Frequently Asked Questions

How many lists can I create?
You may create an unlimited number of lists. In order to fully organize your contacts you may need to create many separate lists, each containing subscribers. You can create a different list for each newsletter, for each interest group, or for each demographic that you wish to reach.

Do you charge per email or per subscriber?
We charge per subscriber, not per email. Many other services charge you per email you send or use a 'credits' system. This can become very expensive, especially if you are sending multiple messages per month or per week. With iContact, you pay a flat monthly fee for a level of subscribers and can up to six times your subscriber limit each month. As an example, if your subscriber limit is 10,000 you can send up to 60,000 emails per month at no additional charge. If you need to send more than this, please give us a call at (866) 803-9462 and we can increase this limit.

Do you have HTML templates customers can use?
Yes, we have a full library of HTML templates for your selection and are adding more every week. We make it very simple to use and edit the templates with our built-in HTML editor. We can also create a custom HTML template for a nominal rate.

How does iContact make sure emails are delivered?
The iContact system is hosted on dual-redundant OC17 connected mail servers. The software uses a three queue emailing system to ensure all emails are sent out promptly. When all emails are delivered, a confirmation email is sent to you that will tell you the start time of the campaign, the finish time, and provide a confirmation of the number of emails sent.

Will my emails get through to AOL?
Yes, your emails will get through to AOL customers. We are on the AOL whitelist and have established a feedback loop with AOL to monitor and quickly react to any complaints.

Does iContact have bounce back handling and how does it work?
Yes, iContact has full bounce back handling. Many times, a server or email address could go down for a few minutes, causing a message that normally goes through to bounce. If your service then removes that subscriber, you've lost a good prospect. To avoid this, we will only remove a subscriber from your list after five bounces have occured. If you feel any email address was removed in error, you can add them back with one click. This system eliminates the false deletions that occur with many of our competitors' bounce back handling systems.

How long will it take for my email to be delivered?
It takes 4 minutes for the message queue to start sending your message. After that time, allow one additional minute for every 1000 emails you are sending.

What is considered spam?
Spam is defined as unsolicited mass email to persons with whom you do not have a business relationship and have not requested (opted-in to) your mailing. iContact is intended for marketers who have an established list of permission-based opt-in email addresses. We provide our product only to those who follow our strict anti-spam policy. One may not send email to purchased lists using our system. Please read our Anti-Spam Policy.

What does it mean that iContact is permission-based?
Every email sent through iContact contains a mandatory remove link at the bottom of the message. A subscriber may simply remove their email address permanently from a list by clicking the link and selecting the 'unsubscribe' function. The remove link may not be disabled by any user, thus every recipient of an email from the iContact system may easily and quickly opt to no longer receive emails from a list. Email addresses placed on your 'remove list' may not be added to your list again.

What are the advantages of web-based software?
Email list management software can either be web-based software such as iContact or desktop based software that you download and install on your PC. With web-based software, all the sending and database management is done on the server side, meaning you will not have to spend time waiting for your larger campaigns to finish sending before you can use your computer again. With iContact you press 'Finalize' and you will be done within seconds. You can close your browser and move on to other work. Meanwhile, your campaign is begun right away and will be fully sent in a matter of minutes. Another advantage of web-based software is that you can pay a low monthly charge instead of paying a much larger charge up-front for the software.

Are my email names secure?
The names that you enter into iContact and those entered by your customers from your web site are fully yours. You maintain full ownership at all times. We have developed a highly secure, 128-bit encryption system housed in a secure data facility protected by a firewall to prevent unauthorized access to the data. Furthermore, we will NEVER share, give, exchange, sell, rent out, use, or copy your lists.

How will I be billed for iContact?
We accept all major credit cards as payment (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover Card). This card will be billed monthly or annually depending on which contract length you select. We can also invoice you quarterly or annually and receive payment by check if you prefer. If you choose to pay by check, accounts will not be activated until payment is received. Broadwick, our company name, will be what shows up on your credit card statements.

Can I use my company logo in my HTML mailings?
Yes, you have full control over the look and contents of your emails. You may place your company logo and pictures of products, and any other images or graphics in your HTML emails. You can use our easy to use WYSIWYG Email Editor to easily create your newsletter without any knowledge of HTML.