Like many clubs I suspect, we use 'Mailchimp' to send emails to club members. Unfortunately they have changed their pricing making it potentially very expensive.
What alternatives to club use to send the normal club email notices about events, pleads for organisers, coaching, meetings etc?
Or does your club not really bother with emails and use other ways to communicate this stuff?
Just to explain the problem in more detail. We have set up our Mailchimp account so that multiple people can log in to mailchimp and broadcast an email to the club: publicity officer, chair, coach, captain, league co-ordinators, membership secretary etc. About 7 or 8 active users (Mailchimp calls users 'seats'). Unfortunately Mailchimp is now charging ... wait for it...
1 User: Free
Up to 3 users: £129.12 per year
Up to 5 users: £198.60 per year
Over 5 users: £3474.72 per year
Fortunately our existing users aren't being booted off our free Mailchimp, but we can't add new people as people leave or change roles without signing up to one of these new payment plans.
Really for club emails we don't need the bells and whistles of Mailchimp, we just want to send straightforward plain emails once or twice a month to about 150 email addresses which hopefully won't end up in their junk mail section. I don't think the club would object to paying a reasonable amount if free is no more.
Emailing club members - any ideas to avoid club bankruptcy?
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Re: Emailing club members - any ideas to avoid club bankrupt
Our main internal mail list is on Google Groups (which as far as I know is free).
It’s set up so that anyone can send a message (but it doesn’t have to be like that).
As far as I know (and without checking) it’s not possible for someone to subscribe themselves (though probably it could be set up that way) - currently we (meaning: I, with a nudge from the Membership Secretary) add anyone new as they join, and delete non-renewers in a batch once a year.
It’s set up so that anyone can send a message (but it doesn’t have to be like that).
As far as I know (and without checking) it’s not possible for someone to subscribe themselves (though probably it could be set up that way) - currently we (meaning: I, with a nudge from the Membership Secretary) add anyone new as they join, and delete non-renewers in a batch once a year.
- ricardito
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Re: Emailing club members - any ideas to avoid club bankrupt
Could you get around it by simply sharing login details?
- JennyJ
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Re: Emailing club members - any ideas to avoid club bankrupt
Share account details. Yes but this is not straightforward now as they are using two factor authentication. If the account is used on a different device they will likely ask for a verification email or text message, so we'd need to share not just the mailchimp login details, but also email login details.
Also the committee were initially keen on Mailchimp because of GDPR - ie by using a mailing service the email addresses were safe, I would imagine sharing login details isn't the GDPR way.
I'm not really that keen on mailchimp for occasional users as it's confusing and has a lot of weird language that only marketing people understand
Google groups - do people have to have a gmail account to receive an email? How likely are they to end up in junk and ignored?
Also the committee were initially keen on Mailchimp because of GDPR - ie by using a mailing service the email addresses were safe, I would imagine sharing login details isn't the GDPR way.
I'm not really that keen on mailchimp for occasional users as it's confusing and has a lot of weird language that only marketing people understand
Google groups - do people have to have a gmail account to receive an email? How likely are they to end up in junk and ignored?
- SeanC
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Re: Emailing club members - any ideas to avoid club bankrupt
By "users" does MailChimp mean only those who send messages? If so can't you just cut down to 5? Or 3? It seems unlikely that all of your 7-8 users are regularly sending emails, so those from the less frequent sender's could go out from the Sec, Memb.Sec or whoever.
If MailChimp is reliably delivering to all your members that is a valuable asset. Alternatives may result in some people receiving emails in spam or not at all.
If MailChimp is reliably delivering to all your members that is a valuable asset. Alternatives may result in some people receiving emails in spam or not at all.
