Vertical Response debuts new tools

VerticalResponse Inc. has released a new suite of e-mail marketing tools aimed at the small to mid-sized businesses.

These include the Email Canvas, a tool with several pre-built layouts into which customers can add text and images, and the Media Library, a 25 megabyte storage space for free hosting, where these businesses can host images.

"Small businesses today are getting more savvy when it comes to marketing tools," said VerticalResponse CEO Janine Popick, San Francisco. "Our customers have been asking for these tools to help them get to the next level with their marketing campaigns. We listened."

In addition to the design and hosting tools, VerticalResponse has created new tracking features to measure the response of e-mail campaigns with a click-to-conversion tool and an ROI calculator. Click-to-Conversion allows users track a recipient's initial click through to a page visit by copying and pasting tracking code onto confirmation pages. The ROI calculator brings the Click-to-Sale input to the next level, incorporating actual dollar values into the end report. The final report allows customers to input additional dollars spent on the campaign and outputs the actual ROI percentage.

All of Vertical Response's clients have received the tool as an upgrade. Online administrative assistance firm Alloy Virtual Assistance, Story City, Iowa, uses the Vertical Response platform and is pleased with the new tools.

"I have two clients for whom I use Vertical Response to publish monthly e-zines," said Sandra Trca-Black at Alloy Virtual Assistance. "It has been such a hassle to upload images to their Web sites for e-zine inclusion, especially when I have problems with a Web host. This is going to make it so much easier."