How do the opt-out and privacy policy links work in email?

Steve MacLaughlin

Can you explain how the opt-out and privacy policy links work in the Online Express email marketing functionality?

Steve MacLaughlin

Online Express automatically places opt-out and privacy policy links in the footer of each message. This is to ensure compliance with certain anti-SPAM rules, but also to make nonprofit organizations good email senders.



When designing an email message these links can be styled but cannot be removed. The links are not active in the email designer or test messages. This is consistent with most commercial email marketing tools.



When a email is sent the links are made active. If a email recipient chooses to opt-out, they simply click the link and can remove themselves from receiving future email messages. Online Express will automatically mark the "requests no email" box on their Raiser's Edge constituent record. You can also look up opt-outs and hard bounces from the "Unusable emails" link in Online Express.



To edit your privacy policy follow this path in Online Express: Email marketing > Account > Privacy policy

Alison Berry

We just started using Online Express a month ago. We had 2 opt outs on one of our messages and even after I pushed the Send this Data to RE button, the Requests No Email check box was still not checked and I had to do it manually. Is there a certain setting I have to change so that the Requests No Email boxs get checked automatically in the donor's record?

Christy Flees

Would love to know the answer to this question. We just did the same thing and none of the opt outs are reflected on their record.

Michele Stender

Hi Allison and Christy - Please realize that Online Express will never send that email address an email again even if you don't send the data to RE. The request no email box is not checked because if one email address opts out, other email addresses on that record may still receive email. For example, someone may want to unsubscribe their work email address, but still receive messages at home. This is now possible.



Here are a few more things you might want to know!



-The opt-out data contains more information, including the date when using the "Send this data to RE" feature. This provides better spam compliance information.



-BBOX still honors the "Requests no email" check box, so any records with that box selected will not receive email communications from Online Express.



-BBOX automatically honors opt-outs without any extra work. Even if you don't use the "Send this data to RE" feature - we still automatically keep track of unsubscribes


and will not send that email address any messages.



I hope this helps you both!

Christy Flees

Thanks Michele! My concern though is that nowhere on the record (by the email) does it show that it was an opt-out... I like that it doesn't opt out the entire record, but at least that email should have the do not contact selected next to it. If we have someone who wants to send directly from that email in RE and it doesn't allow due to the opt out, this could be very confusing for them.

Matthew Garbarino

Christy Flees:
Thanks Michele! My concern though is that nowhere on the record (by the email) does it show that it was an opt-out... I like that it doesn't opt out the entire record, but at least that email should have the do not contact selected next to it. If we have someone who wants to send directly from that email in RE and it doesn't allow due to the opt out, this could be very confusing for them.

Hi Christy. The unsubscribe info is added to the constituent record when you use the "Send this data to RE" feature. The appeal will have the unsubscribe info.



We considered the do not contact next to the email, however it wasn't quite the right fit. A user may choose to unsubscribe from mass marketing emails, but may be fine with receiving a hand written message from someone on your staff. The requests no email box next to an email address doesn't offer fine enough information. This is an area of the CRM we are hoping to improve as we move forward with RE NXT.

Alison Berry

Christy Flees:
Thanks Michele! My concern though is that nowhere on the record (by the email) does it show that it was an opt-out... I like that it doesn't opt out the entire record, but at least that email should have the do not contact selected next to it. If we have someone who wants to send directly from that email in RE and it doesn't allow due to the opt out, this could be very confusing for them.

So do we need to check the "Requests No Email" box to exclude them from future Online Express emails, or by it appearing in the Appeal tab will that exclude them?

Michele Stender

Christy Flees:
Thanks Michele! My concern though is that nowhere on the record (by the email) does it show that it was an opt-out... I like that it doesn't opt out the entire record, but at least that email should have the do not contact selected next to it. If we have someone who wants to send directly from that email in RE and it doesn't allow due to the opt out, this could be very confusing for them.

If they opt out of an OLX email then OLX will never send that address and email again without you doing anything. The benefit of the "add this data to RE" button is that you will have a record of that on the appeals tab of the record.

Catherine Avena 2

Michele Stender:

 

Christy Flees:

Thanks Michele! My concern though is that nowhere on the record (by the email) does it show that it was an opt-out... I like that it doesn't opt out the entire record, but at least that email should have the do not contact selected next to it. If we have someone who wants to send directly from that email in RE and it doesn't allow due to the opt out, this could be very confusing for them.

If they opt out of an OLX email then OLX will never send that address and email again without you doing anything. The benefit of the "add this data to RE" button is that you will have a record of that on the appeals tab of the record.

Hi Michele,


Is this feature still in place?  I realize this was posted in 2014 but just wanted to see how opting out in OLX is reflected in Raiser's Edge. Thanks?

 

 

Michele Stender

Hi Catherine, Yes, the opt out feature still works the same today. You will see the opt out on the appeals tab after you choose to use the "add the data to RE" option on your email in Online Express. Thanks for the post!
Michele

Carley Haynes

Michele Stender:

Hi Catherine, Yes, the opt out feature still works the same today. You will see the opt out on the appeals tab after you choose to use the "add the data to RE" option on your email in Online Express. Thanks for the post!
Michele

Hi Michele,


Just wanted to clarify as I am trying to work out the best way to mark people who haven't opted-in (Canadian laws). At the moment we mark the DNC box next to an email as our default. If someone opts-in we unmark this. We are currently using OLX and Sphere but looking at moving to TeamRaiser in the future. 

Would you advise to continue this process or should we be using the 'do not email' box instead? Does OLX pull from both of these? What are the implications of using each box for sending things like direct mail versus the newsletter? Is there a way to mark people as 'no newsletter' but still keep them active for direct asks? ARGH!!!!


Any advice welcomed! Thank you! 

Michele Stender

Carley Haynes:

Michele Stender:

Hi Catherine, Yes, the opt out feature still works the same today. You will see the opt out on the appeals tab after you choose to use the "add the data to RE" option on your email in Online Express. Thanks for the post!
Michele

Hi Michele,


Just wanted to clarify as I am trying to work out the best way to mark people who haven't opted-in (Canadian laws). At the moment we mark the DNC box next to an email as our default. If someone opts-in we unmark this. We are currently using OLX and Sphere but looking at moving to TeamRaiser in the future. 

Would you advise to continue this process or should we be using the 'do not email' box instead? Does OLX pull from both of these? What are the implications of using each box for sending things like direct mail versus the newsletter? Is there a way to mark people as 'no newsletter' but still keep them active for direct asks? ARGH!!!!


Any advice welcomed! Thank you! 

 

Hi Carley! OLX does respect both the DNC and the Request no email boxes if they are marked. The way I look at the 2 different options is that the DNC box is for the individual email address- the constituent might not want to be contacted via their work email but other emails on their record are open for email. The "Do Not Email" checkbox is for if the constituent does not want to receive ANY email from you.

Today, the best way to distinguish what types of email they would like to receive is to have a attribute or constituent code on the record and then you could querey on those. Does that help? I hope so!

Best,

Michele Stender