Direct Mail Reviews

Pros

Great Templates, Ease of use and customization, Very good analytics. Renders very well on all kinds of devices and there's plenty of additional testing functions. The automatic management of unsubscribers is also very handy. For someone with zero previous DM experience but wanting to send out a weekly newsletter this is fantastic value for money.

Cons

Can't think of anything specific even though I would like to group reports (i.e. comparing flights of the same campaign or issues of the same newsletter. Presently I export to Excel but it would be practical to have these inside.

Pros

I really like the ease of use, the WYSIWIG editor and the long list of imported address formats. Direct Mail ist fun to use and easy, while still having all features needed for a professional campaign (it even connects to Google Analytics which will make the marketing guy helping on my next campaign very happy).

Cons

In some areas the content block management feels slightly clunky and needs one or two more clicks than necessary.

Pros

My predecessor used it and it was easy to continue to use.

Cons

Customer Service when you have a problem.

Pros

Where to begin?
• import from Google Sheets (because we use Google forms to add to our database)
• personalised emails with reference to specific fields (with a fallback)
• the reporting (especially the bounce report)
• smart groups
• templates

Cons

Four features I would love to see developed:
1) The ability to include a table with rows and columns
2) The ability to embed HTML/iframe
3) Some widgets like a countdown timer.
4) I would like to feature all our previous newsletters on our website and short of creating a button to each web version, I would love to see an archive site that we could use.

Alternatives Considered

MoonMail and Mailchimp

Reasons for Choosing Direct Mail

Direct Mail makes developing communications to clients easy and very good looking - not the case with competitors.

Switched From

MoonMail and Mailchimp

Reasons for Switching to Direct Mail

SEE "Why did you make the switch?"

Pros

Direct Mail is a powerful and comprehensive, but easy-to-use, email delivery platform that makes every email campaign a joy to design, develop and implement.

It's intuitive interface allows you to design a campaign, create a distribution list and then monitor the results in realtime. The templates that are provided by Direct Mail are almost infinitely adaptable, but you can create your own formats or import templates. Either way, you have at your fingers tips a professional system that I would now not want to be without.

Cons

There is very little, if anything, to dislike, but if there is one improvement they could make it would be to have the option to use the email sign-up forms as a contact form.

At the moment, when creating automated sign-up forms, the only option is for users to 'subscribe', but if Direct Mail could incorporate the option to choose 'submit' and not 'subscribe' that instantly turn it into a powerful and highly editable contact form, which you can incorporate into any website.

Alternatives Considered

Constant Contact

Reasons for Choosing Direct Mail

Easy answer: Direct Mail knocks MailChimp out of the water every time. MC is web-based and requires you to log in to find your campaigns; then, you are faced with an overly-complex interface that is nowhere near as intuitive as Direct Mail. When I trialled Direct Mail I immediately closed my MC account. Since then, I have only used MC if clients are using it, but every time I push the merits of Direct Mail.

Switched From

Mailchimp

Reasons for Switching to Direct Mail

Constant Contact (CC) offers a suite of solutions, from email marketing to e-commerce, which was potentially of interest, but I found their email marketing system a constant irritation. Again, it's web-based (or was when I trialled it) and found the method of building campaigns a real pain; the lack of customisability was nowhere near as good as Direct Mail.

Pros

What I like most with Direct Mail is how easy it is to use - especially for newsletters. Easy to design own templates and administer the address databases and opt-in functionality. It is also a good thing that you only pay for what you use by "digital stamps".

Cons

I would probably want a more visual way to make "workflows" and the possibility to make more tailor-made opt-in and landing pages for campaigns.

Alternatives Considered

Mailchimp

Reasons for Choosing Direct Mail

Direct Mail is easier to use and costs less. Saving me both time and money.

Switched From

Mailchimp

Pros

I switch to Direct Mail from MailChimp and have no regrets. I basically love everything and can't choose one.

I love the fact I can work on campaigns locally on my computer without being online and not in a browser. The lists and address management is simple yet agile. I've been able to integrate the sign up form on to my website very simply without needing a third party plugin.

The emails I send are irregular, - some months I might send thousands, and others none at all - so the pricing structure is ideal for my business model. I'd never be able to sign up to a program that was charging a monthly subscription fee.

Cons

It was a bit difficult to get in touch with customer support while I was figuring out the software, and it would be good if there was a community forum for users to exchange knowledge and tips. I ended up abandoning my original idea and using a workaround because it took too long to be able to contact customer support (I'm based in Melbourne, Australia, so the time zones don't easily match up).

Pros

I have been using Direct Mail for 7+ years and it is a great product. Like all products, as a daily user, there are a few things I would like to see added, but all in all a great product and much easier to use than things like CC or Mailchimp etc..

Cons

Customizable templates can be a little tricky and they no longer have full text wrapped images

Alternatives Considered

Constant Contact and Mailchimp

Reasons for Choosing Direct Mail

Wanted a mac specific app. Would love this on the Ipad..

Switched From

Mailchimp

Reasons for Switching to Direct Mail

Mac native app. Easy to use.

Pros

Cost drew me to Direct Mail for Mac; I was sending out up to 50,000 weekly e-mails for a client at one point. It was by far the lowest-cost option for bulk e-mailing on that scale.

But there were other things that made the experience so great. On the few times I had deliverability issues, I got one-on-one attention from the developers who talked me through the adjustments I needed to make on my DNS settings. They are very protective of their sender reputation, which increased my deliverability rates vs. other vendors without dedicated IPs.

