By llyra on
Hello I have a few questions regarding subscribers and newsletters. Thanks in advance for your help!
#1. How do I import and set up the membership section for pre-Drupal-existing subscribers?
- I have approx 15,000 subscribers on an existing 3rd party mailing list system. I am moving our site to Drupal and I am not sure how to import my existing list of subscribers and how to setup the membership section of the site for these existing newsletter subscribers. The current subscriber list does not have a username or password and I can only export the data in Excel format.
#2. Which modules to use for newsletters?
- I have looked at a few of the mailing list modules out there, but here are my specifics.
- For false data issues I'd like to keep the current functionality of my 3rd party mailing list which uses a double opt-in method of verifying new subscribers to the website. Meaning that a person is not added to the database until they click on a link, via an email, and verify their information (within a certain time frame). Does any existing modules do this?
- As my list is very large and ever increasing, which module will work the best for a large number of members?
- I would really like a way to schedule sending the newsletter, rather than staying signed onto the system for two hours while the emails are sent. I would also need to be able to set how many emails are sent in one chunk as well as the time frame between chunks- based on webhost criteria.
- I do need to have HTML format, text-only format alternative, testing capabilities, and a means of having the newsletter be saved as a webpage and be accessible via the website (access requirements would be needed). I would like to have pre-filled values (like first name) and a preview screen of both the HTML and text versions.
The module closest (from what I read) to have all features I need is SIMPLENEWS. This project looks really great as well, but its still in beta stage.
I am new to Drupal and not very well versed in PHP so I am more dependant on existing features and modules at this time. I'd really appreciate any assistance/suggestions/issues to avoid/etc! :)
Thanks so much!
Comments
Any one?
Any one? (Bueller? Bueller?)
Simplenews seems to meet
Simplenews seems to meet your requirements. You can import a subscriber list from a text file into it. It sends a set amount of emails per cron run. You can send test message and it's content becomes nodes on your website. Combined with the new img_assist module it's fairly nice.
My sister in law just uses it for posting content now as she only updates about once a month and those are generally announcements for people subscribed anyway.
http://www.ancientpathways.net/Ancient-Pathways-Newsletter
-Steven Peck
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Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide -|- Black Mountain
-Steven Peck
---------
Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide
Thanks
Thanks Steven!
I'll play with Simplenews some more. I guess I still am unsure how to import my existing list. The reason I say this is because its not just their email.. its their email, first/last name, birthdate, and location information (we send out physical stuff as well). I guess I also need to figure out how to add these fields as a requirement on the login- since that's what my client wants.
Thanks again!
profile module
Simplenews integrates withthe user account. For the info, turn on prfoile module, define the fields you need. Import. Use fancy sql statement of some sort to turn on the approbpirate neswleeter for each account.
-Steven Peck
---------
Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide -|- Black Mountain
-Steven Peck
---------
Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide
SQL statement?
Hi again,
Thanks again for the assistance! I've already created all fields, etc. in profile module (and duh, they do show up when I click 'register'- sorry!).
Re: Importation. Where do I import- do I import directly into mySQL? If so, do you by any chance have that fancy SQL statement ?? :) SQL makes sense, another duh for me, I kept thinking of the upload feature.
SQL Questions (again newbie with mySQL as well):
Let's say I get them all uploaded correctly- what if i have duplicate members in my data (I know I do- around 200 of them- unfortunately they are in two different DB's so its hard to find them)? Will that corrupt the SQL file?
Also, if someone tries to sign up and doesn't have a username/password created but their email is in the database what options do I have? I am using Login-tobaggin (me like!) so folks can use their email or username. Even though they don't have a username/password associated with that email, will drupal still send out the reset password email? That way they can get into the system and add a username and password?
Thanks again, sorry if my posts are so basic! I do appreciate your help though!
Llyra
Don't have a handy sql
Don't have a handy sql statment for you, but you can match up your tables and such. There are also some import modules that may work to import csv files and such.
Simplenews permissions are listed here, So if you want to require registration, don't give anonymous access to subscribe to newsletters.
administer newsletters / create newsletter / edit own newsletter / send newsletter / subscribe to newsletters / view links in block
If you click the My Account button, you will see the My Newsletters tab that simplenews does for you.
You can only have unique smtp addresses in Drupal accounts, so I would suggest using hte various *nix utils sort, grep, etc to filter your data ahead of time. If a newsletter subscription is anonymous, it's just an email address. If someone creates an account it will automatically associate the newsletter with that account. Besides clean data now will save you a world of pain later.
What you are tyring to do is not really all that simple in many respects but is certainly do-able with Drupal with existing modules, etc (isn't Drupal neat as heck?). But at this point we're beyond anything I've done so I'm merely suggesting strategies and approaches so it'll be up to you now.
Have fun.
-Steven Peck
---------
Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide -|- Black Mountain
-Steven Peck
---------
Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide
Thanks again!
I'll go looking for the import modules and look at some SQL documents- thanks! I did set up Simplenews as stated and your locations helped a lot! I still need to play with it some more to understand all its features, but this is really helping me go in the right direction.
Yes clean data is highly important- I just spent the last 6 months getting this data clean- which is why I am being so fanatic about setting this up correctly on all fronts.
Sorry, I'm not familiar with SMTP settings. Where do I insert these filters and what are these filters responsible for (i.e. *nix utils sort = ?)? Do you know of a good place for me to start learning these terms and/or is there a module for these filters? I've downloaded wordfilter but haven't used it yet (sorry that's the only filter one I've found) but I don't think it applies to SMTP filters.
Do you know if Drupal is already set up as a double-opt in for new users? It does say your password will be sent to you, after you register via email.. but do you know if Drupal automatically removes non-accessed data as a double-opt in feature does? Meaning, if they do not access their account with the temporary password and update the information, etc.. do you know if drupal will remove the non-accessed data? I currently get about 5-10 a week from folks who inserted invalid emails and the way my system is currently set up, it does not add them to subscription list until they click on the link via email and confirm their data and subscription.
Also, I was looking at some modules suggested in the Drupal book by Robert Douglass and a few of these modules were set up for 4.6 and not carried over to 4.7. One being the Spam module and Developer tools. Do you know of any modules regarding bounced emails, spam, etc? I have downloaded the Troll Module to help with abusive postees (as I've had on the existing chat board) but that was all I was able to find that was available for 4.7.
Sorry these are new questions; you're just a plethora of knowledge- thanks again for your help I really appreciate it! Drupal is going to be great once I've finished my learning curve!
Thanks again!
Llyra
I'm facing the same issues.
I'm facing the same issues. The Email Newsletters module you referred to (linked to above as "this project") does indeed look interesting, except it seems to have died at 4.6. Sadly, from a quick look through it'd be a major effort to resurrect it for 4.7 and beyond I think.
Drats!
Yeah, It does look like it got dropped when 4.7 came out. I transferred my dates (April 7th, not July 4th). :( Too bad, it really looked awesome! If I had the money, I'd donate to have him finish it!
Let me know how your site goes, especially if you ran across anything that may be helpful- I'd appreciate it!
Best of luck to you, Llyra
Simplenews looks like a good
Simplenews looks like a good candidate for your needs. What I need is the managability of Simplenews + some features only available in other modules. sigh.