Newsletters: Import / Export Subscribers

Posted on 08/02/2012 by bcolaadmin

Biz Connection Newsletter System comes with both an import and an export feature which allows you to import subscribers into your mailing list(s) database and export subscribers from the current subscribers database together with custom fields and other details.

Newsletters: Correct CSV format

Having trouble importing your CSV and you don’t know what’s causing the issue? Well here are some simple steps to check that your CSV file is in the correct format, if it isn’t then there are some simple instruction how to correct it:

Open the CSV using a simple text editor

Right click on your CSV file and open it with ‘NotePad’ or a similar sort of software. Is each entry on a new line? If it isn’t then the format is incorrect. If it is then your uploading CSV issues are from else where. Please contact Tribulant’s support team for assistance.

Below is an image of what the CSV file looks like if it is not correct.

If this is what your CSV looks like when you open it, no need to worry, its a quick fix.

Open your CSV with Microsoft Excel/iWork Numbers

We suggest using Excel, but Numbers does the same thing. Once your CSV is open, click Save As and make sure that the file type is ‘CSV (comma delimited) like the image below

IMPORTANT: When saving in Excel on Mac, please be sure to select “Windows Comma Separated Values (CSV)” when using Save As…

Save it again then open it up in NotePad again, you should notice that each entry will be on a new line. This is how it is meant to look and if it does then your CSV should upload without any issues. Below is an image of the correct layout.

This should be you sorted. As long as the CSV file has a new line for each entry in NotePad then there should be no hassles trying to upload it.

Export Subscribers

At some stage during your usage of the Biz Connection Newsletter Platform, you might need to export your current subscribers of either all lists or a specific mailing list for backup purposes or for alternate use.

The plugin allows you to export subscribers to a CSV spreadsheet which you can immediately download and an additional (optional) feature which allows you to email the CSV document to a specific email address as an attachment.

In order to export your subscribers, navigate to the “Newsletter” > “Import/Export” section of your dashboard. Scroll down past the “Import” section, until you see the “Export” heading.

1. Mailing List

You need to select the specific mailing list of which you’d like to export the subscribers from. There is also an option entitled “All Mailing Lists” which will export all the subscribers from all the available mailing lists.

2. Export Status

This is only visible depending on your selection for the mailing list. Check one of the boxes depending on which subscribers you wish to export.

3. Email Export

An additional feature is available, allowing you to email the exported CSV to an email address as an email attachment. In order to use this, check the “Send as an email attachment” checkbox and fill in the email address to which you’d like to send the exported file. The default email address in the field will always be the WordPress administrator’s email address.

4. Export Subscribers Button

Once you are satisfied with all of the above click this button to export your selected subscribers.

Newsletter: Mailing Lists

Posted on 08/02/2012 by bcolaadmin

Newsletters > Mailing Lists

The ‘Newsletters‘ > ‘Mailing Lists‘ section allows you define your mailing lists.

You may have just one general newsletter that you send out to your users or you may have different types of mailing lists that are specific to certain product, services or news items in your business.

A mailing list may be free i.e. sent without charge or you may wish to charge subscribers to join a paid mailing list.

Additionally, you can have private mailing lists for internal use such as for testing or for your clients. Private mailing lists won’t display on the front of the site.

Start by adding a mailing list.

Newsletter: Manage Mailing Lists

1. Add a New Mailing List

Clicking this button will take you to ‘Save a Mailing List’ where you can create a new Mailing List Mailing List for your users. New Mailing Lists added will show up on this ‘Manage Mailing Lists’ screen after they are added.

2. Bulk Actions

These bulk actions allow you to select multiple Mailing List records from the table using the checkboxes and then apply a bulk action on the selected records.

The bulk actions currently available are ‘Delete Selected’ which will permanently remove the selected Mailing Lists records in the table, ‘Set as Private’ which will make a Mailing List private, and ‘Set NOT Private’.

3. Per Page

This is a quick way of choosing how many Mailing Lists/records to show per page. The drop down has several values in it to choose from. When the total number of Mailing Lists in the database exceeds this per page number chosen, you will notice page numbers appearing above and below the table to the right.

4. Search Mailing Lists

Quickly search the database for Mailing Lists by typing a word or phrase and then clicking the ‘Search Mailing Lists’ button.

5. Mailing List Row Actions

When you hover a Mailing List row, action links will appear below it which are applicable to the row that you are hovering.

The links include ‘Edit’ which allows you to edit the Mailing List, ‘Delete’ which will remove the the Mailing list permanently and ‘View’ which will show you detailed information of the Mailing List and ‘View on Front’ which will show you how the Mailing List will be seen on the site by the user.

Newsletter: Save a Mailing List

1. List Title

This list title/name will be shown throughout the shop to both yourself as administrator and to the customers viewing the front of your shop. Choose this title carefully in order for it to be understandable by your customers viewing your products. Keep the title below 150 characters.

2. Private List

This is set to ‘No’ by default. Setting this to yes will make the Mailing List Private which will prevent it from being shown on the front-end of the site to users. In other words, it is for internal use only.

3. Custom Fields

Check the boxes that you want the user to fill in when subscribing to your mailing list. The ticked custom fields will show up when those mailing lists are embedded on the site.

4. Paid List

This is set to ‘No’ by default. Clicking yes will make the list a paid list and allow to enter an amount for “Subscription price” and “Subscription Interval” see number 5.

