Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to our F.A.Q section where we answer the most common questions that we are asked.
Below are the top 5 frequently asked questions. These will be updated regularly by the team to reflect the questions we are often asked.

• Can I send a welcome email to a new subscriber?
• Can I send SMS messages using Sign-Up.to?
• Can I send my campaigns to Facebook and Twitter?
• How can I compare my business to others in the industry?
• How can I check my emails aren't going to be marked as spam?

 

 

General

Are email templates available to me?

Yes, we offer over 30 different templates for you to select and customise to your company style. Our templates come in different colours and styles and we also have seasonal templates available. You can read about some of our recent templates here. We also have a Graphic Designer on hand who can custom build a template for you (at a cost of £350). You can also read more about designing great looking emails here.

How can I be sure I'm reaching the correct audience?

The great thing about Sign-Up.to is that the people you're reaching are people that have subscribed via your website. They want to know what your business is about and what you're up to. Also, we have several restaurant based customers who have 'feedback forms', which are again people who want to know more about your business.

Is my data secure and backed up?

Of course! Your data is stored behind our custom hardened firewalls, and all traffic between our servers and your computer is fully encrypted in just the same way that banks secure your online accounts. Your data is constantly backed up within our server farm, and fully encrypted off-site snapshots are taken regularly and stored in secure off-site locations. Don't forget though that you should always make sure you have a secure, recent and secret password, and that you only access Sign-Up.to from a computer you know you can trust.

Can I export my data and keep a copy of it on my computer?

This action is something we recommend so of you course you can export your information at any time. The benefit of exporting data is that you can keep a hard copy of your subscriber information and ensure any old or invalid email addresses are identified and removed from other systems. Remember, all data is stored behind hardened firewalls and constantly backed up so is secure. To find out how to export data, have a look at our help guide.

Is Sign-Up.to a program I need to install?

There are no programs to install, our design tools are a web based interface. All you need to do is make sure you're connected to the internet.

Can I have more than one account user?

Yes, within Sign-Up.to you can have as many users as you need. The main account holder can also determine how much information each user can see, allowing you to restrict confidential account information. This allows you to add users with ease and without worry. We have many clients who have in-house graphic designers who have accounts with access to only the Create section, or marketing teams who can only see the Analyse section, protecting valuable subscriber data. To see how you can create and set permissions for account users check out our handy how-to guide.

Are there any help guides I can look at?

Yes, we provide lots of information to ensure you can run your permission marketing tasks effectively. We have our How-to and video guides website which provides you with step by step guides to over 50 functions in your Sign-Up.to account that you may be interested in. These guides have been developed in direct response to our customer feedback. We also have a help website which covers a vast amount of information about your account. As well as this, our Sign-Up.to website has a large knowledge section, which includes benchmarking information, email marketing report as well as guides on social media marketing and the latest marketing news and articles. Our support team are also available to help you with any tasks you are trying to undertake. You can reach our team by email, phone and live chat on UK business days between 9 and 6pm and we will be happy to help you.

Subscribers

Can I send a welcome email to a new subscriber?

Yes, you can send your subscribers a welcome email using an autoresponder. An autoresponder is an automated sequence of emails sent to subscribers at set intervals after they subscribe to a list. This could be a sequence of tips, information on different products or perhaps a series of offers designed to encourage conversions. Unlike normal campaigns autoresponders are sent based on the time someone subscribes to the list, so each subscriber will receive the emails in sequence regardless of when they join the list. You can also delay when an autoresponder is sent, for example only on weekdays or a few days after someone has subscribed.

Can I import email addresses?

Importing a list of email addresses is a process whereby all you will need to do is save a file created in Excel as a .csv file. You will then be prompted to confirm that you are using opt-in email addresses. Then, using our web based interface you can upload your list and it will be saved by our system.

How do I create a subscription form for my website?

Using Sign-Up.to you can create a subscription form which will link directly to a list you create. We provide the URL link to the form you create which you can paste into your website. You also have the option to ask up to 10 additional questions if you wish. Once a subscriber fills in their details, they will automatically be added to that list. This list will be held securely, though we recommend you export your data often, for your own records.

How does someone subscribe to my email list? Can I create more than one list?

A subscriber can be added to your email list by submitting their details on your subscription form which is placed on your website. A subscription form can be created within your Sign-Up.to account. You can also manually add new subscribers to your lists as well as having the ability to create as many lists as you want, and manage them under different folders.

What is subscriber profiling?

Subscriber profiling is a function within your Sign-Up.to account which allows you to import tailored information relevant to your business. For example, you may wish to know what your subscriber's favourite type of music is, so that you can send them offers relating to their preference. With your account (in the Send section) you can import this information and subsequently target your subscribers through filtering. This can help you develop a relationship with subscribers who anticipate your tailored emails.

Campaigns

Can I have images in my emails, and what kind of size restrictions are there?

Yes, images are allowed and we recommend you have them to make your email campaigns look more interesting, though it's important to get a balance between text and images. The maximum size for images is 100kB so that you then have lots of room to design a great email. It also ensures you have a high quality image too. You can read more about images in emails here.

Can I test my campaign before I send it?

Yes, at any point before you send the campaign, it can be tested. We always recommend testing email campaigns so that you can see how it looks when sent to various email clients e.g. Outlook or Hotmail.

