Questions

Subscribers

  1. How do I add subscribers?
  2. I just added subscribers. Why isn't my subscriber total updating?
  3. I just deleted subscribers. Why is my subscriber total not updating?
  4. "So and so" unsubscribed by accident. How can I add them back?
  5. How do I unsubscribe someone from my list?
  6. I accidentally unsubscribed someone in my account's control panel. How do I add them back?
  7. What does "Confirm" do for subscribers and how is it best used?
  8. Why is my CSV file not uploading?

Building Newsletters

  1. How do I begin creating a newsletter?
  2. What is the difference between the two newsletter editor systems?
  3. How do I edit an existing newsletter?
  4. Can I resend a sent newsletter?
  5. How do I change themes from within the Newsletter?
  6. How do I customize my Genie theme?
  7. How do I add a button link to my Facebook/whatever page in my newsletter?
  8. Why are my social buttons linking to the wrong site or producing an error?
  9. How do I add images to my newsletter using the Genie Editor?
  10. Why is my newsletter formatting all messed up?
  11. Why is my newsletter not saving?
  12. How do I change the newsletter footer contact info?

Sending Newsletters

  1. How do I ensure subscribers are recieving my newsletter?
  2. What can I do to avoid spam filters?
  3. Why are my emails bouncing? What is the difference between a hard and soft bounce?
  4. Can I resend to bounces? If so, how do I do that?

Accounts and Billing

  1. Why is my account deactivated?
  2. How do I renew my subscription online?
  3. I updated my billing information. How long will it take to update?
  4. I have a specific problem and would like assistance. How can I contact support?

Answers

  1. How do I add subscribers?

    There are several ways to add subscribers to your account. Adding Subscribers
    In your "Subscribers" tab there are a few different ways to add subscribers.

    • Quick Add – Add up to 250 subscribers at once by pasting or typing them into the form, one per line.
    • Upload Detailed File – Upload a CSV (Comma Separated Values) including optional subscriber details such as name, address, phone number, etc.
    • Via Subscriber Form – Add individual subscribers one at a time, including optional subscriber details.
  2. For more info, read this help doc.

  3. I just added subscribers. Why isn't my subscriber total updating?

    It’s likely that the subscriber is already in your account. They may have been in the same group, a different group or in no groups. You can find out what groups a subscriber is part of by searching the subscriber. Go to the "Subscribers" tab. Drop the subscriber address into the “Search Lists By Subscriber” bar, click enter, and click the address in the search results. On the window that appears, select "Lists" from the top menu. The subscriber is loaded to any group that has a checkmark next to it.

  4. I just deleted subscribers. Why is my subscriber total not updating?

    Your totals will update once a month to reflect permanently unsubscribed contacts. This occurs according to your billing cycle. Check your subscriber total at the beginning of your next billing cycle to see your new total.

  5. "So and so" unsubscribed by accident. How can I add them back?

    If a user unsubscribed you cannot add them back yourself. There are two options: forward the subscriber a newsletter from your personal email account and ask them to click on "Subscribe" in the footer to sign back up, or have them send MNB support an email from the address they unsubscribed requesting to be added back to your subscriber list.

  6. How do I unsubscribe someone from my list?

    Go to the "Subscribers" tab. Drop the subscriber address into the “Search Lists By Subscriber” bar, click enter, and click the address in the search results. On the window that appears, select “Actions” and then click "Permanently Unsubscribe" or “Delete”. Keep in mind that Permanently Unsubscribing someone is forever. You will have to contact Support to re-add anyone that has been permanently unsubscribed.

    To remove multiple subscribers, select "Remove" under your "Subscribers" tab. Select either “Remove” and the list the address is to be removed from, or “Unsubscribe” to remove from all lists. Type or paste addresses one per line, in the "Select Subscribers". You may also upload a CSV file to the "Remove using CSV" section.

    For detailed instructions on these features, read this help doc.

  7. I accidentally unsubscribed someone in my account's control panel. How do I add them back?

    You'll need to contact support for assistance with this one.

