If you publish an email newsletter using ACT Software, you use a Lookup in ACT to create your mailing list. But since your newsletter is sent regularly, it’s more efficient to create an ACT Group of newsletter recipients. But not just a “regular” ACT Group–you need a Dynamic ACT Group.

A Dynamic Group automatically omits bounced email addresses and opt-outs from previous sends. It automatically adds new group members who meet your query criteria: new customers, new prospects, new networking contacts, for example. It will also automatically limit the list to contacts with email addresses.

Instead of fiddling with Lookups to build a list each time you publish your e-letter, with an ACT Dynamic Group you just create a Lookup of the Dynamic Group members. Your newsletter is ready to go.

I also create a Dynamic Group for bounced emails to follow up with readers who change email addresses or to find the replacement for readers who left their company (good sales follow up strategy, too).

I don’t like losing subscribers I worked so hard to get! As soon as the email is updated, it automatically “leaves” the bounce Group and pops back into the newsletter list Group. No muss, no fuss.

Here’s how to set up an ACT Dynamic Group Membership list:

1. Go to Groups (on the left panel of icons). Right-click and create a New Group called “E-Newsletter Group.”
2. Click the Add/Remove Contacts button. The Add/Remove Contacts dialog appears.
3. Click the Edit Criteria button. The Group Criteria dialog opens.
4. Begin building your list criteria. For example, the first thing you want are only contacts that have email addresses. So select Contact for the Type of field, and click the drop-down arrow for Field Name. Type “e” to find the email field. Click the drop-down arrow for Operator and choose “Contains data”. The “Value” box will grey out. Now click the Add to List button.
5. Continue adding other criteria. For example, you may want to exclude vendors or out of town contacts.
6. To exclude opt-outs or bounced email addresses from previous mailings, you will need to create an ACT! field to track this. In our office we have a field called “List Preference” with a multi-select drop down for “do not email”, “email failed”, “do not fax” and “do not mail.” We keep this updated (Swiftpage can automate this process), and then use it in our criteria selection.
7. Mind your “AND” and “OR” operators as you add each line of criteria. Test your results by pressing the Preview button.

Here’s a snapshot of our newsletter’s partial list criteria (some of our groups have 20+ criteria!)

If sending your email newsletter takes too many steps, you’re not as likely to keep publishing.  ACT! Dynamic Group helps simplify the mailing list process.