send the same message to multiple recipients

[Rebecca]

I need to accomplish the assignment below every month, with a different list
eachtime, what is the right way to do it?

I DO KNOW the basics, but I'm having trouble with the finer points re: the
best way to use email addresses that are not initially in Outlook, and the
best way to use TO: and BCC: and distribution lists effectively to make the
email look correct at the recipient's end.

I'm starting with a .TXT file in Windows but it's external from Outlook.
The file contains names and email addresses, approx 25 to 50 names. Here is
a sample of the .TXT file (my real file is fixed-column, but it might not
appear that way in this message)

Miles Smith (e-mail address removed)
Michael Dell (e-mail address removed)
Steve Ballmer (e-mail address removed)
etc

I want to send the same email message to everyone on the list. At their
end, the received message should end up looking something like this, with
either their own name in the "To:" filed, or a generic group or DL name.
===========================================
From: Becky
To: Miles Smith
Subject: Your insurance premium is due next month

This is just a friendly reminder that blah blah blah
===========================================
OR
===========================================
From: Becky
To: Renewal Customers
Subject: Your insurance premium is due next month

This is just a friendly reminder that blah blah blah
===========================================

I know one way to import the file into an Outlook distribution list, but
what is the best or correct way? Or, if I just copy the contents on to the
BCC line, what should I enter on the TO: line? I don't want the message to
look like

From: Becky
To:
Subject:
etc

 

[Brian Tillman]

I'm starting with a .TXT file in Windows but it's external from
Outlook. The file contains names and email addresses, approx 25 to 50
names. Here is a sample of the .TXT file (my real file is
fixed-column, but it might not appear that way in this message)

Miles Smith (e-mail address removed)
Michael Dell (e-mail address removed)
Steve Ballmer (e-mail address removed)
etc

I know one way to import the file into an Outlook distribution list,
but what is the best or correct way?

With the names in the format you describe, Select the entire list,
right-click and choose Copy. The in Outlook, click New>Distribution List,
then click Select Members. In the Members field, right-click and choose
Paste. Click OK. The names and addresses will be inserted properly into
the DL. I just tried to make sure.

 

[Rebecca]

Thanks, Brian, you're correct about how to create the DL.

But then if I use the newly created DL in the TO: field when I create the
message, the recipient will see the names of ALL people in the list...not
good.

If I leave the TO: field blank and put the DL into the BCC: field when I
send, then it's true that the recipient won't see all the names, but the TO:
field appears as blank, which seems impersonal, although I could do that in a
pinch. Plus, someone told me that various recipient email software other
than Outlook might make weird assumptions about a blank "TO:" field

If I put the DL in the BCC, at the recipient's end I'd like the TO: field to
have their own email address, or at least contan the name of the DL, so if my
DL is named "RENEWAL CUSTOMERS" in my own Outlook then the TO: field in the
recipients's received email would say "TO: RENEWAL CUSTOMERS". Do you know
how to do that?

I mean, spammers do this all the time, so why is it so hard to do this for a
legitmate business purpose?

 

[Gordon]

Thanks, Brian, you're correct about how to create the DL.

use the txt file to create the address data for a mailmerge....

 

[Rebecca]

Thanks, Gordon, that's exactly what I WANT to do but I'm so sorry, apparently
I'm an idiot !!! When I open Word, and choose Tools, then I don't see
anything called Mail Merge Wizard. If I choose Tools> Letters and Mailings
then I see a choice called Mail Merge and a choice called Letter Wizard. I
chose Mail Merge. It opens a nice mail merge guide that I have used many
times before to create LETTERS to print on a PRINTER. I've never used it to
create EMAIL MESSAGES to send from OUTLOOK EMAIL. Obviously the steps are
different, and I can't figure them out !!! DUH!!! :-( These are the steps I
did so far, but somewhere I'm just not making the
connection:

Open a blank Word document

Choose Tools> Letters and Mailings> Mail Merge

On the right, choose the radio button “E-mail messagesâ€

On the right, Choose “Next: Starting Documentâ€

On the right, Choose “Next: Select Recipientsâ€

On the right, Choose “Browseâ€

Use drop-down box to choose the location of the .TXT file, and choose it

Answer “OK†to all the Data Source windows until you are back to your blank
document

Choose “Next: Write Your Letter†and type in the text of your email address

Choose “Next: Complete the Mergeâ€

The do at that point doesn't look correct to me. Even if it was, then how
do I send that as an email? It seems to want to go to a printer to be printed

 

[Gordon]

Thanks, Gordon, that's exactly what I WANT to do but I'm so sorry,
apparently
I'm an idiot !!! When I open Word, and choose Tools, then I don't see
anything called Mail Merge Wizard.

have a look here:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/word/HA010349201033.aspx?pid=CL100636481033

 

[Brian Tillman]

If I leave the TO: field blank and put the DL into the BCC: field
when I send, then it's true that the recipient won't see all the
names, but the TO: field appears as blank, which seems impersonal,
although I could do that in a pinch. Plus, someone told me that
various recipient email software other than Outlook might make weird
assumptions about a blank "TO:" field

If I put the DL in the BCC, at the recipient's end I'd like the TO:
field to have their own email address, or at least contan the name of
the DL, so if my DL is named "RENEWAL CUSTOMERS" in my own Outlook
then the TO: field in the recipients's received email would say "TO:
RENEWAL CUSTOMERS". Do you know how to do that?

Spammers have specialized programs that can mess with almost every feature
of a message.

You appear to be working this issue in more than one thread. Stick to the
mail merge issue in your other thread. I'll finish the DL issue here.

In addition to a DL with the name "Renewal Customers", you can create
another contact, also named "Renewal Customers" (Outlook doesn't mind
duplicates) and give it your own address. Then, when you create the
message, put the latter contact in the To field and the DL in the Bcc field.
Your recipeints will see "Renewal Customers" in the To field of the emssage
they receive.