  8. What does "Confirm" do for subscribers and how is it best used?

    "Confirm" sends a system-generated verification email to the subscriber(s) selected, allowing them to double opt-in, which is an email marketing best practice. MNB will only send one verification email to any given address within a 30-day period.

    The best way to use this: whenever you collect addresses outside our subscribe system and add them to your email list. Move anybody that does not confirm into a different subscriber group. These will not be engaged readers and sending to them will be inviting complaints.

  9. Why is my CSV file not uploading?

    Usually this is due to a format issue. Our CSV file uploader requires that your CSV file matches the following parameters:

    Email. The email column must be titled "email" exactly. Columns titled "email address" or anything else will be rejected.
    File Type. The file must be a .CSV file. We cannot accept .xls, .xlxs, .num, .osd or any other file format.
    Internal formatting. The CSV file must be a properly formatted. Every single row must have the same amount of columns.
    Bad characters. A random comma or dash can corrupt the entire file. For example, the accepted format is email,first_name,last_name

    Acceptable: johnsmith@example.com,john,smith
    Not Acceptable: johnsmith@example.com,john,smith, (the last comma in the row invalidates the file).

    See this link to download a blank CSV template here (you must be logged into your account for this link to work), fill it in, and upload it.

  10. How do I begin creating a newsletter?

    From your main menu or "Newsletters" tab, click "+Build Newsletter". On the following page, choose your editor system (we recommend using the Genie Template Editor). Follow the on-screen prompts to create your newsletter or see this tutorial page.

  11. What is the difference between the two newsletter editor systems?

    The Genie Template Editor
    This is our most advanced and user-friendly editor offering the following features:

    • Drag-and-drop interface – rearrange your articles and graphics quickly and easily
    • Real-time editing – see your newsletter in the editor exactly how it will appear to your readers
    • Unlimited storage and organization for all your images
    • Large selection of professionally designed stock templates, buttons, banners, and backgrounds
    • Live image and banner editing with Pixlr and Picmonkey
    • Limitless customization of headers, fonts, links, colors and article & coupon styles
    • Much, much more!

    For information on using our Genie Editor, please read this help doc.

    The Advanced HTML Editor
    Use and edit your own HTML code for complete control over the design and functionality of your newsletter.

  12. How do I edit an existing draft of a newsletter?

    Click the "Newsletter" tab on the main menu to see a list of your newsletter drafts. Click the name of the newsletter you'd like to edit. This will bring you to the editor, for the newsletter selected.

  13. Can I resend a sent newsletter?

    Yes. Simply create a draft copy of the newsletter by clicking "Sent" under "Newsletters" from the main menu. To the right of the newsletter, click the dropdown next to the "View Report" button then click "Copy". You may change the title of the newsletter, and click "Save". This will create an exact duplicate of that newsletter, found under "Drafts" in the left-side menu. Continue to edit and send this newsletter as usual.

  14. How do I change themes from within the Newsletter?

    Once you are in the Genie newsletter editor, click the "Theme" button on the upper right side.
    On the following drop-down, select the tab that says "Change Theme". Select your new theme from any of the ready made themes available. Please keep in mind that any customizations you've made to the previous theme will be lost when you switch. However, your content, images and links will remain in place.

  15. How do I customize my Genie theme?

    Once you are in the Genie newsletter editor, click the "Theme" button on the upper right side. On the following drop-down, click the tab that says "Edit Theme". Select any of the newsletter component titles to open that section. Use the tools available to change colors, font styles, font sizes, and template images, such as the background image. Your changes will save automatically. If you don't like it, you can select "Restore Defaults" at the bottom of the window. Any customizations you make will also be lost, if you restore defaults.

  16. How do I add a button link to my social networking pages in my newsletter?

    While working on a newsletter in the Genie editor, place the text cursor where you wish the social networking (such as Facebook) button to go, and click the "Insert/Edit Image" button on the main toolbar. Select the "Buttons" folder under "Stock Images" in your gallery, and find the button you like. Click your button of choice. In the next window, add a URL link to your social networking page and click save. The image will be linked to your social media profile.

