Broadcast Messages (Mailing List Capability)

What are broadcast messages?
How can I use AutomateYourList's mailing list capability?
How can I send a broadcast message to my leads?
How can I send a broadcast message to only some of my leads (a view)?
How can I create a broadcast message now, but have it sent in the future?
How can I delete a broadcast message?
How do I create a broadcast split test?
How quickly are broadcast messages sent out?
May I place broadcasts automatically on my website?
May I publish an RSS/XML feed of my broadcast messages?

Broadcast Messages (Mailing List Capability):

What are broadcast messages?

Broadcast messages are messages that you can compose and send to your entire list of AutomateYourList leads at any time. Broadcast messages are independent of the autoresponse and follow up messages that your AutomateYourList autoresponder sends out. Sending broadcast messages does not in any way effect your autoresponder or follow up messages. If you are using your AutomateYourList autoresponder as a mailing list tool, you will use the broadcast message feature frequently.

Use the broadcast message function to notify your leads of sales, company policy changes, new products, etc.. Or use the feature to send newsletters to your customer base, or to run a full fledged mailing list. The possibilities are endless.

How can I use AutomateYourList's mailing list capability?

The "Broadcast Message" feature allows each AutomateYourList autoresponder to act as a mailing list. Instructions for using your autoresponder this way are in the Customer Control Panel:

Login to the Customer Control Panel from the top of the main AutomateYourList page using your login name and password. This will bring up a page titled "Online Customer Control Panel."
In the upper right-hand corner of this page is a drop-down box titled "Select List." Choose the name of the list you want to edit, and click the "Go" button. The page will reload.
Under the "How to Get Started" heading, click the "mailing list" link. This will bring up a page titled "How To Get Started."
Follow the instructions on that page.

How can I send a broadcast message to my leads?

Compose your broadcast message on your own computer the same way you would any other AutomateYourList message. Remember to compose the message in a plain text editor such as NotePad or WordPad, (not Word or WordPerfect!).
Copy the message.
Login to the Customer Control Panel from the top of the main AutomateYourList page using your login name and password. This will bring up a page titled "Online Customer Control Panel."
In the upper right-hand corner of this page is a drop-down box titled "Select List." Choose the name of the list you want to edit, and click the "Go" button. The page will reload.
Click on the "Messages" tab. This will bring up a page titled "Message Manager".
Click on the "Broadcast Edit" link in the blue bar at the top of the page. This will bring up a page titled "Broadcast Email to Mailing List".
Scroll down to the second large text box on the page, and paste the broadcast message you just composed into that box.
Scroll up to the first large text box on the page, titled "Subject". Type the subject of your message in that box.
Below the subject field are three drop down menu boxes labeled "Send Message On". Select the date on which you want this broadcast message to be sent.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click the "Save Broadcast Message" button. This will NOT SEND the message! It will only save it.
The "Broadcast E-Mail to Mailing List" page will reload.
Scroll down to the "Broadcast Status & History" table. This table holds the 75 most recent messages you have broadcast or queued. Find the message that you just composed in this table.
To delete the message without sending it, click the "Delete" button. To edit the message before sending it, click the "Edit" button. To send a test version of the message to yourself before sending it to all of your leads, enter your name and e-mail address in the appropriate boxes, and click the "Send Test" button.
When you are ready to send the message to all of your leads, click the "Queue Now" button. You must be completely sure that the message is ready to be sent! Once you click this button, there is no turning back! The message will be sent to your leads.
After you've queued your message for sending, you can always return to this page to view the status of the broadcast in the "Broadcast Status & History" table.

How can I send a broadcast message to only some of my leads (a view)?

By default, broadcast messages will be sent to all of your active leads. However, you can send a broadcast to only part of your list of leads by using a view. First, create a view of the leads to which you want this particular broadcast sent. Then, broadcast a message to that view:

Login to the Customer Control Panel from the top of the main AutomateYourList page using your login name and password. This will bring up a page titled "Online Customer Control Panel."
In the upper right-hand corner of this page is a drop-down box titled "Select List." Choose the name of the list you want to edit, and click the "Go" button. The page will reload.
Click the "Messages" tab. This will bring up a page titled "Message Manager."
Click the blue "Broadcast Edit" button in the menu bar at the top of the page. This will bring up a page titled "Broadcast Email to Mailing List."
Scroll down the page to the "Broadcast Message" table.
Choose a "Send On" date, and enter the message's Subject and Body just as you would when sending any other broadcast message.
Select a stored view from the "Use View" drop-down menu. The default view is "All leads." If the view that you want to use is not listed, then you need to create it. Instructions for creating a new view are on AutomateYourList's "Leads and Prospects" FAQ page.
Click the "Save" button, send a test message to yourself, and finally queue the message for sending.

How can I create a broadcast message now, but have it sent in the future?

