Small businesses with even smaller marketing budgets and no email marketing experience would be better off selecting a lower-end email marketing provider. However, Adestra will provide a growing company with every email marketing tool along the way.
I still receive emails from people with a simple "sent from iPhone or sent from iPad" with little to no signature built-in. While I know not everyone is adept or even interested in changing mobile/tablet settings, WiseStamp makes it easy to have a more official-looking signature, in my opinion. Just because you reply to me via a smartphone or tablet, I expect the same level of professionalism. Plus, I don't need to know what device you use to reply or initiate an email, as poor spelling or grammar are essential. Including a photo, especially with many transactions being one in which you never see the person face-to-face, adds a more human element that is really missing. Studies show that ads including a photo of a person will get greater views. I think the same goes for email signature files. My goal is that regardless if I email someone from my laptop, smartphone, or tablet, they should not know as their transactional experience with me should appear to be precisely the same.
Adestra's "dynamic" list allows users to consolidate multiple lists in combination with data filters and exclusion lists. This implements segmentation and is a powerful marketing tool.
Adestra's MessageFocus API integration provides developer-tools for list, campaign or transactional automated requirements.
Campaigns can be sorted into project folders. This allows marketers to group campaigns together for management or reporting requirements. Moving or copying campaigns from one project to another is a simple process.
Data downloads via Reporting is available at every level, from overview to individual KPI.
Creating "core" tables helps marketers develop lists with similar attributes. Whether a list has many fields or simply the one required email address field, a "core" table helps to quickly map data labels from spreadsheet to online database. Creating data labels on the fly is a simple process, as well. The "core" table also groups similar contacts into one core database.
Any list can be quickly "emptied" for to manage refreshed data. The contacts within the "emptied" list would still be members of the "core" table and so the process does not negatively impact reporting.
Unsubscribes can be managed in one list (as a default) or individual lists. Creating individual unsubscribe lists -- dependent on business requirements -- would allow for a preference center, whereby recipients could be given a choice as to which campaigns they receive.
The Form tool creates signup forms, simple surveys and landing pages. These can be hosted via Adestra or otherwise on the web. The tool provides for branding and proprietary cascading stylesheets, with a number of actions available through a drag-and-drop interface.
As of this writing, there are at least 3 different editors available (a drag-and-drop, a WYSIWYG and HTML). However, only a small template library is available if requested through support. Those expecting to find ready-built templates for re-branding would find them through the third-party EDM Designer drag-and-drop editor.
Forced to use built-in templates or pay extra to have them simply copy a signature you create elsewhere. No options to actually build out a signature template to your own specifications.
I think it is over priced
Doesn't work with "New Outlook" and only certain versions of Classic Outlook.
I have been self-trained on different ESPs for over 10 years, so my experience isn't comparable to most users. However, I've trained people on various email marketing platforms, and with some training, clients have a positive user-experience with Adestra.
It is pretty easy to use but the initial setup takes awhile to get right - some of the templates that you can use do not always work for what I had in mind - but overall and once through the initial phase it is super easy to use.
I have had campaign related issues solved very quickly. When there are technical issues, that involve more than one departmental, it may involve a longer turn-around and management.
For medium and large sized businesses, Adestra competes well with dotMailer. While many of the functions are available through either provider, creating campaigns, managing lists and reviewing metrics are somewhat different. As of this writing, dotMailer's drag-and-drop editor dominates that platform and performs well for low-end users with little-to-no HTML experience. Even high-end users will appreciate how quickly campaigns can be built via the drag-and-drop editor. While Adestra utilizes the EDM Designer drag-and-drop, the third-party functionality is not completely cohesive and lack of a template library gives dotMailer a bit of an advantage.
I actually haven't tried the above, but this form wouldn't let me advance without answering. I built my own signature in Gmail. It would have been fine except embedding video is really tough. I was willing to sacrifice being able to showcase books in order to show my TEDx talk link.
I have increased my calendar bookings from outreach emails by more than 200%
It makes it easier for people to schedule time with me when multiple people are involved as they can see my availability by clicking the link.
I have had customers that have not used me for a period of time book time out of the blue by going back to one of my old emails and seeing the scheduling link there
I use the banner tool whenever there is a promotion or to promote some of my sponsor brands to my clients without them even realising they are getting "adverts"
