The First Class Mass Mailer application can send out a single FirstClass email to several recipients.
Each recipient will receive a personalised email (directly addressed to them) coming from you, a chosen conference (eg admissions @bso.ac.uk) or an alternative email address.
It has a Mail Merge function that supports up to 15 fields.
The process involves creating a FirstClass Document (which can be copied from a Word Document into FirstClass Mailer) and merging it with a list of recipients’ email addresses (and other related fields) stored in an Excel worksheet.
In order to use the Mass Mailer you must first have access to the FirstClass Mass Mailer Conference.
The best way to use FirstClass is to use the FirstClass Client software. It will give you a faster response and more functionality than the web interface. It is available on all BSO PCs
Create Word Document
First create a Word document containing the text of your message.
You can personalise the mailing by using the following (case-sensitive) keywords (field names) in your template. There are 21 keywords available:
VAR_FULLNAME VAR_FIRSTNAME
VAR_INITIALS VAR_LASTNAME
VAR_EMAIL VAR_SALUTATION
VAR_ORGANISATION VAR_DEPARTMENT
VAR_JOBTITLE VAR_USERID
VAR_PASSWORD VAR_ADDRESS
VAR_CITY VAR_POSTCODE
VAR_ZIPCODE VAR_COUNTY
VAR_PROVINCE VAR_STATE
VAR_COUNTRY VAR_PHONE
VAR_MOBILE
For example:
In the example above, the VAR_FULLNAME keyword (field name) has been typed into the Word Document.
When sent from FirstClass the message will appear as:
Create Mail Shot Template
Copy and Paste the contents of the Word Document into a FirstClass Mass Mailer Document:
- Open FirstClass Client
- Goto the FirstClass Mass Mailer Conference
- Open Mass Mailer Documents folder
- Select File, New, New Document
- Select a Blank Document
- Click on OK
- Copy & Paste the contents of your Word Document into this FirstClass Document
Name Mail Shot Template
- Click on Save & Close and give the file a Name
- Check that your Document is now listed within Mass Mailer Documents in the FirstClass Mass Mailer Conference
- Right Click on the Document name and select Properties ……..
- Enter a Subject for the Document
- Click on OK
Create Excel Worksheet
- Create an Excel Worksheet containing appropriate data - you DON’T NEED TO include column headings.
- Note that Worksheet MUST contain at least Full Name (VAR_FULLNAME) and Email Address (VAR_EMAIL) data.
- Save the Worksheet as a .csv file
For example:
Use the FirstClass Mass Mailer
Once you have created your Mail Shot Template, you can start the application by double-clicking on the Mass Mailer application icon in the FirstClass Mass Mailer Conference.
The FirstClass Mass Mailer main window will open:
This window is divided into three parts:
- The Drop Box
- The Recipient List
- The Message Control
The Drop Box
- Open Windows Explorer and locate the Excel Worksheet containing the Mass Mailer data
- Drag and Drop the .csv file into the Mass Mailer Drop Box:
name of the uploaded .CSV file (eg Mass Mailer Test Data.csv)
size of the file (eg 97 bytes)
number of recipients
number of detected duplicate email addresses
- Click on Field Mapping and set the required fields:
The Recipients List
Select Recipients as required:
- Select All, Select None or double click to select/deselect:
The Message Content Control
- Enter the Message Subject
- Select Document Name of FirstClass Template
- Browse for Attachment (if appropriate). First Upload Attachment to FirstClass Mass Mailer Documents noting that (as only one Attachment is allowed) several Attachments must first be placed into a Windows Folder and then zipped.
- Select other Options as required
Send the Message
Send a Test Message by clicking on Test Message – the message will be sent to yourself and mail merge variables will be replaced by details of the first recipient in the list.
Click on Broadcast to send a Message to all recipients. A Progress Report Window will appear showing details of the process:
Click on Email Report if you want to mail a copy of the Progress Report to yourself for future reference.
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