- Snail
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Re: Emailing club members - any ideas to avoid club bankrupt
We're using a couple of options:
https://groups.io for comms between club members (free). Sounds like this might work for you Sean? It monitors bounced messages and the only issue we've (occasionally) seen is with btinternet.com email addresses - but then British Orienteering also has this issue!
phpList (https://www.phplist.com/) for MailChimp-like one-way email campaigns. It's free if set up on your own server; our ISP offers this as part of our package. Early days for this one, but it looks to have the flexibility we need.
https://groups.io for comms between club members (free). Sounds like this might work for you Sean? It monitors bounced messages and the only issue we've (occasionally) seen is with btinternet.com email addresses - but then British Orienteering also has this issue!
phpList (https://www.phplist.com/) for MailChimp-like one-way email campaigns. It's free if set up on your own server; our ISP offers this as part of our package. Early days for this one, but it looks to have the flexibility we need.
- david_d
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Re: Emailing club members - any ideas to avoid club bankrupt
Personally I really want to encourage as many people as necessary to send (sensible) emails to the club, it's a club after all and restricting is another small hassle in an already labour intensive sport. Regular users of mailchimp in our club are the captain and coach, chair, newsletter editor, 3 different event series co-ordinators, membership secretary (to add new member email addresses), that makes 7.
Thank you David, your tips are really helpful.
It looks like groups.io have introduced charging for new accounts with over 100 email addresses, $220 per year, so that is probably not worth moving off Mailchimp for (see https://beta.groups.io/g/main/topic/79024735#27191).
Phplist might be a possibility, though no-one wants to spend too much time on this, which is where googlegroups might be handy if that would work as I would hope Google's UI would be more straightforward. Also thinking about it, the ability to send an attachment would really help - we could then email event fliers, the latest newsletter etc.
Thank you David, your tips are really helpful.
It looks like groups.io have introduced charging for new accounts with over 100 email addresses, $220 per year, so that is probably not worth moving off Mailchimp for (see https://beta.groups.io/g/main/topic/79024735#27191).
Phplist might be a possibility, though no-one wants to spend too much time on this, which is where googlegroups might be handy if that would work as I would hope Google's UI would be more straightforward. Also thinking about it, the ability to send an attachment would really help - we could then email event fliers, the latest newsletter etc.
- SeanC
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Re: Emailing club members - any ideas to avoid club bankrupt
Try Simplelists.
Anyone on the list can send emails to the list address that then goes out to all on the list. List can be loaded from an excel list.
£60 a year, at least until they realise their competition is now charging more.
Anyone on the list can send emails to the list address that then goes out to all on the list. List can be loaded from an excel list.
£60 a year, at least until they realise their competition is now charging more.
- DM
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Re: Emailing club members - any ideas to avoid club bankrupt
SeanC wrote:Google groups - do people have to have a gmail account to receive an email? How likely are they to end up in junk and ignored?
No, you can add any address.
However, only Google users can log in to browse archives, or do admin tasks (for those designated as admins). Not sure about self-service unsubscribe etc but it hasn’t been a problem for us.
Mail originating from Google is generally “well behaved” and unlikely to end up as spam (but if someone reports not receiving any I’d certainly suggest checking!). Again we don’t seem to have a problem there.
- ricardito
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Re: Emailing club members - any ideas to avoid club bankrupt
I digress but does anyone know of an O club that has actually gone Bankrupt?
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Ravinous - light green
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Re: Emailing club members - any ideas to avoid club bankrupt
Group email is complicated.
It's too easy for it to get abused by spammers or just an over active member of the group.
Enabling anyone to send out emails to hundreds of people without moderation is asking for trouble.
My own website hosting company are very reticent to encourage the use of bulk emails. It's very easy for a server to get blacklisted if someone down the line marks emails from it as spam. Companies like MailChimp have a trusted reputation, which means their emails will often get through spam filters that would block others.
Email has the advantage over social media in that it is pushed direct to your inbox rather than being susceptible to the algorithms that decide if they think you should see individiual posts. But many people get so many emails that they don't get around to opening them all. So you can't rely on either medium as a guranteed method of communication.
Most mailing list applications/services are targeted at companies wanting to sell you something, marketing! Consequently there is a value to providing that service and it's easy to justify the monthly costs if it helps you sell more things.
