Email Tracking Software/scrupulous?/Recommendations

[funnylastname]

I am probably way behind the times, but in thinking of ways to sell and track a new product I learned about Email Tracking Software. I think it would be a good way to know if the prospective clients have checked out my emails or gather metrics about the effectiveness of email as a sales tool to these potential clients.

Is this a scrupulous practice? Does virus protection software pick up this type of email? Do folks have any recommendations as to the type of software I try out? I don't want to try a software that is too expensive and would prefer a month to month or 3 month payment. I looked a little online, but any recommendations would be helpful.

[americanoracle]

never used tracking software but imagine anythiing executable in an email would trigger virus issues (I hope so anyway).

One non-invasive, though limited metric- you can embed an image hosted on your site into the email (it can be just one white pixel and invisible to the reader), so that when someone opens it the image registers as a hit on your web stats as that file will have been accessed. All it tells you is how many people opened your email, which has been useful to me on occasion. But... conversions are all that matter really, and I think they tell you most of what you need to know about your campaigns.

good luck...

[ronald6x]

No software needed, create a directory on
your website that is not linked or anyone
browsing on the site.
When people who read the
message and want more info
they click on the link to your
hidden directory.

You can use Google Analytics for
metrics.

Most email clients block tracking such
as adding images to your emails sent.

The software tracks the images pulled
by the message, which would count
as a view message.

If you notice most email clients ask
if you want to block images for that
reason.

This is the same as client pull with
RSS. When open the email/RSS reader
pulls a stream towards the client.

Be very, very careful about email marketing,
as you said you are behind the time and
you're correct.

Spamming have slaughtered any good will
intend uses of email years ago.

As a matter of fact you could get
yourself blacklisted on White Hat
hacker sites or ProjectHoneyPot.org
by making the smallest of error.

You would do better if you faxed the
messages <humor intended>