5. Subscription Price

This field will only be able visible if ‘Yes’ is ticked in number 4. This allows you to set a price for subscribing to the mailing list. It works in conjunction with the Subscription Interval in #6 explained below.

6. Subscription Interval

This is a drop down menu which sets the interval of payment for subscribing to this mailing list. The subscribers will each be respectively billed on this interval with the subscription price as the amount set in #5.

7. Save Button

Clicking the Save button will save your changes.

Newsletter: Create Newsletter

Posted on 08/02/2012 by bcolaadmin

Newsletters > Create Newsletter

Newsletter Subject & Content

1. Email / Newsletter Subject

This is the subject of the newsletter which will appear in the Subject field when subscribers receive your email.

Choose it carefully to prevent the emails from landing in the Spam/Junk and keep the subject below 150 characters.

2. Content of the Newsletter / Email

This is the content of your email / newsletter.

You can type as much content as you need in this editor. There is no limit to the length. You can insert images, tables, colors and any other HTML formatting you need.

You can insert single/multiple WordPress posts into your newsletters.

Newsletter Mailing Lists & Field Conditions

1. Newsletter Groups and Lists

Check all the mailing lists that you want to send the current newsletter to. You have to select one or more mailing lists.

If you have Newsletter Groups (multiple lists in one group, then you can select a group here as well to obtain the subscriber count from.

2. Newsletter Conditions Field

You can select that checkbox at Field Conditions in order to filter the subscribers within a specific Mailing List(s) that you want to send the Newsletter to. These filters are the Custom Fields you have created in the plugin, it only works with Select Drop Down or Radion Button Custom Fields.

3. If the Checkbox for #2 is checked, then your Custom Fields that you have created become visible. You can now pick and choose certain options within each to filter the subscribers to send to. See in the image, there is listed the following Conditions Fields: Gender Drop Down Menu, Country Drop Down Menu, Agree to our terms Radio Buttons.

4. Newsletter Number of Subscribers

4. This shows the amount of subscribers that have been selected for the current newsletter. The number updates as your selection between mailing lists and field conditions changes.

Give it a try, select a few mailing lists and then use the field conditions (if applicable) to filter the subscriber count, thus allowing you to send emails to people depending on their choice of custom fields when subscribing.

Theme

You can select a theme to style your newsletter when it is sent. The themes can be previewed by clicking on the link marked ‘Preview’. If you do not want to use a theme then select ‘None’.

Variables & Custom Fields

1. Shortcodes & Insert into Editor

These are a list of variable shortcodes and links to insert into the editor that you can use in the body of your Newsletter. For example to personalize your newsletter to each user so that when Jane receives her Newsletter starting with ‘Dear Jane’ you would insert the following shortcode ‘Dear [wpmlfield name="first_name"]'. Just click the link for the shortcode, it will inset it into the editor where the cursor is and your screen will automatically scroll back up to the TinyMCE editor.

2. Description of Shortcode

The descriptions of what each variable is and does. It is self-explanatory what each description means.

Email Templates

1. Template name/title

This is the title/name of the template.

2. Template shortcode

Instead of pre-loading templates into the editor like a history email as it used to… template shortcodes will be inserted instead.

3. Insert into editor link

The insert into editor is used for inserting your shortcodes into the newsletter. Any of the template shortcodes can be inserted into the content of the newsletter to be replaced with the template content.

Email Attachment

1. Send Attachment

This is set to ‘No‘ by default. Setting this to ‘Yes‘ will display a ‘Browse’ button which you can use to select an attachment from you computer to send with the newsletter.

2. Attachments

This shows little blocks with the attachment title in it. This is only seen when viewing a draft or history email, else it is just the regular looking blank field with a browse button.

3. Add an Attachment

Click this link to make a new browse field appear. In essence, you can add an infinite number of attachments, just keep in mind the size of the attachments for sending your side and downloading on the subscriber’s side.

Publish the Newsletter as Post

1. Publish as Post

The newsletter will be published as a post when you set this to ‘Yes‘.

2. Post categories

A list of checkboxes will appear with all your current WordPress categories available.

Select which categories the post will appear in.

3. Post Author

Select which author will be credited/responsible for the post from the dropdown list.

4. Post Status

Select the status for the post from the dropdown list. The options available are: Published, Pending, Draft and Private

5. Post Slug

The post slug is used to form the URL.

This is optional, leave it blank to auto create the URL from subject/title.

Send/Queue Newsletter

1. Save newsletter as Draft

Click this button to save the newsletter as a draft so that you can come back and work on it later. Drafts are also available in the Newsletters > History/Draft Emails section.

To save a draft it is required that you fill in the Subject, Content (editor) and select at least one mailing list. Selecting mailing list(s) won’t send to them, it just saves the selection so that they can be pre-selected when the draft is later loaded.

2. Preview the Newsletter

Click this button to preview what you have done so far. It is always a good idea to save your work as a draft first.

Preview sends the email/newsletter to your Administrator Email under Newsletters > Configuration. Please note that not all variable shortcodes will load as expected when sending a Preview.

3. Links

These links shows and will scroll to the various sections on the ‘Create Newsletter‘ screen. If a link has been closed/minimized it will expand it for you.

4. Queue Newsletter

Clicking this button will publish the newsletter and send it out to the selected mailing list(s).