  17. How do I add images to my newsletter using the Genie Editor?

    Once you're inside the Genie editor, put your cursor in the article where you'd like the image to appear. Next, click the small image icon in the upper left of the tool bar to open the image library.

    Choose from the stock images available in the left-side column, or add your own images by clicking the "Upload Images" button. Next, select the image you'd like to use and click "Insert". On the subsequent "Image Options" box, you may change any formatting details. Finally, click "Apply" and your image should now appear beside your cursor.

  18. Why is my newsletter formatting all messed up?

    Formatting issues usually result from copying/pasting rich text into the newsletter editor. This occurs because computers do not just copy/paste the text itself, but also any formatting associated with the text (such as font, size, color, links, etc). Code is delicate and picky. The HTML must be in a certain arrangement in order to function properly. When rich text is copy/pasted into the middle of other rich text, the HTML formatting code being newly introduced "monkey-wrenches" (yes, that's the technical term) into the already existing code and can cause a huge variety of formatting errors. Therefore, it is always best to use plain text when copy/pasting text in general (even when not using MNB) to avoid this issue.

    Ways to Copy in Plain Text:
    In Chrome: Copy the text; press Ctrl+Shift+V to paste as plain text.
    In Firefox: Copy the text; press Ctrl+Shift+V to paste as plain text.
    In Internet Explorer or Safari: MNB Support recommends that you not use these browsers as you may need to leap through several other hoops to copy as plain text.
    In MNB's Genie editor: Use the "Paste As Plain Text" button in the toolbar. When you click it, the background of the button turns orange. Now you can paste your items.

  19. Why is my newsletter not saving??

    There is not an alternative way to make the newsletter save if the autosave gets stuck but lets take a closer look at what is happening and alternate solutions. The auto save / save function can get stuck / not function if the session is dropped from mynewsletterbuilder.com. In other words if there is a brief internet connectivity drop from your computer. When you are working on the newsletter be sure to have a strong wireless signal (if connected via a wireless router). Another cause for the save to get stuck is if the same newsletter is open in multiple windows / tabs on your computer. In summary:

    • Make sure you have a good connection to the internet
    • Only edit the newsletter in one tab / window on your computer
    • Save Often (and make sure that the save progress bar completes in the lower right)

    What to do If you do get a window stuck on auto save: Open a new window and edit the draft that you were working on (that is stuck in the other window) ** I know this is direct contradiction to what was said above about not having two windows open editing a newsletter BUT since the one window is stuck, it can no longer cause the save process to freeze in the other. Copy the information from the stuck save that is missing to the new window. Save the newsletter in the new window. Close the old stuck window.

  20. How do I change the newsletter footer contact info?

    Click "Settings" under the "Account" from the main menu. The contact information that appears in your footer is taken from "Member Profile" and "Organization Settings." Change this as you see fit and don't forget to save!

    Note: any changes made to this section will only apply to new newsletters. To apply these changes to any previously saved newsletters, you must refresh the newsletter data on each newsletter. To do so, click "Newsletters" in the main menu and select the newsletter you want to update. At the bottom of the first subsequent page, check "Refresh Newsletter Data" and click "Save."

  21. How do I ensure subscribers are recieving my newsletters?

    The best way to ensure that people get your newsletter is to have them add you to their contact or safe sender list. This will ensure your newsletter doesn't end up in their spam box. Avoiding spammy marketing phrases in your email content will also improve deliverability.

    On your "Reports" page, look at your bounce numbers to see if their email address is on any of those lists. Perhaps their emails were entered incorrectly. Next, look at your open rates. An acceptable open rate is anywhere from 10 - 20%. If your open rate is better than that, it means people are getting and opening your newsletter. One or two deliverability issues, while worth pursuing, should not be a grave concern to you. Focus on sending clean, deliverable content.

  22. What can I do to avoid spam filters?

    Spam filters differ depending on the email service. Not only are they highly variable, but they are also top secret in nature - service providers don't tell you how they work because they don't want people to figure out how to exploit them. Generally speaking, there are three aspects of your newsletter that are examined: subject line, sender's address, email content.

