Author Topic: CiviMail another alternative for inbound messages besides IMAP2SOAP (Read 5876 times)

mhansen4 · April 22, 2008, 08:15:40 pm

I keep seeing messages about how hard it is to configure CiviMail. There do seem to be a lot of details / specifics that you have to cover. The postfix issue is also something that seems to be a pain to deal with. There is of course the alternative configuration for outbound mail. I want to offer up another solutions though and get any thoughts you might have.

Don't use CiviMail for inbound mail

1. Set the reply address for you messages to a actual account that you can monitor (manually).
2. Include Unsubscribe and Opt-Out URLs in your messages (not the Unsubscribe and Opt-Out email addresses).

This won't allow automatic bounce processing but because of the Opt-Out and Unsubscribe URLs (and subscription forms for that matter) your aren't loosing a lot. if you are managing a small group like I am (less then 300) following up on a bounced message here and there isn't to tuff to handle.

Don't get me wrong the inboound features of CiviMail are really cool and powerfull but I am wondering if they are worth the hassle for some smaller organizations.

Am I over looking something here?

Thanks
Mike

Donald Lobo · April 23, 2008, 02:39:08 am

yes, i think that should work

You should be able to direct all mail to: reply-* and bounce-* to a real mailbox and then process those emails manually.

deprecating the other email aliases in favor of folks only using the URL based mechanism is something we are considering doing in 2.1

lobo

Eileen · April 23, 2008, 03:24:45 am

Is there a way to use the opt out / url method without using civimail?

Ideally I'd like an unsubscribe link, the person wouldn't need to log on but would probably enter their e-mail address & then get an e-mail confirming it & they'd click on the link in the e-mail.

I think the main feature of civimail that I'm actually interested in is a simple way for people to unsubscribe. I suspect the user interface of civimail would be too much for many of our users.

mhansen4 · April 23, 2008, 05:53:12 am

Eileen,

CiviCRM does require you to put options in your email to allow people to both unsubscribe and opt-out, it actually looks for these and won't allow you to send a message out without them.

Some one tell me if I am wrong here

That being said I don't think someone using a unsubscribe or opt-out link needs to know a username and password for your site they just need to follow the link that you put in there email address.

Mike

Eileen · April 23, 2008, 10:21:24 am

I'm not using civiCRM to send mail - just outlook & mail merges but I'd like to add an opt-out link

mhansen4 · April 23, 2008, 10:43:17 am

Eileen,

If you are using Outlook to send your messages (I believe that means) you are keeping a duplicate list of your members email addresses in outlook. CiviMail allows you to send the messages through the CiviMail Web interface making use of the most up to date email address that are stored in CiviCRM. This keeps you from having to manually syncronize our outlook addresses with CiviCRMs. The way CiviMail sends messges out is by creating groups of members. So when a user unsubscribes it removes them from the group automaticly so you don't have manually perform that step. If a user Opts-out it marks a "No Bulk Mail" setting in there profile (again this is done automaticly). I think you are creating a lot of extra work for your self

To do what you are wanting to do:
You could manually add the Opt-Out link to your outbound messages this would allow users to click on it and go to CiviCRMs website and it would mark that "No Bulk Mail" field as true. However you would have to make sure you took that into consideration when you did your mail merge (or other mailings) so that those peoples wishes were honored.

Mike
(I am new to CiviCRM but I think this is right)

Dave Greenberg · April 23, 2008, 11:22:47 pm

Unfortunately you can't use the "built-in" optout functionality when you're not using CiviMail to send your mailings. This is because that URL is created "on the fly" when CiviMail creates and sends the mails - and includes parameters which "tell" CiviCRM who is accessing the opt-out page.

Assuming you're using CiviCRM Groups to segment your mailing lists - you can expose those public mailing list groups in a CiviCRM profile and include that in My Account and/or a standalone profile form. Then contacts can "check" and "uncheck" the groups they are part of - and you can include instructions / a link in your mail directing them to this page.

Note that they will need to have a Drupal account and be logged in so that CiviCRM can load their current data into the profile (and/or, of course, in My Account).

Denver Dave · May 11, 2008, 11:04:17 am

I have several threads going with topics that may be related for some people:

Processing Bounces With PHP
http://forum.civicrm.org/index.php/topic,2505.0.html

Allow Send Email to Contact to Launch Local Email Client
We really liked this feature on our old email list manager for sending to small groups of people as an option to use sometimes instead of CiviMail. Now as a practical matter we add the addresses manually to Outlook Express for small groups.
http://civicrm.uservoice.com/suggestions/1419

Limit Send Email to Contact Volume?
http://forum.civicrm.org/index.php/topic,1763.0.html

If anyone is working or interested in any of the above

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Author Topic: CiviMail another alternative for inbound messages besides IMAP2SOAP (Read 5876 times)

mhansen4

CiviMail another alternative for inbound messages besides IMAP2SOAP

Donald Lobo

Re: CiviMail another alternative for inbound messages besides IMAP2SOAP

Eileen

Re: CiviMail another alternative for inbound messages besides IMAP2SOAP

mhansen4

Re: CiviMail another alternative for inbound messages besides IMAP2SOAP

Eileen

Re: CiviMail another alternative for inbound messages besides IMAP2SOAP

mhansen4

Re: CiviMail another alternative for inbound messages besides IMAP2SOAP

Dave Greenberg

Re: CiviMail another alternative for inbound messages besides IMAP2SOAP

Denver Dave

Re: CiviMail another alternative for inbound messages besides IMAP2SOAP