?
- What is a survey form and why do I need one?
- How do I put the survey form on my web site?
- What types of information can I capture from my customers who sign up?
- Can I see who is signing up at my web site?
- When customers opt-in to my list, will they receive an email?
- Can I use
Targetware for rented bulk email lists?
General Questions
- What is Permission Marketing?
- What is Opt-in?
- What is Double Opt-in?
- Is this considered Spam?
- I don't have
a customer list, can I still use Targetware?
About My Customer List
- How do I get my existing customers into my Targetware account?
- Can anyone else access my customer list?
- Is my customer list secure?
- How can a
customer unsubscribe or be removed from my list?
Building an Email Message
- What if I need help creating the email?
- What do I do if I don't know how to write HTML?
- Can everyone see HTML or Rich Media email?
- Can I just create text messages?
- Can I use my own graphics?
- How big should the graphics be for my email messages?
- Can I create messages with animation?
- Can I create the HTML using other software?
- How do I preview
my message?
About Data-Mining
Sending and Tracking Email
- When is the email sent?
- What happens if any of my customer email addresses are not accurate?
- When will I start seeing results?
- What happens to a bounced email?
Support Questions
- How do I get help?
- I need help with creating images or copywriting, can I still use Targetware support?
How long does
it take to set up my Account?
Your Targetware Account can be activated and up and running in as little
as one day. Unlike many do-it-yourself email marketing systems, the Targetware
staff will setup your account, establish your system preferences, provide
training and activate your user accounts.
What am
I responsible for?
You will be asked to supply a list of users (individuals within your
organization that will have access to the Targetware account), a customer
database (if you have one), a company logo and creative direction for
any custom designed templates that may be included with your account.
How do
I login to my account?
Go to the Targetware Web Site, click customer login, enter your account
name, username and password that were supplied to you when your account
was activated. Contact us at 1-800-783-1799 if you need our assistance.
Mon. - Fri. 9am - 6pm EST.
Why
was I logged out of my Targetware account?
After a period of inactivity, you will be automatically logged off and
will need to login again and refresh your browser.
What is
a survey form and why do I need one?
The survey form is the method you will use to collect customer names
and data when they visit your web site. A button or banner is placed
on your site to encourage visitor participation. You also have an interface
to add, edit or delete questions on your survey form at any time. Your
survey can be simply an email address and name or multi-part with demographic
and profile quesitons.
How do
I put the survey form on my web site?
It's easy - we will supply you with a custom button or banner and the
code necessary to complete the link to your own survey. Optionally, Targetware
can place the graphic and code for you.
What types
of information can I capture from my customers
who sign up?
You can choose any demographic information you would like such as First
Name, Last Name, Email Address, City, State, Zip Code, Country. You can
even personalize additional information that you would like to capture
from your visitors such as questions that relate directly to your business.
Can I
see who is signing up at my web site?
Yes, in the Administration area you can choose to view your customer
database or optionally download it. The information is updated each time
you access your account.
When customers
opt-in to my list, will they receive an email?
Yes, you can choose to have an automatic thank-you confirmation email
sent to the customer.
Can I
use Targetware for rented bulk email lists?
Targetware is designed for opt-in permission based customer lists. If
you have a bulk list contact your Targetware Representative. You may
use these lists to build a larger customer base and your representative
can tell you the proper method to do this.
What is
Permission Marketing?
Permission marketing is when individuals give their permission for you
to send offers or other marketing material that they have expressed interest.
What is
Opt-in?
Opt-in is a term to describe giving permission to be included in your
email list. They have chosen (or opted-in) to join your list.
What is
Double Opt-in?
Double opt-in is a system by which individuals must confirm their choice
to opt-in to your list. This ensures that no other third party enlisted
them in your database. It is your choice to use opt-in or double opt-in
with your Targetware Account.
Is this
considered Spam?
"Spam" is the term for unsolicited email. Targetware does not permit the use
of bulk lists or the act of spamming. Your list must be an existing customer
list or a qualified opt-in list in order to use the Targetware system.
I don't have a
customer list, can I still use Targetware?
Yes. Targetware helps you build a list by collecting customer data from
your web site. If you want to jump-start your list building, contact
your Targetware representative and ask about purchasing qualified opt-in
lists.
How do
I get my existing customers into my Targetware
account?
You will be asked to supply a customer database during the setup process.
Afterwards, if you would like to add members to your list, you may input
their information individually or upload lists.
Can anyone
else access my customer list?
No. The data is yours and only yours. You will have access to it 24/7
and it resides in a secure environment that only you can get to. If you
discontinue your account, the data is transferred to you (via mail) and
erased from the system.
Is my
customer list secure?
Your data is stored in a secure environment and only you have access
to it. Our servers are housed in a private area that is monitored 24/7
and protected by firewalls and other technology.
How can
a customer unsubscribe or be removed from my list?
You choose whether to use a "simple" unsubscribe method or passcode method.
