is there a way to import a GetResponse mailing list into RE?

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Mary Weaver
Mary Weaver ✭
Ninth Anniversary Facilitator 1 Photogenic
in Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT®: General Discussion
I've created a couple of very nice lists in GetResponse--high open rates, low unsubscribe rates, etc.



We've just started using online express, and I'm wondering whether there's a way--short of manual entry--to import my GetResponse list members into RE so that I could readily isolate them via queries?



thanks,

Mary

 
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  • Jen Claudy
    Jen Claudy ✭
    Tenth Anniversary Facilitator 4 Name Dropper Photogenic
    I'm not familiar with GetResponse, but if you can export names and email addresses from there, you can import them into RE.  You could even import results, if you know who opened what messages.  Longer process, but could be worthwhile.



    You need access to Admin > Import and you will need to be familiar with how to use Import in RE.



    I did this with our email lists from Constant Contact when we switched almost a year ago.  I can help walk you thru it if you need help, but you'll need access to Import, and you'll also want to do a little testing first, to be sure you know what you're doing.
  • Mary Weaver
    Mary Weaver ✭
    Ninth Anniversary Facilitator 1 Photogenic
    Hi, Jennifer--



    Thanks so much! Yes, I can export the lists from GR as a csv.



    I'll do some research on the import function.



    I appreciate your help!



    Mary
  • Shannon Slater
    Shannon Slater ✭
    Tenth Anniversary Photogenic First Reply
    Hi Jennifer,



    Would you know how in OLX, if it's even possible, to take emails from constant contact, that the organization previously did not collect first and last names for, and create an "email" only list without having imported the emails into RE? I joined an org that has a few thousand emails in constant contact (which I'm abandoning) that are most likely not associated with RE constituents. I'm not importing just an email into RE w/out at least first/last names, although I'm aware of orgs that do that, using the email as the "last name". I'm highly familiar w/ import and OLX, so let me know if you have any ideas for this. Thank you!
  • Jen Claudy
    Jen Claudy ✭
    Tenth Anniversary Facilitator 4 Name Dropper Photogenic
    We have records with firstname "Constant" and lastname "Contact24601" from a previous data dump.  We used Constant Contact, then went to NetCommunity, then to Vertical Response, then back to Constant Contact, now in Online Express.  I came onboard during the Vertical Response period, and unfortunately was not consulted or involved when moving to Constant Contact (the second time).



    Luckily, somewhere along the way, someone got smart and we ended up getting names for most of the emails on our lists.  I wish, for those signing up now, that we could at least collect zip code with Lastname, Firstname, Email Address...because I'm sure I'm still occasionally adding a duplicate to the RE database when I can't be sure that this John Smith is the same John Smith already in RE, just without an email address (or this specific one) on the record.



    But to your issue.  I started by exporting our entire RE database to MS Access...ConstID, ImportID, Lastname, Firstname, and Email addresses.  Then I exported everything from CC and built a query in MS Access to find possible dupes between the two lists (exact or partial).  I updated all of those, and then imported the rest as new constituent records.



    You do have to have a constituent record in RE for an email address to "live" on.  However, you can put multiple addresses (depending on your version of RE:7...I think 7.94+) on one record and OLX will pull all emails of whatever Phone Type you specifiy in settings.  I did that with some of our test emails, they all live on a dummy record, but just one dummy record for about 6 emails.



    You might also consider EmailFinder.  I haven't used it, so I'm not sure, but I think it might be of some use to you in finding those names.  Depending on your organization, you might also consider sending a message from Constant Contact alerting everyone to the change to a new system, and asking them to please respond or follow a link and fill in a bit of information (like name and zip code), with the option of full mailing address for newsletters, if applicable/appropriate.  If you promise not to sell, trade, or share their data and explain that you're trying to maintain a clean database, I think many will be willing to share that information with you...so long as the process is very simple and very quick.  (I know if I were asked to send info via an email, I'd just put my signature block in and send it.  Simple and done.  Of course, I also know what a mess this sort of thing can be, and would want to help!)



    If you do something like as your list to respond to a message and help scrub your data, you might also use the opportunity to segment your email list...those interested in a particular program or area of your mission can indicate that (from a list you include) and then you can send content specific to those interests to those segmented lists.



    Any way you cut it, it's going to be an undertaking.  I'm sure once you've formulated a plan you could post it here in the Community and get some feedback on things to consider before moving forward with it.  Good luck! 
  • Shannon Slater
    Shannon Slater ✭
    Tenth Anniversary Photogenic First Reply
    Thank you! All great suggestions. I'll probably suggest to my org that we send an email from Constant and ask for updated info and what programs they may be interested in. I'll report back if we do this and the result. All the best, Shannon

    Jennifer Claudy:

    We have records with firstname "Constant" and lastname "Contact24601" from a previous data dump.  We used Constant Contact, then went to NetCommunity, then to Vertical Response, then back to Constant Contact, now in Online Express.  I came onboard during the Vertical Response period, and unfortunately was not consulted or involved when moving to Constant Contact (the second time).



    Luckily, somewhere along the way, someone got smart and we ended up getting names for most of the emails on our lists.  I wish, for those signing up now, that we could at least collect zip code with Lastname, Firstname, Email Address...because I'm sure I'm still occasionally adding a duplicate to the RE database when I can't be sure that this John Smith is the same John Smith already in RE, just without an email address (or this specific one) on the record.



    But to your issue.  I started by exporting our entire RE database to MS Access...ConstID, ImportID, Lastname, Firstname, and Email addresses.  Then I exported everything from CC and built a query in MS Access to find possible dupes between the two lists (exact or partial).  I updated all of those, and then imported the rest as new constituent records.



    You do have to have a constituent record in RE for an email address to "live" on.  However, you can put multiple addresses (depending on your version of RE:7...I think 7.94+) on one record and OLX will pull all emails of whatever Phone Type you specifiy in settings.  I did that with some of our test emails, they all live on a dummy record, but just one dummy record for about 6 emails.



    You might also consider EmailFinder.  I haven't used it, so I'm not sure, but I think it might be of some use to you in finding those names.  Depending on your organization, you might also consider sending a message from Constant Contact alerting everyone to the change to a new system, and asking them to please respond or follow a link and fill in a bit of information (like name and zip code), with the option of full mailing address for newsletters, if applicable/appropriate.  If you promise not to sell, trade, or share their data and explain that you're trying to maintain a clean database, I think many will be willing to share that information with you...so long as the process is very simple and very quick.  (I know if I were asked to send info via an email, I'd just put my signature block in and send it.  Simple and done.  Of course, I also know what a mess this sort of thing can be, and would want to help!)



    If you do something like as your list to respond to a message and help scrub your data, you might also use the opportunity to segment your email list...those interested in a particular program or area of your mission can indicate that (from a list you include) and then you can send content specific to those interests to those segmented lists.



    Any way you cut it, it's going to be an undertaking.  I'm sure once you've formulated a plan you could post it here in the Community and get some feedback on things to consider before moving forward with it.  Good luck!

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