With the "delayed broadcast" feature you can create a broadcast message now, but have it sent on a future date. To use this feature:

Compose your broadcast message as you would when sending any other broadcast message.
Login to the Customer Control Panel from the top of the main AutomateYourList page using your login name and password. This will bring up a page titled "Online Customer Control Panel."
In the upper right-hand corner of this page is a drop-down box titled "Select List." Choose the name of the list you want to edit, and click the "Go" button. The page will reload.
Click the "Messages" tab. This will bring up a page titled "Message Manager."
Click the "Broadcast Edit" button in the blue bar at the top of the page. This will bring up a page titled "Broadcast Email to Mailing List."
Scroll down to the table labeled "Broadcast Message."
Notice the "Send On" field. Select the future date on which you would like your message to be sent.
Enter the message subject, body, and view as you would when sending any other broadcast message.
Click the "Save" button.
Test your message.
When you are sure that your message is complete, scroll down to the table labeled "Broadcast Status & History."
Click the "Queue Now" button next to your message. The message will be queued, but will not actually be sent to your leads.
On your message's "Send Date," the message will be sent to your leads.

How can I delete a broadcast message?

A new AutomateYourList feature allows you to delete broadcast messages that have not yet been sent to your leads! Any broadcast message that has not been queued can be deleted. Queued broadcasts can be deleted only if they are scheduled to be sent out more than 24 hours from the current time.

To delete a qualifying broadcast message:

Login to the Customer Control Panel from the top of the main AutomateYourList page using your login name and password. This will bring up a page titled "Online Customer Control Panel."
In the upper right-hand corner of this page is a drop-down box titled "Select List." Choose the name of the list you want to edit, and click the "Go" button. The page will reload.
Click on the "Messages" tab. This will bring up a page titled "Message Manager."
Click the "Broadcast Edit" link in the blue menu bar at the top of the page. This will bring up a page titled "Broadcast Email to Mailing List."
Scroll down the page to the table titled "Broadcast Status & History". This table lists each broadcast message that you have written.
A "Delete" button will appear next to each broadcast that qualifies. Click the "Delete" button to delete the broadcast.

How do I create a broadcast split test?

"Split Testing" is a term originally used by mail order companies. When they send a mailing to their list they split it into several different segments. For example, someone with a 10,000 person list might split this into 3 segments, a list of 2500, another of 2500, and a third with 5000. They then send a message to the first two batches with similar content, except for one minor change such as a headline, the price, or testimonials. When those two campaigns are sent the marketer measures which performs better. They then take that better performing letter and send it to the remaining 5000 people on their list to get the best results from their list as possible.

This process carries over into the online world enabling online marketers to measure the letter with the best performing open rate, click-thru rate, or overall sales generated.

With AutomateYourList's broadcast split testing, a marketer can test up to 4 split test groups of varying percentages. For example, tell AutomateYourList that you want a split test with 10%, 10%, 10%, and a final group of 70% and it will automatically randomly divide your opt-in list into unique groups. You can then enter your broadcast text into those messages and send them. Send your broadcasts all at once or wait for feedback and results before mailing each group.

AutomateYourList's split testing feature offers a level of testing and results oriented feedback that no other autoresponder or newsletter delivery service offers.

To create a broadcast split test, login to your account. Then click on the "Messages -> Broadcast Edit" tabs. Near the top of the page you will see a link titled, "Create New Split Testing Broadcast" as long as you have more than 100 leads in your account. Testing with a group smaller than 100 leads does not produce reliable test results. Enter the percentage splits of your list that you wish to test. For example to test 2 different subject lines for best response you might enter 25%, 25%, and 50%. Push "Create" and your splits will be automatically created for each broadcast. Click the subject line of the first 25% split and enter the content. Save that message and enter the second 25% split, saving when complete. Push "Queue Now" to send those splits from AutomateYourList. After your messages have been sent you will be able to start seeing results of click tracking and open rates. Determine which message performed the best and send that message to the remaining 50% of your list to maximize your list results.

How quickly are broadcast messages sent out?

Broadcast newsletter messages are generally sent within 30 minutes for all but the largest of subscriber lists. Historical statistics show that over 96% of all broadcasts are completely sent within 10 minutes. Before inquring about the sending status of any broadcast please allow at least 2 hours to elapse to account for extremely high volume which occurs occasionally.

May I place broadcasts automatically on my website?

Broadcasts may be automatically made available via a website by activating the "RSS/HTML Feed" option for each message in the Customer Control Panel. When creating a new broadcast, check the box at the bottom of the broadcast titled, "Publish in RSS/XML feed or HTML archive". This places each broadcast in a formatted page that you can link to from your website. Link to this website by replacing the text "listname" with your own list name in the website address below:

http://www.automateyourlist.com/z/article/?listnameNew broadcasts will automatically added to that list with the feed activated. To activate archiving on broadcasts you have already sent, view each message in the customer Control Panel and click the URL at the bottom of each message to activate web archiving.

May I publish an RSS/XML feed of my broadcast messages?

RSS, also known as Really Simple Syndication, is an XML language that formats website data in such a way that it can be read by special software call RSS aggregators or news aggregators. This allows someone to subscribe to that website and receive quick summaries of that website when it is updated.

When a customer creates a new broadcast newsletter they have the ability to publish that message to an online archive accessible via RSS. When creating a new broadcast, check the box at the bottom of the broadcast titled, "Publish in RSS/XML feed or HTML archive". This automatically places the new broadcast in the RSS feed.

After you have activated several broadcasts for RSS distribution you will want to place a link to your RSS feed on your website. Do this by replacing the text "listname" with your own list name in the website address below:

http://www.automateyourlist.com/z/rss/?listname