With the simple method, your cusotmer can reply to any message you send
with the word unsubscribe in the subject of their email. Optionally,
if they have completed a survey, they can login and unsubscribe themselves.
When your Targetware account receives the request, the individual is
de-activated and will not receive any future email from you. Their records
will remain in the database in a deactivated area so that you may contact
this customer in the future. Optionally, when customers ask to be removed,
you can send an automatic goodbye email with instructions on how to join
again in the future.
If you choose the passcode method, Targetware will send the individual
an automatically generated passcode that they must email back in order
to be removed from the list. This ensures that they have made the request
and not someone else.
What
if I need help creating the email?
Your Targetware Account Setup fees include from 30-90 days of free support,
depending on the package you purchase. If assistance is needed at any
time after the free support period, you can access the help desk in the
Support area of your account. Optionally, you may choose to have Targetware
create the campaigns for you. Contact your sales
representative for pricing.
What do
I do if I don't know how to write HTML?
The Targetware system makes it easy to send out professional-looking
emails without any HTML experience. Since the HTML has already been constructed
for you all you need to do is point, click and create!
Can everyone
see HTML or Rich Media email?
While most email readers today have the ability to open HTML emails,
there are certain cases where people cannot or do not want to receive
emails in this format. When you create an email campaign using the Template
Builder, a text version is automatically generated. When the campaign
is launched, the appropriate version of your campaign is sent to your
customer based on their preferences.
Can I
just create text messages?
Using the Freestyle Builder, you can quickly send out text-only messages
in one easy step.
Can I
use my own graphics?
Yes, simply click the upload button at the place you want the image inserted,
and browse your hard drive for the file. Everytime you upload an image,
it is stored in your own image library. When you create email messages,
you may browse the library and select images for insertion.
How big
should the graphics be for my email messages?
It would be preferred that your largest image is no more than 600 pixels
wide x 100 pixels tall. You can upload graphics in .jpg or .gif format
and optionally you may upload Shockwave Flash Files in the .swf format.
You should strive to keep your images optimized for the fastest download
possible and keep the entire HTML message under 150k.
Can I
create messages with animation?
Yes, you can use animated graphics or shockwave flash for your email
messages, however, you should always consider the recipients connection
to the Internet and ability to view these files. Animated graphics tend
to be larger files and shockwave flash files require a plugin to view
them.
Can I
create the HTML using other software?
Yes, you can create the HTML messages in another software and simply
copy/paste the raw HTML into the freestyle builder form.
How do
I preview my message?
After you create a message, Targetware allows you to preview and edit
the message. Additionally, you will send a test message to yourself or
any individual you choose. Targetware will automatically create the text
version and send both to your inbox.
How do
I use the data-mining features of Targetware?
After your account is activated and customers have completed surveys
when joining your list, access the Target Locator. Here you can build
mini-group profiles depending on demographics, survey questions, past
responses and more. Once you create a group and save it, you can choose
this group as the recipients of targeted messages. Optionally, you can
download the group's members for offline analysis or mailing.
How is
the Target Locator useful?
The Locator allows you to zero in on specific groups within your customer
list and develop probabilities for higher responses. For example: You
may want to email an offer to customers who have joined within the last
30 days. Then you may want to filter out specific geographic regions.
Then you may decide to include females aged 35-45 from the entire list.
Targetware gives you powerful data-mining features. By filtering, sorting
and contrasting the data you can build a custom strategy for higher success.
When are
my messages sent?
After you create an email and send a test to yourself, you move to the
scheduler area where you decide what date and time to send the email
to your selected group or the entire list.
What happens
if any of my customer email addresses are not accurate?
This email would "bounce" and if after three tries, the email server
responds with "no account by that name" or other errors, the individual
will be flagged as inactive in your database. You may choose to contact
the individual and correct the address, at which time you can manually
re-activate the customer in your Administration area.
When will
I start seeing results?
You will usually start seeing results within a few hours of the scheduled
delivery time. As results are logged, you can view live reports in the
Target Tracker area of your account. To see "up to the second" reports,
simply refresh or reload the display of your web browser.
What happens
to a bounced email?
The receiving email server will send a notice to your Targetware Account
describing the problem. After several attempts at sending to an email
address that bounces, the individual will be automatically de-activated
in your list. You may choose to download the list of de-activated customers
and manually re-activate them after you have corrected any problems.
How do
I get help?
Your Targetware account contains an entire support section that may answer
your question. There is also a Help Desk area where you can send a message
to the support team anytime you choose. The Help Desk is monitored from
9-5 EST and sometimes after hours also. It is usually the quickest route
to helping you solve the problem. Every Targetware account comes with
a period of free support so that you may call our support team during
normal working hours.
I need
help with creating images or copywriting, can I
still use Targetware support?
Yes, the support team has answers to creating and marketing as well as
technical issues. The support area of your account contains many useful
resources for marketing, writing copy, promotional ideas and more.
