Recently I had the opportunity to interview GetResponse.com CEO Simon Grabowski on some of the major differences between GetResponse’s service and their competitor, aWeber. Both are highly acclaimed autoresponders and mailing list management programs with hundreds of thousands of loyal users. But when it comes to choosing an autoresponder, what makes GetResponse stand out?
As it turns out, plenty.
Built-in Video Email Marketing Tools
GetResponse has just recently launched their Video Email Marketing tool which allows anyone with basic computer know-how to record, embed and send out a video message to their subscribers with just a few clicks and with no special equipment needed. Simon said that nearly 85% of users who tried GetResponse’s email marketing saw better results with their clickthrough and conversion rates than plain text or HTML email.
Currently, GetResponse is the only email autoresponder company to offer the video marketing capability.
Autoresponder Surveys
GetResponse is also the only mailing list management service to include a survey building tool within email campaigns. Creating an autoresponder survey is as easy as using the built-in drag and drop creation program. This makes it easy for users to get feedback, ask questions and poll their subscribers while getting them involved and interacting with the mailing list, rather than just blasting out messages and hoping they get read.
iPhone Application and Mobile Posting
Using GetResponse, you can optionally update your Twitter page or blog when you send out an email thanks to its mobile and social posting options. An iPhone application lets you track messages, analyze performance of your mailings and add subscribers with a few simple taps. As of this writing, no other follow up autoresponder offers this mobile capability.
Delivery Rates – Are They Telling the Truth?
One of the crucial questions I asked Simon had to do with delivery rates. When it comes down to it, who has the best? AWeber or GetResponse? Simon had a lot of respect for his competition, but said that delivery rates are always changing and shifting, so there’s no easy way to disclose it – let alone “guarantee” a certain rate.
Delivery rates change based on the Internet Service or email provider and what users do. It’s also based on the sender and how good their message is. For example, Google’s Gmail can track how engaged recipients are to your message. It’s not only looking at whether or not they click through, but how long they remain on the page or read the message. Engagement and interaction rules are done on a plus and minus scale. The more involved people are with your message, the higher amount of points you receive, the more likely your message is to go through.
What About the Price Increase?
A few months ago, GetResponse.com raised its prices to a rate that was more in line with its competitor, aWeber. Many email marketers were hesitant to sign on since it appeared from the outset that the two services were exactly the same. Simon said, however, that this was not the case. Over 40 programmers worked to create the new 6.0 version of GetResponse, introducing over 100 new features (including the video marketing and built in survey options) .
These new features add to the cost of overhead and development, so even though the prices are about equal – the features offered by GetResponse are well beyond those of the competition. Another bonus, particularly for web service providers and software programmers is the ability to integrate the GetResponse API with their existing programs – letting their users leverage email marketing on a whole new level.
What’s Coming Up for GetResponse?
Simon and I discussed a lot of new features on the horizon for GetResponse, including some ideas spurred on by blog posts right here on iElectrify. I can’t say much other than that as I’ve been sworn to silence, however, a new announcement from GetResponse is slated for a couple of weeks from now and I’ve been invited to see what it’s all about. When I find out, you can bet iElectrify readers will be the first to know!
Tags: aweber, Email Marketing, getresponse, video email