SendBlaster - a most convenient tool for mass mailing and a subscription manager

We’ve made up our mind to test a freeware tool SendBlaster for easy usability and good functionality. So, the installation process turned up to be very fast and easy, and that’s why we’ll get to launching the program right off...

First Impression

The program doesn’t yell up that it’s strictly intended for just one and only group of users. On the contrary – everyone can use it. Its pleasant interface appeals the user to it and shows how easily it can be operated.

Creating a subscribers list

Normally, first of all you would like to import your subscribers list to the subscription manager database (go to Lists and addresses –> Import in SendBlaster’s menu). In case you have no such list, you may start creating it right inside SendBlaster. But take your time before pressing the Import button. First, specify the fields that your clients’ database will contain (Settings –> Fields and appearance). All the fields listed here are optional by default and are not mandatory for use in your database. You may choose the fields you need and change everything as you like. As a rule, usually the following fields are important: Email, Name, Surname. These are the fields that will be indicated in the letter. Other fields are normally used for sorting purposes and for selecting the recipients of the mail.
There are a number of ways you may use to import an email list: you may import addresses either from the Outlook address book, or from a text file, or even from a web site. When the subscribers’ database is filled up, edited (Lists and addresses -> Manage lists) and ready to use, you may start managing your subscriptions.

Subscription managing

Adding to your mailing list people that you don’t know or those who didn’t subscribe, is not recommended. Such mail distribution will be treated as SPAM. So, take care when sending letters. You should also take care of letting your subscribers manage their subscriptions (Lists and addresses -> Manage subscriptions). Pick up some email box for subscription managing purposes. It will receive subscribe/unsubscribe commands. Then place the links from the Manage subscriptions section on your web site. The official Sendblaster web site has a Optin php scripts for newsletter subscription which is intended for web site owners.
Now set the Manage bounce-backs option – it operates dealing with addresses that don’t exist or for some reason don’t respond. Such addresses should be deleted from your mailing list (which is performed automatically with the proper settings).

Message composing

Now, let’s get over to the most delicious part of the program (Messages -> Compose message). Yes, it’s message composing! You may customize your message just as you will. You can pick up any of about 100 preset templates, or you may create your own template and save it for further usage and (if you care) share it with other users by sending it to Bulk emailer Official SendBlaster website.
When you create your message, using tags is highly recommended. E.g., as it is demonstrated in the Interactive Demo at the developers’ web-site:
“Hello, #name#!” will be processed individually for every recipient in a greeting with his name, like in “Hello, John!”.
If you are content with your template and message, you may get over to sending the messages. It is recommended that you add an “Unsubscribe” link to your letter for mass mailing, though it is only optional. You decide yourself how your mailing should look like.

Mail sending

To send your mail you should choose the mail sending method (Messages -> Send). The best way here is to use your personal SMTP account, instead of using the "Direct send" option. In case for some reason you wouldn’t like to use your SMTP server, the program will suggest using SMTP.com server with a prepared account. Here in the Send section there is also an Advanced Settings option, where you can set the message sending speed and frequency, the number of streams and even change sender’s Xmailer and domain name.
Now, when you are done with the settings, you can just press "Send". The mail sending process will begin and you may fold up the program to the background.
In case you need to stop the mail sending process or if it was discontinued for some reason, you may finish it later from the "History" section (Messages -> History). There you will see incomplete mailings marked with a "Complete" button in a shape of a green arrow.

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Here we described the features of the free version of Sendblaster only. Pro version provides more advanced features, which you can see in the comparison table. Take a look at Sendblaster Pro, it may be even of more use for use.
Testing the program revealed that it may be useful for ordinary user with no special skills. There were no error or problem detected while working with the program. And that is quite important, taking into account my abilities in discovering bugs and errors in all kinds of software.
Let me here recall something. Back in 2003 there was a friend of mine who used to send funny stories to all his friends. He just added as many addresses to the TO: field as possible, and the rest of the addresses (which didn’t fit into the TO: field) he put into the CC: field. So, the recipients received huge letters which were that huge due to the size of their addresses list in the header, not the content itself. I’ll suggest him using this software. I guess that’ll please him.
So, goodbye. Now I’ll go and send this article to all my friends with the help of SendBlaster. Let success attend you in your mass mailing. And the most important thing – don’t SPAM.


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