Frequently Asked Questions

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Newsletters
Microsoft Outlook
iContact Mailing List Service

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Newsletters
  • How do I send out my newsletters? (top)
    My recommended method is to use iContact. Otherwise, use the forward command in your email program. DO NOT use copy/paste. After you've clicked forward, and before you send the email, you can edit the design in email window.
  • What is HTML? (top)
    "Hyper Text Markup Language", or HTML for short, is a language that lets you create websites, by telling a web browser what fonts, colors, backgrounds, and justifications to use in laying out the web page. It also lets you embed pictures, graphics, and links to other pages.

    Email was originally designed to send only text messages. But once HTML was available, email readers were upgraded to accept messages written using HTML, so that emails could now include many of the standard elements of a web page.
  • Is the newsletter a pdf file that I have to send as an attachment? (top)
    No, my newsletter designs are in HTML email, which appears directly in the readers email message window. Attachments like Word documents and pdf files have the potential for spreading viruses, and so many readers avoid reading attachments.
  • How do you get my contact information into my newsletter? (top)
    Once you sign up for an account with us, you'll find a page where you can enter all of your contact information, just the way you want it to appear in your custom newsletter design That information is stored in your account, and it automatically appears in your newsletters each month.

    This information includes not only your name, address, and such, but also custom links to your own personal web site.
  • How do I add my headshot? (top)
    Click here to add a headshot to the contact information stored and used to fill in your newsletters (You must already have an account to access this page).

    Headshots are restricted to the JPG filetype, and must be less than 30KB in size. I recomment a portrait shot, about 90x120 pixels.

    If you do not have a headshot of the right size or format, I have found the free website iaza.com to be a useful and easy to use tool for cropping, resizing, and changing the type of pictures. I often use it in day-to-day image editing; you may find it easy to use as well.
  • Where's my newsletter? You haven't sent it to me yet? (top)
    I don't send out the newsletter in bulk; just announcements. Your customized newsletter is waiting for you on my website. Once I publish a new design, you can log in and retrieve it whenever you like. This provides you with the flexibility to review and update your contact information before retrieving your newsletters, and saves me from several days of individual requests for re-sends after each design release.
  • Can I make up my own newsletter? (top)
    Well, sure, but if you use my newsletters, you can instead spend that time making phone calls and scheduling new shows.
  • What's Thunderbird and why should I use it? (top)
    Thunderbird is an software email program that is easy to install, easy to use, fully compatible with POP3 and imap email accounts, and is absolutely free! I use it exclusively, and cannot recommend it enough. It is much more robust than Outlook or Outlook Express, and gives you better control over how your email messages will look. Just go get it. You'll be glad you did.
  • Can I use my newsletter with mail accounts from gmail, yahoo, hotmail, msn, and aol? (top)
    Web-based email systems like Gmail, Hotmail, and Yahoo are intended primarily for consumer use, and are not your easiest option for forwarding HTML-based newsletters to your mailing list.

    Some combinations of browser and email accounts simply do not work; for example I have learned that hotmail doesn't play nice with Firefox, but works just fine with Internet Explorer. Gmail seems to work well with any of the standard browsers, and I have had reports from clients both positive and negative about their experiences with Yahoo accounts.

    My preferred method of distributing newsletters is to use iContact, which handles all of the spam filtering and blacklisting problems indemic to email marketing. If you insist on doing it yourself, the best bet is to get a legitimate POP3 email account, either from your Internet Service Provider, or from one of many free providers such as BlueBottle, and a free email program like Thunderbird or Outlook Express.

    Because there are so many hundreds of different combinations of email accounts and browser or email clients, I can't easily offer support for all of them.
  • Can I send my newsletter to any email address? (top)
    It is very important that you only send your newsletter (or any other email, for that matter) to people who have given you permission to do so. Unsolicited email, also known as spam, is highly frowned upon and in some states is illegal to send.
  • How do I find more legitimate email addresses? (top)
    The best way is the way you've always done it; by meeting people and passing out your business cards everywhere you go.

    If you receive a card back from someone, ask right there if they mind getting emails from you. When someone calls or emails you because they have your card, again, ask them if they would like to receive your newsletter. You'll also get referrals from the people already on your list; the newsletter encourages readers to spread the word.

    You'll be surprised at how quickly your list will grow, and you can feel good about the fact that your list is legitimate.
Microsoft Outlook
  • I use Microsoft Outlook (top)
    By default, Microsoft Outlook uses the poorly designed Microsoft Word HTML editing engine. In order to effectively utilize HTML in your emails, you need to shut off the default use of this engine. Look in "Tools", "Options", "Mail Format", "Message Format" and uncheck the box using Microsoft Word as the email editor. Most Microsoft Outlook errors can be solved with this change. An even better change is to switch to Thunderbird

    If you are prompted for choices in a pop-up window, select "send as is"
  • How do I export my mailing list from Outlook? (top)
    1. Open Outlook and from the File menu, select Import and Export... . The Import and Export wizard will open.
    2. Choose Export to a file and click the Next button.
    3. Choose Microsoft Access or Microsoft Excel, depending on how you want to work with your data. Click Next.
    4. Select the Contacts folder and click Next.
    5. In the resulting dialog box, enter a path and name for the exported file (e.g., C:\Windows\Desktop\Contacts.xls). Click Next.
    6. In the resulting dialog box, under "The following actions will be performed:", select the checkbox next to the listed item (if it is not already selected).

      Note: In Outlook 97, you can also click the Map Custom Fields... button to display a dialog box in which you can specify the fields you want to include in the exported file. (This step is not necessary in Outlook 98.) The list on the right of the Mapped Custom Fields dialog box displays the fields that are already designated to appear in the exported file. To specify only the fields you want, click the Clear Map button to clear the list of field titles. Then, drag the field titles you want to include in the exported file from the list on the left to the empty list on the right. When you've made all your choices, click OK.
    7. Click Finish. Outlook will create a new file containing your contacts in the exported format you designated.
iContact Email Mailing List Service
How do I use iContact? (top)
Currently I have a series of tutorials specific to Pampered Chef. While some of the specifics are different, much of the information is relevant. I will be producing Pampered Chef-specific tutorials soon. (tutorials)
Do I have to use iContact? (top)
iContact is optional, but it is the recommended method for distributing newsletters. See details on the iContact page.
How do I get my newsletters into iContact? (top)
Uploading newsletters into iContact is automatic with our "single-click" system. A one-time process to establish a link between your account with us and your iContact account will get you started, then when you go to the "my newsletters" page, you'll see the "single-click" button. Click it, and your newsletter is uploaded directly into your iContact account, where you can log in and distribute it to your mailing list.