Step by Step with Announcement-Only mailing lists

Step 1: List maintenance

: sample ADMIN screen

List maintenance is best done as an on-going task. For most clients, you have a convenient ADMIN screen where you can initiate the subscribe/unsubscribe process and obtain a list of who is on your mailing list. In any case, you need to be sure that the mailing list is up-to-date before sending out a fresh announcement.

Note: Some clients have a more complicated database driven list, which is maintained through the online forms of your website.

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Step 2: Prepare and send email content

There are two main ways to setup email content:

A. The simplest is to create a simple email in your favorite email program, using whatever email account you have access to. Check your ADMIN screen for details of what address should be included in the "To:" field. When the email is prepared to your satisfaction, go ahead and send it.

Note: For clients with a more complicated database-driven list, emails must be sent through the online forms of your website.

B. The alternate way is to use a new or existing website page that you modify through the backend of your website. The page type must be "Direct Mail" () -- this can be adjusted in "Page Information". When the content of the page has been prepared and tested, go ahead and send the email.

Note: This method is an additional feature. Please inquire with your web developer about sending e-news, if this feature is not yet available on your website.

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Step 3: Authorize the email

Announcement-only lists require authorization in order before an email will be distributed to the list. This is to prevent unauthorized spammers from finding and using your list for their own purposes.

To authorize your email, you will need to get to the Moderator's interface.

If your email is listed as a moderator, you will automatically get an email reminding you that the email has been held and needs to be authorized.
You can also go to your ADMIN screen at any time and click on the Moderate link for our announcement-only list.

You will need a moderator's password in order to enter the Moderator's interface. Once inside, you have several options for how to handle the email. If the pending email is your own, you would simply select "approve" and click on the action button. Please refer to List Moderator Guidelines for more details about handling emails.

Once the email is authorized, it will be distributed to your mailing list.

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