Patent ID: 8126977

Claim:
A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon executable program code for sending an electronic mail message to members of a mass audience each connected to a network, where when said program code is executed said program code is operable to perform a method comprising the steps of: creating a plurality of test messages each having a message content identical in each test message and a plurality of characteristics that vary, each test message varying from all other test messages in at least one of said characteristics, wherein said characteristics include an address from which the message originates and an address to which a reply may be sent, wherein the address from which the message originates and the address to which a reply may be sent are not the same; storing said message content and retrieving said message content from storage for inclusion in each test message; sending each test message on said network to different members of said mass audience with all of the test messages together being sent to a minority of the members of said audience; evaluating feedback as to the effectiveness of each test message; creating a final message based on the evaluation of the feedback; and sending said final message on the network to all members of said audience that were not sent one of the test messages, wherein said final message is an electronic mail message.