Something New....and a Confirmation of My Suspicions....

[ChefBeckyD]

So, I woke up this morning to 50 messages in my in box for my email!

When I opened it up, 44 of the messages were "undeliverable mail".

It turns out, one of the new upgrades to our Website is that now we will get notification when someone doesn't get an email invitation sent from our websites. That, in itself, is a good thing.

However, it's also a confirmation of what I've known all along, and that is that most of the invitations sent from the website never make it to recipients.
Only 7 of the reminder emails my host for Monday sent actually made it to the guests. The other 44 bounced back to me.
:grumpy::cry::grumpy:

 

[raebates]

Bummer. It does explain the troubles some people have, though. I guess there is an advantage to living in an area where most people don't have/use email.

 

[chefkristin]

Back to paper and snail mail??:yuck:

 

[Teresa Lynn]

I figured that was the percentage, even though I tell hosts to send no more than 6 at a time.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Was there a reason listed for the bounce-back?

 

[lacychef]

That's too bad....I've wondered that too though.

 

[ChefJoyJ]

:yuck: Well now we know for sure! :yuck:

 

[BethCooks4U]

So, I woke up this morning to 50 messages in my in box for my email!

When I opened it up, 44 of the messages were "undeliverable mail".

It turns out, one of the new upgrades to our Website is that now we will get notification when someone doesn't get an email invitation sent from our websites. That, in itself, is a good thing.

However, it's also a confirmation of what I've known all along, and that is that most of the invitations sent from the website never make it to recipients.
Only 7 of the reminder emails my host for Monday sent actually made it to the guests. The other 44 bounced back to me.
:grumpy::cry::grumpy:

Make sure you let HO know about this! They need to do something.

 

[kaseydee]

Glad we know for sure now. That is why I stopped using PWS to send monthly emails b/c I felt everyone was not receiving them.

 

[JAE]

My hosts and I never send e-mails from my website, so I guess I'm okay. It's a bummer, though, for those of you trying to use it. Glad we know. Thanks for sharing.

My SPAM protection is really working well these days, so I wonder how many e-mails I'm not getting that I wish I was getting. Hmmmm....

 

[amy07]

I just had a host tell me that it seems to have only happened with some accounts: hotmail & msn for her.
Still a bummer though! It's rare that I get the ones to actually utilize it, and when they get frustrated......well you know......

 

[kaseydee]

I wonder if you could get it sent to you & then forward it on to others from your email? Only other option would be to make up your own email with a link to the website to send out from your email account.

 

[DebbieJ]

I wonder if you could get it sent to you & then forward it on to others from your email? Only other option would be to make up your own email with a link to the website to send out from your email account.

This is what I do.

I set up the show with me as the only guest. I log in as the host and send an invite to me. Then I forward that to the host, deleting the boxes for RSVP (because they aren't valid when forwarding), and ask her to forward it to everyone in her inbox. That way people are getting an email from someone they know already and it won't bounce back.

 

[chefjeanine]

This is what I do.

I set up the show with me as the only guest. I log in as the host and send an invite to me. Then I forward that to the host, deleting the boxes for RSVP (because they aren't valid when forwarding), and ask her to forward it to everyone in her inbox. That way people are getting an email from someone they know already and it won't bounce back.

This is how I do it too. I've never trusted sending emails from the website, it's better when the guests get an email from someone they know AND I would never consider adding all my addresses to the website. . . so I wouldn't expect my Hosts to do all that work.

Thanks for the heads up on deleting the RSVP boxes -- I didn't know they didn't work when forwarded.

 

[esavvymom]

I just had a host tell me that it seems to have only happened with some accounts: hotmail & msn for her.
Still a bummer though! It's rare that I get the ones to actually utilize it, and when they get frustrated......well you know......

I get several newsletters that usually mention hotmail.com, earthlink and msn as common spam-filter accounts that sometimes don't get emails. They always tell you to set your filter accordingly. So maybe that's part of it. Their spam-filters for their email accounts are set too high (could be their company).

I don't think this would be something HO could do anything about. Sounds to me like it's a good tool to have so we know. Least now you can follow up with snail mail now that you get the replies back.

 

[Veevahchef]

I have just realized lately that if you go into the preview of your e-mail to the host and put in a personal message, she doesn't actually get the personal message, it flips back to the generic message from Pampered chef!

 

[colegrovet]

that explains the one party I had last month.. most that were invited said then never got the email invite... guess I'll sent it to myself and then forward it from there...

 

[pamperedlinda]

I have just realized lately that if you go into the preview of your e-mail to the host and put in a personal message, she doesn't actually get the personal message, it flips back to the generic message from Pampered chef!

Are you serious!?!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Are you serious!?!

Yep - I just noticed that this past week too.

I think sending email invitations from my website is completely worthless.

I am not going to tell people to forward an invite either. I have friends who specifically don't open forwarded mail because of the increased chance of a virus, etc....and there is no link to my website when they do that anyway - so what's the use?

Snail mail, and phone calls with a personal invitation seem to still be the best way to invite people.

I do set up all of my shows online though, because there are instructions for ordering online on my mailed invitations. I've had orders for all of my shows this month online because I've done that in conjunction with using the Mini Cat. as the invite.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Well, that just stinks! All this time I've been adding info and notes to my hosts, never knew they weren't getting them.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Well, that just stinks! All this time I've been adding info and notes to my hosts, never knew they weren't getting them.

Oh - I forgot - if you add it to the closing, and not the body - they will get it. It's only when you add it to the body of the email that it reverts back.
But yes - no wonder my hosts all act like they don't have a clue! They don't!

 

[babywings76]

I put myself on the guest list and test it to see if it arrives, the host does the same. I also tell my hosts that after they send out the e-mails, they should make quick follow-up calls just telling people that they sent an e-mail invitation. That way they know to check, and so if they don't get one, the host can tell them about the party and give them the website info. I like that we'll be notified now of the bouncing back ones. Do the hosts get notified also?

 

[heather223]

I don't use my personal website for the invites. I use a website called Evite... I like it a lot better and it tells you when someone opened the invitation. I think it is much easier to use.

 

[chezshelly]

There is a great website I have been using to send newsletters, announcements, etc. It send them individually so you don't have the bounces like you do with our website or our individual e-mail accounts. The price to use it is based on the number of contacts you have. It has worked great for me. I started using it the end of September and have had over $1000.00 in orders from what I have sent. It has really helped me keep in touch with guests and hosts that I may not have talked with in a long time. The website is constantcontact.com. It is very user friendly as well.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Oh - I forgot - if you add it to the closing, and not the body - they will get it. It's only when you add it to the body of the email that it reverts back.
But yes - no wonder my hosts all act like they don't have a clue! They don't!

whew! I always add it at the closing part. Hopefully they get it.

 

[SeeMe4PC]

You have to save the information - which replaces the Default Invite. You then have to make sure and go back to replace it again or those comments get sent to your new host.

Anyway, I also have found that e-mails from our website get stuck in the SPAM filters. There are so many things that trigger the really sensitive filters. Like LARGE print and certains words.

I send my e-mails and keep it really simple.

Adding:
Yes, that is correct. If you were using the bottom part - they were getting it - if they read that far.

 

[pamperedtracy]

So someone mentioned that we will now be notified of undeliverable emails?

That will be nice. I have always sent the monthly specials through my PWS in the Customer Connection. I would never know if people were getting them or not. It seems a shame to have this feature on our PWS, and not really be able to use it correctly because of fear of emails not getting to people. I have loved the feature. Such a time saver for me.

Well, I hope I will be able to see the bounced back emails so I can call past hosts and customers to get their new email address.

Tracy