I'm exhaisted but the ones that come to mind (I'll be back with urls and such if others don't) are
High end: Cold Fusion. Lotus Domino
Mid: Php3-mysql database run sites
low Matthew; cgi program.

I have been actively marketing through my local market, but the prospects are drying up.

Are there some good newsgroups or discussion groups where I can find people who may be in need of our software products?

Renting lists and sending out campaigns we have already thought of we are looking for low cost tips to get good leads?

One to one contact directly with companies is working. I just need to be able to penetrate the market a little bit faster so any suggestions would be great.

How does one market to VP'S of Marketing over the net?

Thanks

I looked over at www.cgi-resources.com and looked at some scripts. Most of them are for mailing lists. Could I run my newsletter from a mailing list script without problems?

I would also like people to be able to sign up for multiple newsletters. For example, a newsletter for site updates, one for news, etc... Is there a way to do this without having them fill out a bunch of forms?

Does anyone recommend a script that they have used?

Thanks

I need more ideas...I have registered with Search Engines/FFA's/Online Classifieds/ and keep resubmitting every week/month. Also changing meta tags from time to time but still my traffic trickles in.... HELP!!

Sincerely,
Reagan

When is it OK to contact another webmaster and how should it be done so that it will be viewed by most as an OK use of email.

Let's face it. If all email were spam we would never get our sites going.

I do know that you can have people sign up for more than one newsletter at one time - just by filling out one form. We use this form:

<FORM METHOD=POST ACTION="http://www.yourdomain.com/cgi-bin/formmail.cgi">
<input type=hidden name="recipient" value="subscribe@yourdomain.com, subscribe@domain2.com, subscribe@domain3.com">
<input type=hidden name="subject" value="subscribe to all three">
<input type=text name="email">
<input type="submit" value="Subscribe">
</form>

Also - those subscribe addresses - are for three different newsletters for 3 different websites.

[This message has been edited by RenKen (edited 05-15-2000).]

We hope it helps you out.

Any other webmasters willing to step up to the plate, as it were?

Are you in the major directories? Dmoz and Yahoo? Looksmart? Snap? While you wait to get into the SEs with good listings, make sure you get in each of these. I get so much traffic from dmoz/aol/etc., it is just great.

Good luck.

For unsolicited emails, the more personal your mails are the less they are considered 'spam'. Investigate individual interest.

Spam is cold calling, depending on how directed a list you can get. Once, one of those we-come-to-you windshield chip fix-it companies called me, cold call. If it had been an email, I would have considered it to be spam, BUT, --> I happened to need their services right then, and I bought (and it was free, and they submitted to my ins. co.) So, even cold calling works, sometimes.

On the web, the rules are more cruel. By the time you are sending an unsolicited mailing to a group of addys with no personalization, then you are spamming.

- the addresses are qualified leads, culled from sources that are either open about putting email addresses on lists or where the visitor would be a moron to think that they weren't being put on a list (such as when they purchase from an online company).

- when the email offers something of value besides the advertising claim. This can be information on where your site is linked, whether it was down, a critique, or expert advice on your industry. This does not include so-called advice when it is obviously boiler-plate and was impersonally sent to many, many sites.

- when the individual signs with their own, correct, identifyable email address.

Yes, I mean all of the above, not just one. Oddly enough, as I examine my views on this, many of the places I purchase from are spamming me. They take my email after I've bought and send me "Sale" flyers that offer nothing of value and aren't even interesting to look at. While those don't push my buttons like strange spam, they are still annoying. And I think I like my definition as-is.

Sorry if I caused any problems. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated and the entrepreneur.com message board tip was great.

Thanks

By the way, Pegasus is free.

I recommend starting to submit your contest with sweepstakes sites sometime late in October. It usually takes a couple days to get for the various sweepstakes sites to get you listed -- for them to add your link, put you in their newsletter, banner ads, and so forth. You can do a lot of prep work ahead of time by visiting the various sites and knowing which ones you want to target first. Create a prioritized list, and then work your way down as time permits.

Added this paragraph -- You could probably start working on setting up banner ads, newsletter ads, and other media ads now. One thing you don't want to do is send people to your site too early. If you get some text ads, make sure you are specific about when it begins. If people go to your site and can't enter or maybe have to wait for a few days for your contest to begin, it will not create those "warm and fuzzies" that we all want to give our visitors upon their first visit.

I will also donate a block ad in my sweepstakes newsletter. Send me a paragraph and your link at the email address listed in my profile.

[This message has been edited by WinningWays (edited 09-15-2000).]