Getting past spam filters via a forward from the Inviter [#154192]

I would like to propose an option that will give the invite module two additional edges:

1) It will increase the likely hood that in invite is not trapped by a spam filter
AND
2) It will raise the probability that the Invite is taken seriously.

Coming from the email marketing space there are two challenges one faces when using automated site contact forms to a reach friend or contact. The first is the relatively high probability that your contact's spam filter will trap the message and direct it to the Bulk Mail folder never to be seen. The second is that automated messages are simply not taken as seriously as email directly from a friend or contact. To address both of these issues I would like to know if the author would consider a feature that would allow the Invite to be sent to the Inviter with instructions to forward and add a bit of custom message.

This process will engage the Inviter and allow the Invitee to have more faith in the more personal message.

I am not a very savvy coder. I hack stuff at best, but I will help in any way I can especially if someone were to decide to work on this with me.

Comment	File	Size	Author
#4	invite_prepare.patch	958 bytes	smk-ka

Comments

Comment #1

smk-ka commented 21 July 2007 at 21:09

Most of these feature requests are "somehow" already part of Invite. For example, the admin can make the invite email using the inviter's email address, and an added custom message is part of Invite since ages.

Regarding invite forwarding: Personally, I don't think that forcing the inviting user to open his/her mail program and forward the invite will become a broadly accepted procedure.

Ok, maybe skipping the intermediate mailing and just creating a coupon code for the inviting user to insert into his own mailings would work. One (rather technical) fact of Invite currently is, that it requires invite codes to be unique. When users start forwarding invites themselves, this will most likely be the source of trouble, because they just needs to forward an invite twice. Coupon codes, on the other hand, can be reused. So it seems coupon functionality is a requirement for this sort of marketing.

Comment #2

smk-ka commented 2 September 2007 at 00:43

Assigned:	Unassigned	» smk-ka
Status:	Active	» Fixed

I've just committed a change that allows third party applications to modify the invite parameters before it is sent out. This can be done via a new invite hook operation:

function hook_invite($op, $args) {
  if ($op == 'prepare') {
    // $args['invite'] is an object passed by reference. It consists of the properties inviter (a user object), email (the user to be invited), code (the registration code), and data (an array consisting of the invite subject and message text).
  }
}

This way you should be able to change the email property to your likings.
--
Stefan Kudwien
_{unleashed mind}