New Extension Integrates Constant Contact with Your Ning Network

[Eric Suesz]

Hello again, Network Creators!

Do you send out email newsletters or other types of communications that need an extra level of polish? If so, you will be happy to hear about our new partnership with the popular Web-based email marketing provider Constant Contact.

We’ve just released a new Ning Extension that integrates Constant Contact to enable you to automatically add new members who join your network to a specific list in your Constant Contact account. It’s opt-in friendly, too. You can even create a special profile question to let new members opt in to your Constant Contact list. You can continue to use your Ning Network to attract new customers, evangelists, and fans and build up a thriving community. What’s great about this new extension is that it will seamlessly maintain an updated Constant Contact list, which lets you focus on sending out some sweet-looking email newsletters.

The new Constant Contact Extension is live and available for all Ning Plus and Pro customers. You’ll find it in the Extensions section of your dashboard.

If you’re already a Constant Contact customer, you can quickly and easily connect your existing account and upload your members’ contact information.

If you’re not currently a Constant Contact customer, you may want to check out their offers. Their pricing is pretty attractive, with plans starting at $15/month that include an unlimited number of messages. They offer a 60-day free trial that provides most of the functionality of a full subscription, which is a great way to try it out.

We’re very excited about this new Ning Extension, partly because a number of Network Creators have requested it, but more importantly because we think it will be an excellent tool for Network Creators who may not have considered all they can accomplish with a professional-grade email marketing service like Constant Contact.

[Joanne Thompson]

How do you manage your lists though?  If people sign up to my ning network, then I send them email via constant contact.  If they opt out - when I update ning with the CSV from constant contact will ning be updated with the opt out clients?

 

If these don't integrated then how will I keep an updated mailing list in constant contact?

[Eric Suesz]

Hi, Joanne. Well, I think that's kind of the point of this Extension. You'll have one list -- a Constant Contact list -- that is up-to-date with your network's membership. You won't have to update your Constant Contact list.

[Donna Mac]

Would this pull all of the members we currently have?  Or would we have to add them manually?  I'm not sure that I want to pay $15 a month because I just send out 'broadcasts' to members.  I've used Vertical Response before and that is payment for emails as you need them.

[EAM]

This is a bit tricky guys - I am confused.

 

I have set it up. And sent out a mail.

I now have a "Do Not Mail" list but no means on the ning to ensure they get no more messages from Ning - only the list on Constant Contact.

 

For a member unsubbing from the maillist means just that...NOT apparently leaving the Ning network - which some have expressed an interest in via their OPT OUT reason on the Constant Contact unsubscribe form.

 

 

If I "suspend" them from the network - are they "suspended" from Ning entirely? Is there a way to make them "inactive" on the ning without tarnishing them?

 

I would like the "DO NOT MAIL" reflected on the ning side somehow...

[Mike Hudson]

I'm interested, but I'm on a shoestring budget.  Ning - Go back and get us a good volume discount.

[Shaun]

Help! I have just registered with CC created an autoresponder with text-only emails ... what a mission and I still don't have it right after an hour reading shoddy/complicated/meaningless instructions.  

I have been using Aweber for a few years and sending a text-only message is a cinch. I wanted to use CC to automatically integrate with my network. 

 

Can anyone please point me in the right direction? 

[Shaun]

This is really frustrating! A simply link uses up four lines on a text email using the Basic template which is the one they recommend. 

At this stage I wouldn't recommend CC to anyone. 

[Annette Albert]

Thanks Eric,  I will give it a go. Annette