reminder emails

Does anyone send out reminder emails to inactive users?
-If so...how long do you wait till you send them?
~ Also..what /how do you do it? Is there a hack out there or do you use the admincp ?

 

I haven't, I figure a newsletter and/or thread subscription emails should be reminder enough. I kinda feel a reminder email by itself smacks of desperation and prefer to have a better reason to contact an inactive member.

 

I have an auto thing for emails and PM from 'the Org'. And I use 'welcome header messages' which notifies logged in users when they haven't posted to post; you actually alter the messages to various member levels using the notices feature in newer VB's, but it's an actual plugin thing for older version, the versions before the vb notices feature was added.

 

I've wondered too if there are forums that have a polite and non-intrusive way to remind members "we're here!" It's easy to become interested in a newly-discovered forum, then forget one's intention to visit again when involved with a busy in-box.

The one thing I thought might not be too annoying (it's spam no matter how one looks at it) is to email links & titles to 3-5 new & interesting threads in areas they've indicated an interest. Dunno how to automate that. If I could I would, to anyone who hasn't visited in 30 days, I think. If they did not respond after 3 of these I would not send more. Or just let them unsubscribe to the feature.

 

We use a modification to send an e-mail to users who have been inactive (inactive = not logged in) for 45 days. It is re-sent every 85 days from then on.

I don't think it's very inviting; it's just cheesy:

Any recommendations on ways to make it more personal and actually inviting?

 

I mark them all as spam and they're all then sent to the spam bin to go unread and later deleted. So...

 

I send all of my members inactive or not a bi-monthly update of the website... kinda like a newsletter but just an email that tells them of all the current features on the site, new things added, big improvements, latest news (regarding the website) and so on.

I find it picks up the member usage for about three weeks then it dies off again!

 

nick can you recommend a good hack for me to grab?

 

This is why people put fake emails when they're registering.

 

Email reminder for inactive users - vBulletin.org Forum

Still works fine for me on the latest version of vB.

 

That is why unless people have a real email on my site they can't register!

 

which is stupid..If you cant handle an email once in a while from a forum YOU signed up for..then dont join..just trol..

thanks brother...

how do you filter them?

 

Yes, the first one is sent 30 days after being inactive.

The second and following emails are sent every 90 days.

 

Require them to verify their email by clicking a link in the email.

It is in our rules and guidelines that they agree to when registering to accept bi-monthly emails from administrators.

 

Which means you'll have people who won't ever be able to post.

Face it. Lots of sites are spam happy. Just because they don't trust the site yet or don't want to be spammed up doesn't make them a bad member.

 

I, personally, would be fine with that. Having to submit their email address is a small way of holding people responsible for their words. Of course it depends on the forum, some people actually like the trolls.