We’ve been getting calls and emails from alumni who signed up for our monthly eBlast but are still not receiving their eblasts.
The Short Story:
If you signed up but aren’t getting our eBlasts, the fastest way to get them is to write to support@verticalresponse.com. All you need to say is: “Please add me to the list for SDA.Alumni@gmail.com” and they will add you. (Click here to let us know if you do not get a response from them.)
We can’t do this for you, because that is what a spammer would do! The Internet Powers That Be will only trust an email from YOU.
(However, if you NEVER signed up, you can email us directly at sda.alumni@gmail.com. Let us know your class year (even if you didn’t graduate) and the name you had when you attended school. For some reason, Vertical Response WILL let us add those who have NEVER signed up. Go figure!)
The Long Story:
We use an email marketing service called Vertical Response that stays in business by providing proof to your internet service that our alumni eBlasts are not spam.
This protects you from spam, and it protects us, too. And if someone decides they no longer want to receive our emails, it’s a simple thing to hit the “unsubscribe” button and Holy Hoofprints! They’re unsubscribed!
Unfortunately, AOL (which owns Verizon and Roadrunner emails, among a few others) is having a communication issue with email service providers like Vertical Response, Mailchimp, Constant Contact, etc.
The first problem alumni might have is that they might not get their confirmation email when they first sign up. A confirmation email basically asks, “Are you SURE you want to sign up?” It will provide a link to click on, which proves that yes indeedy, you DO want to receive our eBlasts.
These confirmation emails typically end up in the spam filter, so if you sign up, be sure to check your spam filter for a confirmation link. Pull it out of the spam folder and click on that link, and you will be subscribed!
The second problem people might have is that their email may show as bouncing, even when it isn’t bouncing. Again, we see this more in AOL, Verizon, and Roadrunner emails, although a few other emails bounce frequently, too.
When I write to these people their emails work just fine, and yet when Vertical Response emails them, the emails bounce.
So what to do?
I can “debounce” the email for the next mailing, but it typically bounces again. Other than finding another email address (Gmail has a one of the best spam protection algorithms out there) there’s not much we can do about this, except be patient.
This is one of those technology problems that happen because there is a spammer problem and the spammers are evolving a little more quickly than the companies created to combat them.
Eventually this problem should go away. Until then, we’ll try to update our website and Facebook page as frequently as possible with news.