HotDoodle Support

You can add a newsletter to your website using the Bulletin Boards Block. In HotDoodle, a newsletter is a bulletin board that does not allow users to post messages or replies. Users can subscribe to the bulletin board, but only the website owner can post messages. Each issue of the newsletter would be a post.

Steps: How to Add a Newsletter

1. Create a User Group that will receive the newsletter. See: Creating New Groups

For the new group, use the following settings:

Select "Emailable only from group admins"
Check off "Users may join without asking"
Check off "Group may subscribe"

2. Add a Login Block that will register website visitors who would like to receive your newsletter. See: Adding Login and Registration

In the Login Block, use the following settings:

What to include - "Registration Only"
Add to this group - "Newsletter Group"

3. Create a bulletin board using the steps in Adding a Bulletin Board.

4. Click to add a check mark next to "Configure Blocks" under the Click to Preview button.

5. Click on the "Config Bulletin Board Block" button at the top the Bulletin Boards block.

6. On the Configure Bulletin Boards Block screen under the Email section, use the following settings:

Click the Newsletter Format checkbox
Unclick the “Emails include"reply" links” checkbox
Unclick “Subscribers getthe replies?” checkboxes

7. Click on the "Save button.

8. To create and send each newsletter, follow the instructions to add a topic to the bulletin board. See: Adding Bulletin Topics

Unsubscribe From a Newsletter

A user may request to unsubscribe from a newsletter but still want to remain a registered user on the site. HotDoodle gives both the user and the website owner the ability to remove the user from the group. See: Removing Group Members

Say Bye Bye to the Buy Buys!

Nice newsletter, but ...

it is all about you.

It can be paraphrased as:

Hi
Here is something you can buy
Only 6 days left to buy another thing. Here is an article why it is good
There is something you can buy on the 8th
There are more things you can buy next month, including
a certification course you can buy on the 27th.
Call me, I love to talk about what you can buy.

Remember the most essential thing about all emails

“What is in it for me?”

When reading emails their finger is hovering over the delete button, spamastically clicking on any that do not answer the above clearly and quickly. Some will even take the time to unsubscribe so they are not bothered again.

It is natural for a business owner to want to go with

it is all about you

but that is completely wrong, instead
it is all about them

is what is needed.

So, in every newsletter, put something in it for them, and put it first. Give them a reason to like reading that email, reinforce your positive association in their mind – and only then give them things to buy. In your case offer a tip or a technique. Perhaps add a case study that illustrates something they learned or should have learned. Just don’t let it be an unbroken stream of buy, buy, buy!

Maybe Add

Maybe add a screen shot of the setting for the new group and setting for the Login Block to configure registration. Don't know if they should go on this page or the Groups and Login pages respectively.