Can I schedule an email to send at a certain time of the day/week?

Yes, when sending your email campaign you have the option to schedule it for up to a year in advance, so you can select the date and time that suits you. Our analysis tools can help you assess which day of the week is best for your campaigns.

Can I personalise my campaigns?

Yes you can personalise your campaign with various fields including first name, surname, gender, date of birth and country.

How can I check my emails aren't going to be marked as spam?

We have added our Top 10 Design Tips page within our customer support section which will ensure that your emails aren't being marked as spam. Furthermore when creating your email campaign you have the option to check it specifically for spam, formatting, links and images (to see if they work).

I have a flyer/large image I want to send. Can I do this?

Yes you can, though it's important to get a balance between images and text and remember that our image size limit is 100kB per image. We have several templates which can help you create a great flyer email.

Are moving images supported in emails?

They are compatible in several email clients, though Outlook 2007 isn't compatible and will only show the first image frame. You would need to create the images yourself, then upload and insert the image as you would a normal image. The editor will only display the first frame of the image, to see the moving image you will need to send yourself a preview.

Can I cancel a campaign if I make a mistake?

Yes, within your Sign-Up.to you can schedule your campaign for when it's convenient for your campaign to be sent. Providing your schedule your campaign for a time in the future (as opposed to straight away) you'll be given an option to cancel the campaign. While we always recommend testing your campaign before it's sent, the cancel option allows you to go back to your campaign and remove any errors. To see how you can cancel a scheduled campaign please click here.

Can I include a link to ensure subscribers can forward emails to their friends?

Yes, you can include a 'send to a friend' link within your email. This will allow your subscribers to send your email campaigns to their friends, which may in turn encourage them to become a subscriber. Also, providing your subscribers use this link you'll be able to analyse who forwarded your email campaigns.

What's a plain text email?

A plain text email is a version of email that contains only text. While images are great for creating an interesting email campaign, some email clients cannot display HTML emails. A plain text email will give you the added confidence and likelihood that your email will be delivered to all of your subscriber base.

Analysis

What email analysis tools are available to me?

We currently have several analysis tools available to our customers. You can see which day is best to send your email campaigns, how different campaigns compare, how people interact with your emails as well as lots of other exciting features! These tools can give you a detailed insight into your email campaigns and help you run them effectively.

Does Sign-Up.to support Google Analytics?

Yes, Google Analytics is fully supported by Sign-Up.to in both normal email campaigns, and for split testing.

How can I compare my business to others in the industry?

Yes, your Sign-Up.to account allows you to set an industry within your account, so you can compare your email statistics to averages within your industry. It's a handy way to quickly benchmark your campaign performance and there are over 25 industry types for you to choose from. To learn more about how to set an industry within your account click here.

What does split testing mean?

Split testing enables you to find out what resonates with your readers, making your campaigns more relevant. Our split testing feature allows you to carry out A/B testing on your campaigns so that rather than gambling with your content you can find out exactly what works to maximise your open and click through rates. It can be a great way of maximising your open and click through rate. For example, at Sign-Up.to we ran some split testing for ourselves for our monthly newsletter and noticed a substantial difference by adding our company name to the subject line. You can read more about this here. To see how to run an email split test click here.

Can I target specific subscribers?

Yes, our Analyse section allows you to target subscribers who have performed certain activities as a result of your email. For example, you'll be able to target those who opened, didn't open, forwarded and clicked certain links. You may use this tool to send an email with specific product information to those subscribers who clicked a link about a product, or you may wish to send a reminder invitation to people who didn't open your original launch party invite. The targeted subscriber information can also be saved as a list which will allow you to email those subscribers as many times as you like. To see how you can target subscribers click here.

SMS

Can I send SMS messages using Sign-Up.to?

Your Sign-Up.to account allows you to communicate with your subscribers both by email and SMS. SMS responses allow subscribers to respond instantly and easily without needing access to a computer. Within Sign-Up.to you can create SMS lists and import information in the same way as email addresses. Your account also has the functionality to be able to collate email addresses from SMS responses - allowing you to gain as much information about your subscribers as possible. To learn more about mobile marketing and engaging with your customers click here.

What are SMS credits?

SMS credits are required in order to send out SMS messages from your Sign-Up.to account. A standard length message of 160 characters is 1 credit and concatenated SMS messages use 2 or 3 credits per recipient depending on the message length. The minimum purchase you can make is 200 credits, and to see more about the pricing of SMS credits please click here.

Share

Can I send my campaigns to Facebook and Twitter?

Using Sign-Up.to you can share your email campaigns with your Twitter followers; similar Facebook functionality will be announced soon. Our Share section allows you to compare your email results to your Twitter results, so you can see how responsive your Twitter audience are. Also, within Sign-Up.to you can tweet a link to your campaign, as well as post a quick tweet.

What does 'Twitter Reach' mean?

Your reach within Twitter means how many 'followers' your tweet reaches. For example if you posted a campaign to 20 followers, the reach would be 20. If one of your followers re-tweeted your campaign to their 10 followers, your reach would then be 30. The Share section within your Sign-Up.to account allows you to assess how far your tweet has reached and the benefit is that it allows you to understand how many people your message is reaching. Also, it gives you an idea of how interesting your tweet is to your followers, by assessing who forwards your message onto their friends.