Is anyone sending mass emails from RE? We would like to start communicating with our constituents in this way, but are concerned about sending too many emails at one time and being perceived by a server as a "spammer". Is anyone doing this successfully? How do you control the speed the emails are sent - through your email software (we use groupwise). Thanks Linda Ford [Email Removed]

Linda, we also use Groupwise and a Gateway server to send mass emails. It does have it's challenges, as far as overloading the gateway and bad email addresses, but it is feasible. We send monthly newsletters to our members, for the most part. I have had to use a second computer for the emails only, with a switch so I can change my monitor between computers. You will have to send the emails out in small batches based on incremental queries (I use letters of the alphabet, for instance). You will also get a lot of "non deliverables" as bounce backs, and have to decide what to do with them. Also, attachments don't come out very well, we use web links instead. You can call me at 614/228-2674, ext 2107 to talk, or send me some direct questions at [Email Removed], and I'll try to help the best I can! Denise Gresh

We have currently 33,000 emails that we send out to our members. I was wondering what you do with the bounce backs, I have anywhere from 4,000 to 5,000. My supervisor and I agree this is getting to be a full time job, and she is thing about deleting them off. I think we should call the person at least once before deleting to find a new address. What is your procedure on this? I have heard in RE 7 there is a way to have a pop up screen show when someone is in the record to alert them to the bad emai, but we are not upgrading until 2005, and are in need of a solution this year. Could you please help with any advice? Kandy East Membership/Database Coordinator The Toledo Zoo PO Box 140130 Toledo OH 43614 (419)385-5721 ext 3082 [Email Removed] Kandy East Membership/Database Coordinator The Toledo Zoo (419)385-5721 ext 3082 [Email Removed]

Can you please tell me how you get your email addresses out of RE into GroupWise? and if you have any constituents that only have email addresses? If so, how do you enter thoese in RE? Thanks.

We send mass emails. It was easy in 6.4, but since we converted to 7.6 we can't do it the same way. I have to make a query for my email addresses, export them into excel, go to excel and highlight the email address column, copy it, and then paste it into the address line of the email that I want to send. They all pop in and then I just send it. A few extra steps, but it can still be done.

Are you using RE: Mail? The reason I want to know is, we are sending email through RE: Mail and are not notified of the bouncebacks. We only see the unsubscribes.

Under RE7 we have a SQL jobs that run at night, pull the requested users based on queries, and populate their info into another table. We then have another program that pulls this table, sends, the emails and notifies us of any bouncebacks. If an email bounces multiple times over the course of 60 days then we generate an import back into RE to delete the email address. We are doing this to send out renewal reminders, application received and application accepted notices. We have a different process for mass-mailings that again lets us know of bouncebacks. Dan Kimble Database Technician

There are inexpensive (>$100) programs out there that handle mass e-mail properly, by sending out in small batches, and monitoring bouncebacks and unsubscribes. Ideally, the program works with its own e-mail address on the organization's e-mail server. Benefits: messages can be customized with the recipient's name, with conditional text, etc. Drawback: most programs require you to export the list to Excel, csv, or another database first. One of the worst things I've seen is senders putting the whole recipient list into the To: field, and then each recipient sees everyone else's e-mail (violation of privacy).

Due to the privacy policy and so that others cannot glean email addresses, we use the bcc field for the recipient list of addresses. Charmaine Desmeules Stand Among Friends Boca Raton Florida [Email Removed]