What this helps you do
Sending a Blast delivers your message straight to the phones and computers of everyone in the audience you pick, and by email to the people who chose email. You can send now, schedule for later, or set a Blast to repeat weekly. The composer supports formatting, links and images, up to three attached files, a YES / NO RSVP with counted answers, and a Send a test to me button so you see exactly what people will receive.
When to use it
Use it for timely news: a closure, a schedule change, a reminder, an invitation, an offer, a thank-you.
How to do it
- Open Send, or start from a Template.
- Pick an audience.
- Type your message. Add formatting, a link or an image if it helps; attach up to three files (images, PDF or text, 5 MB each).
- Optionally ask for a YES / NO reply so the Hub counts RSVPs, or turn replies off for this Blast.
- Read the Delivery panel before you send: how many people receive it on Blasts, by email, and in the weekly digest. One Blasts credit per person on Blasts, one email credit per email.
- Click Send a test to me to receive it yourself first.
- Choose Send now, Schedule for later, or Repeat weekly at this time.
- If you are sending to everyone, confirm with your passkey or phone when asked.
Example
Ice storm on Saturday night. The operator picks the everyone audience, types that Sunday's programs are cancelled and moved online, confirms with a passkey, and clicks Send now. Everyone connected gets it on their phone within moments; the people who chose email get the same message from the organization's own address.
Good to know
- An immediate send is held for about a minute so you can cancel it from Sent & Scheduled if you change your mind; nothing is charged for a cancelled Blast.
- Sending to everyone asks for a step-up confirmation first, so a big send is never an accident.
- If a leader's Blasts require approval (Settings), their send waits under Sent & Scheduled until an administrator approves it, and administrators are emailed.
- The Hub suggests the hour your Blasts are read most, based on the last 60 days.
- Recurring Blasts are managed under Sent & Scheduled: pause, resume or delete them there.
- One per household sends a mailing to one person per household for people you have grouped.