Cons

I'm using it a lot less these days because my workflow has changed and it isn't a good fit for what I am trying to accomplish at the moment. But if I were to return to mass sechduled e-mails, Direct Mail for Mac would still be my first choice.

Alternatives Considered

Constant Contact and Mailchimp

Reasons for Switching to Direct Mail

Cost, but stayed with it because of the customer service and excellent product.

Pros

Our team loves how easy this is to manage, set up and keep on top of key clients. Bravo!

Cons

We LOVE IT and have zero changes. Thanks so much.

Pros

Runs as a client on your computer. No need to use a terrible web interface. Works offline. Greatest tracking features I have seen so far. Different useful options in pricing. Intuitive usage. Option to use your own SMTP server.

Cons

Should offer usage of European servers and/or a solution to host your own subscriber database.

Pros

WYSIWYG editor
Tracking opens and being able to generate list of emails 'not opened' on a campaign
Support is excellent

Cons

A bit expensive
copy paste from word to editor unexpected results where formatting differs and is difficult and time consuming to change
Inability to 'save-as' a word document. We collaborate and the common platform is word. Currently have to view online, save-as, export into a word document which has lots of formatting issues. A simple 'SAVE-AS' (word / PDF) would be an appreciated feature.

Pros

Direct Mail for the Mac makes it easy to track and target my followers with news about my books.

Cons

Templates are great but I'd like more, if possible.

Alternatives Considered

SurveyMonkey

Reasons for Switching to Direct Mail

First, it's designed for the Mac -- I'm a 40+ year Mac user. Second, it's easy. Third, it works.

Pros

What an easy to use piece of software. Within no-time you built fantastic newsletters and mailings. They look great and give fantastic response. I know with every mailing I send out, I will score multiple leads...

Cons

To be honest; the software works flawless... the only con I can think of is the pricing. Yes, I know, I am a cheap dutchman.... but I prefer a one time fee...

Pros

I initially chose it because I could easily switch from desktop email on my Mac to their service. With DirectMail I could flow my existing addresses straight into the service. The other mail services required converting my records to a database. They all seem to cater to PC people and I was worried about customer service.

Cons

It was somewhat difficult to adjust the template to my needs, until I figured out the system.

Alternatives Considered

Constant Contact and Mailchimp

Reasons for Switching to Direct Mail

as above, easy to move my existing addresses

Pros

Control of the whole process - from HTML editing to subscriber management to design and spam testing - it's fun to work with.

Cons

No online tool. Reporting is limited, there aren't enough ways to compare and contrast. Very hard to export reports and data in bulk. Hard to get examples out as PDF / Image filles.

Pros

Direct Mail is very easy to use, and fairly reliable. We send several newsletters a week. Each project has the option to use on the local desktop and/or sync with the cloud. Integrates nicely with most of our business apps. I can't say enough about their Tech Support team--[SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] in particular is amazing.

Cons

Future scheduling could contain a few more prompts. And any previously-set "future schedule" should be removed from the next blast (for some reason, it retains the last-set "Schedule" setting rather than returning to the default setting of Send Now).

Pros

Mac native and works offline.
Graphic and html easy switching and simple to use to achieve great looking emails.
Free and affordable subscription or pay per mail plans.
Detailed tracking system.
Integration with own domains for SMTP.

Cons

Lacks of modern marketing automation tools.
My sensation is like other sender get lower bounce rate.
Full features are unlocked by paying and subscribing.

Alternatives Considered

Mailchimp

Pros

I like the fact that it was a local program (although you can store your stuff on the cloud) and the ease of use. I've tried the online stuff and it's okay but I needed a bit more.
I also integrate it into my CRM which is a real bonus and having a complete mac production system is fantastic.
Tracking! - It's easy to get addicted to this.

Cons

Funkier designs - although I create my own, they are great for inspiration.

Pros

Friendly, Manageable, Reliable, Powerful, great option

Cons

They improve by the wave, always innovating

Pros

It is very easy to use and provides the basic bells and whistles needed to track any campaign.

Cons

I know it is not possible, but there needs to be a way to track reasons why a person would file a report. I've experienced people I've known well reporting me, rather than merely unsubscribing. One I called up and she said she did it by accident. Not even sure how that can be an accident, but ok. It would help to understand user behavior with clear reasons to get a better sense of what I might have done wrong with a user, so I can avoid certain pitfalls in the future.

Pros

This is mature mac software that grows over time. I have been using it for years and in the work place I have a handful of softwares that are the business. In addition to doing what is asked of it reports are chelated and exported effortlessly. A potentially drudge job becomes a pleasure with this, the right software.

Cons

I haven't found anything to complain about yet.

Pros

Super easy to use, excellent reporting, great personalization features.

Cons

Perhaps I've missed how but I'd like to be able to assign and then remove contacts from various lists without deleting from a master list.

Pros

There's only a handful of softwares like this for Mac. I tried all of them and Direct Mail is the best. Only here, good features and easy usage meet great design.

Cons

There are some words that could be better translated to German since they don't make any sense at all like this.

Pros

I love that this is an app on my Mac and not a one size fits all web app. The templates are good and easy to modify. Tracking can be on or off. And the support is excellent.

Cons

Rarely I wish I could access the app from my iPhone or iPad. I suppose I could get into the Mac remotely and handle a client issue that way…