Contact Manager

[Sandi Moses]

OK - I'll 'fess up to not having used Contact Manager for awhile. I went in to use it and it seems for some reason it is now part of the Genealogy Report. I find instructions that used that dreaded and misleading word, "simply" as in

"Simply click the appropriate link within your Genealogy list to access this feature."

I hate the word "simply" because whenever it is used, whatever it is supposed to describe is never that "simple." (Example: to get to Hawaii from Los Angeles, "simply" jump in the water and start paddling! ) But I digress . . . .

1) What is "the appropriate link" that I want to click?
2)) If I sort by Communication, all I get is a list of email addresses and when I click on any of them I get an Outlook Express pop-up window.
3) Does that mean that Contact Manager as it once was is no more and we just send e-mails from our own isp?
4) If that's the case, what's the point of offering and promoting Contact Manager?

Sandi

[Lori]

Hi Sandi,

Contact manager can be a pain in the butt and I’m still trying to figure out how to get certain groups to show up. Clicking on their email address will send them an email from your isp, unless you are not the sponsor…I think???

I don’t know if this is the right way but, I have found the easiest way to send to a group is by...setting the format to basic and the sort by to SFI id. Then choose the filter as SFI id and use the >. Soooo, if I wanted to send a group email to everyone from April 1st. I filter: SFI id > (enter last SFI id number on March 31st). This should bring up all affiliates that joined after March 31st. Then, there is a link to click…send an email to this group (amount of emails to be sent). I hope that made sense.

The reason I use the SFI id number and not the date is…I can never get the date to work. No matter which way I enter the date it gives me trouble. I think they must be still working out the bugs.

I wish they had a filter to enter an email address to find an affiliate. Many times I receive emails from affiliates with no name or id number…I have no idea who they are They must “simply” think we are mind readers. Sorry about that…I just had to use the word…simply.

Lori

[Sandi Moses]

Thanks for this info! I will definitely bookmark this thread for future reference.

I was actually trying to send individual personalized messages as we used to be able to do. I have several people whose Gift Certificates are about to expire and I wanted to send them a gentle reminder through Contact Manager, inserting their first names and the dates their Gift Certificates were purchased and are due to expire.

Sigh. It seemed like a good idea at the time . . . .

I wish they had a filter to enter an email address to find an affiliate. Many times I receive emails from affiliates with no name or id number…I have no idea who they are They must “simply” think we are mind readers. Sorry about that…I just had to use the word…simply.

ARGHHHH!

"Simply" try opening up your sponsored list and doing a "Control F" for the e-mail address they used to write to you. That sometimes works - unless they signed up using a different e-mail address!

Sandi

[David Watson]

Here is a reply from SFI about the Report
***********************************

Thank you for contacting SFI.

Some features of the Genealogy are not yet working properly. SFI is working to fix these issues as soon as possible.

Thank you again, and please let me know if I can answer any other questions for you.

Julie
*****************************
Julie M.
Customer Service Representative

SFI Marketing Group
5945 Cornhusker Hwy Ste. A
Lincoln, NE 68507

[Lori]

Thanks for the tip Sandi…I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. With the old contact manager we were able to look up email addresses. I also get quite a few affiliates that email me from a different email address other than the one they signed up with.

That was a good idea to send a reminder of the GC…it is probably best to send it from your own isp anyway…that’s how I prefer to do it.

Dave...thanks for the info...I knew it couldn't be working the way it should be.

Lori

[stirls]

lori428 said:

The reason I use the SFI id number and not the date is…I can never get the date to work. No matter which way I enter the date it gives me trouble. I think they must be still working out the bugs.

I am glad you posted this because this weekend I was trying to do this exact thing and go so frustrated I walked away. I want to send a message to all Affilaites that have joined within the last 20 days to encourage them to upgrame before they are removed from the Powerline - the old contact manager made this easy to do - the new way ........I am not sold on it.

lori428 said:

I wish they had a filter to enter an email address to find an affiliate. Many times I receive emails from affiliates with no name or id number…I have no idea who they are They must “simply” think we are mind readers. Sorry about that…I just had to use the word…simply.

I agree! Now I just reply to these people with a request for thier SFI ID# as this is the only way to find them

Chris

[Lori]

Hi Chris…

I’m not crazy about the new contact manager either …it does get frustrating. But anyway…I’m glad you liked the idea about using the id number instead of the date. That’s also a good idea to request their id number! Thanks!

Have a great day!
Lori