PHPMailer-ML was originally developed to showcase the use of PHPMailer with a mailing list database. Since its original launch, we have added significant features to PHPMailer-ML and it is now one of the most popular mailing list managers and newsletter (or email message) managers available.
There are two main sections to PHPMailer-ML.
The first is the mailing list manager. In the mailing list manager, you can have an unlimited number of mailing lists. Mailing lists can be populated with subscription forms (recommended), or you can bulk upload directly to the mailing list using the built-in upload utility. With v1.8, we have integrated QuickCSV Suite to make the upload process as simple as possible. QuickCSV Suite has functionality to visually map your CSV fields with the database tables in your database making the entire upload process as simple and easy as possible.
The mailing list manager works on the basis of a "default". When you initially login to the admin control panel, the default mailing list will always be the first ID found in the mailing list table. You can change the default mailing list several ways. The first is by clicking on Mailing Lists tab, and from the list click on the green arrow to make that mailing list the default. The second is by selecting a campaign (where you create/edit/send email campaigns) ... once you select an email campaign with a mailing list different than the default, the email campaign's mailing list becomes the default.
Examples of how Mailing Lists can be defined: general mailing list, staff mailing list, newsletter subscribers, etc. Be creative, you have an unlimited number of mailing lists you can manage through PHPMailer-ML.
The second major section is "Campaigns". Campaigns is where you create, edit and send email messages. Those can be newsletters, marketing campaigns, weather alerts, etc. There is no limit to how you use the Campaigns section, it is designed for any type of message that you want to send to your mailing lists.
With the release of version 1.8, we now include five "templates" that you can use as the base of your email campaign. Some of the templates have images included -- all the images and pictures are royalty-free and copyright-free.
To create a new campaign, click on the "Campaigns" tab, and then click on the green + (plus) sign at the right of the header. That will display the available templates that you can use as the base of your email campaign. Hovering your mouse over the name of the template will display a thumbnail of that template to the right of the template list. To select that template, click on the template name (underlined).
The message editor will then display. From here, you can select the mailing list you want to use for this campaign, add a Subject line for the email message, and edit the contents to suit your needs. Depending on the installation choices you made, you may have a textarea (raw code), SPAW2 WYSIWYG editor, or CKEditor to edit your message. Go ahead and be creative, there are very few restrictions in creating email messages ... include pictures, images, icons, use tables and div tags to position your content, add logos, add hyperlinks.
There are some considerations to your email message:
1. You cannot use Flash or Javascript in an email message. That is not a limitation of PHPMailer-ML ... it is a limitation of email software that will receive your emails. The software that displays your email message is not usually a browser -- it is usually specialized software (like Microsoft Outlook) and you have to plan for that accordingly. Outlook, for example, cannot process Javascript code.
2. Tracking code is automatically added to your email message so that you can look at statistics of who opened your emails and when. The tracking code is an unobtrusive blank image. When the email is opened, the image is sourced from your server and when it is sourced, PHPMailer-ML will automatically save the user's email address, IP address, and date/time in the tracking table. Please note that tracking is not 100% reliable. If the recipient of the email has disabled image display in their email software, the email software will not source the tracking graphic from your server and no record will be available of that email opening.
3. Please be mindful and respect spamming laws. In the USA, bulk email is subject to CAN-SPAM laws. In Canada, bulk email is subject to PIPEDA legislation. Most countries throughout the world have laws aimed at controlling unsolicited emails. The PHPMailer-ML and PHPMailer transmit information through the email headers that identify the source of emails and you can be traced. If requested, we will assist requests from legal agencies in identifying the source of unsolicited emails.
Once you have finished creating/editing your email campaign, you have the option of Save & Send, or just Save (no send). The Save with no send option is designed to give you an opportunity for multi-session editor of your message. You can create and edit as often as you wish, and can commit to sending only when you are ready.
Once you are ready to send your message, verify the mailing list that you want to use is the default (will be displayed in the upper left information box on the main screen) and will be highlighted in the mailing list box at the top of the message editor.
Enjoy.
