Maybe it’s because I’m such a stickler in branding and protecting my client’s business image that I am amazed that over 400,000 businesses use Constant Contact as their email service, and that number keeps growing.
Constant Contact has done a brilliant job promoting their email service using TV and radio commercials to expand marketshare within the industry. But the single greatest marketing device that has had the most impact on their phenomenal growth is the Constant Contact icon that appears at the bottom of every email that goes out via Constant Contact. This simple device has enabled Constant Contact to become the 800 lb. gorilla in email marketing – allowing the company to go public in October 2007 and reaching a market cap of over a $1 billion earlier this year.
One of the most brilliant marketing ideas I ever seen is the Constant Contact icon that appears at the bottom of every email that goes out through Constant Contact.
When email marketing was relatively new, I was a Constant Contact customer.
Why?
Well even though there were numerous email marketing companies, I had little experience with this new medium and found it difficult to determine which features I needed and what differentiated one email provider from the rest. So I went ahead and did what many people do when trying something new – I went with the company I had heard about and was most comfortable with. (FYI, that’s part of what branding is all about.)
However, I was annoyed that the Constant Contact icon with its “Try It Free” sales message appeared in the footer of my eNewletters. Here I was providing free advertising for Constant Contact, yet had to pay them for the privilege.
Who’s got it better than that?!
It’s like how the IRS requires employers to collect payroll taxes from their employees, yet doesn’t give them a dime for the bookkeeping, overhead and administrative costs incurred.
Why couldn’t I put my own company logo at the bottom of the emails I send out?
“Can’t be done!” was their reply.
Well it turns out it can be done, by iContact, a competitor to Constant Contact. I immediately moved my email account over to the very accommodating people at iContact.
And since I am a marketing agency, they set me up a program in which I can provide email marketing services for my clients at a price less than what clients could receive direct. This allows me to offer my clients professional oversight of their email marketing, while they do as much of the direct interaction with their account as they feel comfortable with: updating their database, tracking email responses, creating new emails newsletters and promotions – ALL with templates branded with their own logo, and not anyone else’s.
I’m happy. Clients are happy. It’s a win-win!


As a marketing consultant to the aviation industry, many times my clients realize they need to step up their marketing to a more professional level – in other words, they are ready for “primetime.”

