StrongMail introduces hosted e-mail ownership model

E-mail marketing services firm StrongMail has introduced a new e-mail marketing ownership platform, and clients Gaia Online and Venture Commerce are already using it.

The Message Studio 5.0 platform lets e-mail marketers purchase and own the StrongMail e-mail platform, rather than just using it on a hosted pay-as-you-go model and CPM basis, as most e-mail marketers typically do. The offering is targeted toward mid-level businesses, who have not always been able to afford the full StrongMail program.

“Middle market companies rely heavily on using the e-mail channel to reach their audience,” said Ryan Deutsch, VP, strategic services &market development at StrongMail. “But sometimes they face roadblocks with the costs or they can't buy the scale. So this new launch enables StrongMail clients to buy a perpetual license model available on demand.”

The benefit for smaller businesses, according to Deutsch, is a lower cost, as well as data security, because the data is managed in-house. While the model has changed, the marketer using the new platform does not have to host the e-mail program themselves, it can be hosted “in the cloud,” or offsite on another server. While the client will own the software, regular updates will be available.