Our organization currently uses Capwiz, primarily for sending out email blasts on a monthly basis. We do this because the formatting for these emails can use Dreamweaver which is our creative director's preferred software. This creates a situation where we have to maintain two databases. Is there anyone out there who is using RE NetSolutions, who has worked a solution that keeps the database people as well as the creative people happy?

I also use an outside group for sending a weekly e-mail newsleteter. It does cause confusion with the 2 sets of e-mails and the updating of changed information. Often the RE system is the one that has the incorrect e-mail information.

We use a third party too. I get a csv file from them on a monthly basis and import it into RE. As I have the template to do this now it's not too bad - just the checking for dupes is the real pain. Similarly, I would do a monthly export of email addresses from RE to the 3rd party. They automatically de-dupe so I don't need to prepare it too much. Finally, I get a csv file of bouncebacks from the 3rd party on a monthly basis which I use to change RE. It sounds like a lot of work, but it's not as gruesome as it sounds. Lee

I appreciate that you are both using 3rd parties for the blasts. What makes this so labor-intensive for all of us is that RE has a functionality for doing blasts, which removes the steps of export, import, de-duping and removing of bounce backs. The issue for us is that our creative people use Dreamweaver as their preferred software, and RE is not compatible with that software. I'm wondering if someone out there is using the RE functionality with a software that integrates with RE?

Hi Jane-
At my prior employer, we used NetSolutions RE:Mail function to send our the email blasts. It did work great because of the integration with RE. However, you do not have as much flexibility with the design of the email, as you would with DreamWeaver. You can import an HTML to use as the file to send, but the edit screen with their E-mail designer is very strict, not a lot of fancy stuff.

Now, at my present employer we started using NetCommunity for sending E-mail blasts, which is again great for the RE integration. We have not been using this very long however, so I don't know much about designing through it, since that is done by our website person. Plus, I know that NetCommunity is a very expensive solution, so probably not the route you are looking for.

I have not used any other third party programs, we used to use Outlook way back by exporting the email addresses and creating emails through Outlook! ha!

The only other thing I might advise you on, is the company Convio, I have heard they do a good solution for third party email marketing and supposedly they have an integration written for the Raiser's Edge.

Hope this helps!
Have a great weekend!
Renee A. Klish
Systems Database Analyst
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
248.642.4260 x388
[Email Removed]