External Mass Email Definition and Lists

Definition

External email messaging targets recipients who are not current employees or students at the University.

External Lists

Process and Approvals

External mass email lists are constructed in a number of different ways and each method has its own requirements.

Alumni and Donors

Units that would like to send messages to University donors and alumni must work with the University of Minnesota Foundation to request a list. See their policies and request access to their system or request a list.

Messages sent to audiences defined using the University of Minnesota Foundation (UMF) Donor Management System (DMS) data must:

be sent with Salesforce Marketing Cloud using data extensions
use a data extension not older than 10 business days
use UMF's opt-out URL format found in the DMS Footer in Shared Contents > Footers > DMS Footer.

Fundraising

Any and all fundraising campaigns for the University conducted using mass email must work with the UMF and follow the requirements set forth in the Salesforce Marketing Cloud: Send Mass Email using Content Builder documentation.

Surveys

Mass email surveys may be sent to alumni or donor audiences using email addresses from the DMS only with the foundation's prior approval.

Unit's Own List

Units that have created lists to external (non-umn.edu) email addresses, or a combination of external and internal email addresses, should establish a process for the use and updating of each list and must comply with the guidelines and restrictions in the Mass Email Requirements section.

Purchased Lists

According to the University's agreement with Salesforce Marketing Cloud, units or campuses may not use purchased or rented lists, or email append methodology, if the business unit does not have a "good faith basis to believe that such lists are reputable, reliable, and of the sort used by institutions of higher education." The decision as to whether or not certain lists will meet these criteria will be left up to the business units. The University recommends that emails sent to purchased lists be sent for you by an outside vendor.

Read Salesforce Marketing Cloud's anti-spam policy.

More Information

If you need help working with Salesforce Marketing Cloud, see the Office of Information Technology’s self-help guide, visit the MC User Group website, and join the Marketing Cloud User Group.