    If the spam filter thinks it's "spammy" enough, it will get sent to your recipient's spam foler. Therefore, you can troubleshoot by changing one or more of those three areas of your newsletter to see if that makes a difference. The problem could be as simple as using words or punctuation that trigger spam filters. You can also try requesting that subscribers add your sender's address to their address book/contact list/safe sender list.

    Another option is to use a third party service like www.emailonacid.com to analyze your newsletter in detail before you send it.

    It's also worth noting that just because person A received it in spam, that doesn't necessarily mean person B, C, or D did too - especially if they use different email systems and have their spam filters more or less restrictively configured.

  23. Why are my emails bouncing? What is the difference between a hard and soft bounce?

    A bounce occurs when your newsletter cannot be received by the intended recipient for any particular reason. Bounces occur in two varieties:

    A hard bounce happens when the email address you are sending to is no longer valid. This is a permanent issue; therefore, the address is removed from your account automatically and no further action is required on your part.

    A soft bounce happens when a temporary issue prevents your newsletter from getting through. Typically this occurs from a full inbox or a busy server on the other end. These issues are always temporary and it's best to wait 24-48 hours before attempting to resend your newsletter to those bounced addresses.

  24. Can I resend to bounces? If so, how do I do that?

    Yes you can - but only to soft bounces. Hard bounces will have been removed from your subscriber lists. You can resend to soft bounces with some success(assuming the reason for the bounce has been resolved by the time you resend). To resend a newsletter, click to "Reports"on the main menu. On the newsletter report overview, click on the number in the "bounces" column. This will take you to the bounce report. Next, select "copy bounces" and create a subscriber group to copy the bounces to. Finally, you need to copy the newsletter you want to resend, then send it to that new group.

    If you find yourself doing this frequently, please consider asking support about an automated process to copy those bounces - we can make your life a bit easier. Also consider some good old fashioned list hygiene.

    Steps For Resending to Soft Bounces:
    1. Go to "Reports" Click the number listed under the "Bounces" column to the right of that newsletter's name. Click "Bounce Details", then, "Export Soft". This will save a .CSV file with the list of soft bounces for that newsletter on your computer.
    2. Go to "Subscribers" and create a new group by using the "Add Group" area on that page. Then click "Add," select the group you just made, and add the list of bounces you downloaded in Step 1 using the "Upload Detailed File" option.
    3. Go to "Newsletters → Sent", and to the right of the newsletter's name, click the "Copy Newsletter" icon. This will save a copy of that newsletter into your drafts folder with the word "copy" on it.
    4. Go to "Newsletters → Drafts", and click the "Send" button next to your newsletter copy. Choose your new "bounces" group and click "Send".

    You have now resent your newsletter to only those who had bounced originally.

  25. Why is my account deactivated?

    The three most likely reasons for a deactivated account are:
    1. Your billing method expired or failed to process
    2. Your complaint rate was too high (over 0.1% or 1 in 1000 of your send rate)
    3. You received an "Abuse of Acceptable Use Policy" (AUP) from our Internet Service Provider (ISP).

  26. How do I renew my subscription online?

    To renew online, log in to your MyNewsletterBuilder account. To upgrade your sending plan, visit "Quota" under "Accounts" in the main menu. Select the plan that best suits your needs and click "Select Plan."

    Your request will be reviewed by our support staff and you will be notified of the upgrade via email. This is a measure to protect us (and you) from spammers. Click here for more information about Quotas.

  27. I updated my billing information. How long will it take to update?

    Your new billing information may take a few minutes to process. If your information does not update automatically after a few minutes, or you have any other problems updating your billing information, please contact support or your sales representative.

  28. I have a specific problem and would like assistance. How can I contact support?

    Customer support can be reached by clicking the "Help" button at the upper right of any MyNewsletterBuilder screen and selecting "Live Support". This will connect you with one of our support representatives via a live chat window. Live support is available during the following hours:

    • Monday - Friday: 8am - 7pm (EST)
    Support is also available during these hours by phone at 828-774-5639 or email.