REQUEST FOR FEEDBACK & COMMENT - Opt-in Email Wording

marc33 wrote: There are many wonderful suggestions for wording in this thread. I've found that the biggest challenge stems from the From address. I've created a welcome sheet that has a picture of the email because not many are going to understand what server@toastmastersclubs.org means and that it's associated with our club. If there were a way to incorporate the club name in that address, that might help members (and guests) recognize where the email is coming from.

Is it possible to create an Agree or Disagree button for them to click on instead of a link? That would add to the professionalism of the email.

P. S. I love that there are so many new posters in this thread.

1. If the from address were different than the actual sender, it might get flagged as a problem email by spam filters.
Read the following: askleo.com/from_spoofing_how_spammers_se...ke_it_came_from_you/
(particularly the bit at the bottom about the possible consequences of this)

2. Buttons require the email to be an HTML email rather than plain text. I tend to believe that plain text emails are less likely to be classified as spam, so that is why I will always prefer them for emails that are really critical to be delivered.
For more details: www.campaignmonitor.com/blog/email-marke...ng-you-need-to-know/
The only emails we currently do as HTML emails are the agenda email and the ones users draft via Send Basic Email.

In the future, I may give clubs the option of preferring plain text or HTML emails, but we are just not there. Moreover, I would need to redo all the plain text email templates as HTML and also come up with a reliable way to downgrade them as plain text when needed.

In general, what we are doing are "conservative" email approaches, that are not necessarily pretty but have a higher chance of working. The reason for this is that we do not have a budget to pay for professional email testing services like Litmus, SendForensics, or ReturnPath. For example, if I had Litmus available to me, I could send emails to Litmus, and it would test the email for me in all the available email inboxes (so I could actually see what works where).

Yes, absolutely true.
Guests lists are useless with an opt-in that urns them off.
The wording for a guest should be very simple and easy on the guest.
"This will not open you up to SPAM from our club"
"We would love to keep in touch"
"Can we keep you on our mailing list?"
Thanks for asking Steve.

We have sent an email outside the system as well, because many guests thought it was spam!

I think the email subject line, as some have suggested, could be more precise and friendly. The kinder, gentler wording works for me. I send guests a follow up outside of the website to thank them for coming and touch base with them. If you are able to connect your email with our specific club, that would be great!

Thank you so much for all you do to make this system work better and more smoothly!

You Rock.

Catriona from Canada

Thought: Could the email (to new members) include an option to log in to the website as well as opt-in, saving having to go through the first login process later.

I am likely late to the thread, but I hope the following helps. First and foremost, clarity is key. While these are my edits, these also reflect my understanding of what is going on. Here goes:

{{membername}}:

You have received this email because you were added to the {{clubname}} website. Although this is an automatically generated email, it is sent because your leadership team wants you to be part of your {{ClubDistrict}} website. Your addition as a {{category}} to the {{clubname}} ({{ClubDistrict}} {{clubnumber}}) website is pending based on whether you decided to participate.

If you are concerned about how your information is used, please speak with your club leadership. Many clubs do not post members names externally without express written consent of individual members.

If you agree, your name and your email address and phone number (if provided) will be stored on your club's website. {{membertext}} Your email address is used as part of a club email list to send you updates and notifications of {{clubdistrict}} events and meetings. Inclusion also gives you access to the member-only portion of your club's website if they use that feature.

If you decline to allow your contact information to be added, you will not be registered as a member and will only have access to publicly available content.

If you AGREE to allow your contact information to be stored & used as described, click the following:
<{{WEBURL}}/index.cgi?action=VerifyAdd&agree=Y&mid={{memberid}}&_={{nocache}}>

If you DECLINE to allow your contact information to be stored & used as described and want it deleted, click the following:
<{{WEBURL}}/index.cgi?action=VerifyAdd&agree=N&mid={{memberid}}&_={{nocache}}>[/li]

After your selection, another screen will open to confirm your choice.

If you have any questions about this email, please contact the {{clubdistrict}} website administrator {{adminname}} by replying to this email.

Regards,

The FreeToastHost Website Support Team
< support.toastmastersclubs.org >
FreeToastHost is a free website used by HOW MANY clubs throughout the world.

{{distribution}}{{antispoofingphrase}}