Over the years, I have repeatedly looked around for a service that would work for clubs and be free or very low cost. MailChimp was my recommendation for a long time, as their free service was enough for even large clubs. But they have been reducing the free options gradually over time. Now you can only have one administrator, and that's a problem for a volunteer workforce. It can seem overly complicated to use, but once you get the hang of it and use it repeatedly it's a very quick process to send out a group email. It does allow you to filter/select your list into smaller groups and target them specifically.
But I accept that it may not be as simple to use if you are not a bit techie.
My continual search for a solution has flagged up a potential candidate. I can't recommend it as I haven't tried it, but initial investigations look promising.
gaggle.email
It lists a free option for up to 1000 members and ulimited emails. But their next option that they suggest is suitable for "small-sized; clubs, groups, nonprofits & associations." is $0.10 per month per member.
I don't know how "trusted" Gaggle is when it comes to spam filters or if they are a trustworthy and reliable company. It may be that you get pushed into a paid service in time just like MailChimp.
I don't have a need to try it out at the moment, as MailChimp is still working for my club and is free.
I had another look at Google Groups, but in the help pages it does say "You need a Google Account to join and participate in groups".
Google don't have a great reputation for providing free services for ever. Once you are hooked in they start introducing charges. Google Maps is a good example. I use the service on many of my websites to show where events are, but a couple of years ago they put a limit on the number of free uses. I now get charged occasionally for going over the limit. You may have seen a lot of Google maps on websites that don't work any longer or with error messages, that's because you need to have registered a credit card against which they can charge you when you go above the free allowance.
It's too easy for it to get abused by spammers or just an over active member of the group.
Enabling anyone to send out emails to hundreds of people without moderation is asking for trouble.
My own website hosting company are very reticent to encourage the use of bulk emails. It's very easy for a server to get blacklisted if someone down the line marks emails from it as spam. Companies like MailChimp have a trusted reputation, which means their emails will often get through spam filters that would block others.
Email has the advantage over social media in that it is pushed direct to your inbox rather than being susceptible to the algorithms that decide if they think you should see individiual posts. But many people get so many emails that they don't get around to opening them all. So you can't rely on either medium as a guranteed method of communication.
Most mailing list applications/services are targeted at companies wanting to sell you something, marketing! Consequently there is a value to providing that service and it's easy to justify the monthly costs if it helps you sell more things.
Over the years, I have repeatedly looked around for a service that would work for clubs and be free or very low cost. MailChimp was my recommendation for a long time, as their free service was enough for even large clubs. But they have been reducing the free options gradually over time. Now you can only have one administrator, and that's a problem for a volunteer workforce. It can seem overly complicated to use, but once you get the hang of it and use it repeatedly it's a very quick process to send out a group email. It does allow you to filter/select your list into smaller groups and target them specifically.
But I accept that it may not be as simple to use if you are not a bit techie.
My continual search for a solution has flagged up a potential candidate. I can't recommend it as I haven't tried it, but initial investigations look promising.
gaggle.email
It lists a free option for up to 1000 members and ulimited emails. But their next option that they suggest is suitable for "small-sized; clubs, groups, nonprofits & associations." is $0.10 per month per member.
I don't know how "trusted" Gaggle is when it comes to spam filters or if they are a trustworthy and reliable company. It may be that you get pushed into a paid service in time just like MailChimp.
I don't have a need to try it out at the moment, as MailChimp is still working for my club and is free.
I had another look at Google Groups, but in the help pages it does say "You need a Google Account to join and participate in groups".
Google don't have a great reputation for providing free services for ever. Once you are hooked in they start introducing charges. Google Maps is a good example. I use the service on many of my websites to show where events are, but a couple of years ago they put a limit on the number of free uses. I now get charged occasionally for going over the limit. You may have seen a lot of Google maps on websites that don't work any longer or with error messages, that's because you need to have registered a credit card against which they can charge you when you go above the free allowance.
- Paul Frost
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Re: Emailing club members - any ideas to avoid club bankrupt
Thank you everyone for these very helpful responses.
- SeanC
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