Finally! Cool, useful and useable email marketing

I’ve been waiting a long time to find a solution like Newsberry. It used to be that if you were a small business or non-profit and wanted to send a nice looking email newsletter to your customer base, you didn’t have many options, and practically none if you were on a budget. I won’t mention those non-option providers, but they know who they are.

Newsberry is perfect: they offer very reasonable pricing, both monthly subscription and pay-as-you-go, a nice selection of templates, reporting, segmented lists, bounce management and Basecamp integration! Go give them a try!

Run out and get Markups – now!

I’ve been meaning to blog this for a while now. I’ve been using this absolutely brilliant tool for doing quick visual designs, and it’s just about the best thing I’ve ever used. I want to tell everyone I know about it, and have them go get it: Balsamiq Mockups.

It’s easy. It’s super-fast. It’s got nearly every widget you could ever need (cover flow and iPhone sliders!)

You can purchase a desktop version for $79, and there’s an on-line version (a bit restricted with a regular nag screen, and no save capability) you can use to get the feel of it. 

I could try and write down all the great ways this product has helped me, but just go try it. It really is amazing. You might just be instantly hooked. I was.

Best on hold experience…ever.

Kudos really have to go to Peg Perego for really understanding what it’s like to be put on hold – and put on hold using a cell phone!

I called their customer support number to order a replacement part. I only had to press one button (“2″) before being told that I was 6th in line for service. Rather then waiting, I was told by the recorded message that I could use their callback service. Brilliant!!!

All I had to do was press *. They got my cell number from the caller ID and told me to press “1″ to confirm. That’s it. No trying to enter my phone number while driving (nameless cell phone provider companies and major appliance companies take note here). No lost plan minutes. Easy.

Every company should do this.