Is Your Community Organisation Unknowingly Losing Mail List Subscribers?
Communications Officer • February 6, 2024
Preventing Unintended Unsubscriptions for Community Organisations
Some Outlook users have reported an unusual challenge – automatic unsubscriptions from emails that find their way into the Junk folder. This means the subscription lists of many community organizations are being unintendedly shrunk. In this blog, we explore the issue and what you can do to ensure your newsletter and community emails are reaching the people you need them to be.
If you're fortunate to have access to tech support, why not invite them for a cup of tea while you navigate this issue? Alternatively, reach out to us directly for assistance!
1. Check Your Lists & Understand Your Filtering Systems:
- Go into your email marketing software provider and see if unusual amounts of subscribers have unsubscribed (in your analytics section)– if they have, you might be experiencing a specific Outlook issue.
- Check if you're using any third-party email filtering services or security software alongside Outlook. Sometimes, these services might be automatically unsubscribing you from emails they tag as spam. Adjust the settings accordingly.
2. Investigate Outlook Rules:
- Navigate to your Outlook settings and inspect any rules you've set up. Rules can dictate actions like moving emails to the Junk folder or even unsubscribing from certain senders. Ensure your rules align with your preferences.
3. Embrace Outlook's Sweeping Features:
- The 'Sweep' feature in Outlook allows you to automate actions on emails based on specific criteria. Review your sweeping rules to ensure they are not unintentionally causing Outlook to unsubscribe you from important communications.
4. Scrutinise Security Settings:
- Outlook prioritises your security, and sometimes it might automatically take action against potentially harmful emails. Check your security settings and tweak them if necessary, ensuring they don't interfere with your desired subscriptions.
5. Mark Legitimate Emails:
- If genuine emails end up in your Junk folder, mark them as "Not Junk" or move them to your inbox. This helps Outlook learn and adapt, reducing the chances of legitimate emails being treated as spam in the future.
6. Seek Professional Assistance:
- If the issue persists, reaching out to Microsoft Support can provide tailored guidance for your specific account and configuration. They can offer insights and solutions to keep your Outlook experience seamless.
Our organisation has also been suffering from this challenge. If you received an email confirming that you have been unsubscribed from the Community Networks Aotearoa mailing list, please resubscribe here! https://www.communitynetworksaotearoa.org.nz/ (go to the footer and enter details). If you don’t see an email but want to double check, you can resubscribe, and we’ll add you back if you’ve been removed.
Suffering from other issues? Reach out and let us know!
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Kia ora koutou, One of the greatest strengths of our sector is our willingness to come together, share knowledge, and lift each other up. Here at good ol’ CNA, we know from experience that strong relationships with our members help us grow and strengthen our own work. And we see our members doing the same with the networks and communities they support. We’re a network that builds capacity by engaging deeply with you—our members. Whether through our 50th Anniversary Hui, regular updates, or one-on-one kōrero, your insights help shape our direction, inform our advocacy, and refine the resources we provide. It’s through this two-way relationship that we grow stronger as an organisation—and the same holds true for you and your own networks. It’s why we bring everyone together every two years—to connect face to face, share lessons, and learn from one another. When you hear how another group has tackled leadership development or improved their financial systems, you gain ideas and inspiration to take home. And when you share your own success, you spark growth in others. From supporting better governance through our Tick for Governance Course (over 900 satisfied customers!) and strategic planning, to helping organisations improve fundraising, engaging with Banks, Select Committees, and collaboration—we all grow by reaching out and working together. CNA does this with our members, and our members do it with theirs. The ripple effect is powerful. Your network is so much more than an email list—it’s a community of experience, support, and strength. Let’s keep learning, building, and growing together. Here are 4 action points for to better engage with their members: Yell it to the Rooftops: Through newsletters and social media make sure to highlight member successes, share relevant news, and provide opportunities for feedback. Add this positivity to inspire others Throw a Party: Even if it’s a cuppa and a bikkie, these allow members to keep relationships, share knowledge, and collaborate in real-time in an easy atmosphere – we don’t’ have to be on the treadmill all the time. We are allowed to enjoy ourselves. Pick up the phone: Sometimes it’s great to get a call that’s not about an issue. Just to say ‘hello’, ‘I’m thinking of you’, ‘what’s on your mind?’. These strengthen our relationships and keep us in mind of each other, which may mean reminding each other of what we can support each other in. Share the aroha: Create spaces (online or in-person) where members can exchange ideas and experiences. When someone learns a new strategy or approach, share it widely to inspire innovation and growth across your network. Why reinvent the wheel? Take that idea and adapt it to your own organisation. These are just a few ways to increase your capacity, to deepen relationships, and to help each other upwards. Forward, Stronger! Patrick Davies Membership Engagement Officer
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