The latest update to Direct Mail, version 7.3.8, is now available. It is primarily a bug-fix release, with a few feature enhancements sprinkled in for good measure:

• New: Summarize bounced recipients by Time on List
• Improved: Compare up to 100 campaign reports side-by-side
• Fixed: Crash when creating color scheme from image
• Fixed: Crash when importing contacts from Daylite
• Fixed: Crash when printing Preview window
• Fixed: Crash when moving mouse over the contacts table
• Fixed: Crash when importing from Apple Contacts on macOS 12
• Fixed: Crash when updating sidebar
• Fixed: Template created from message contains incorrect images
• Fixed: Editing “Email” links and buttons does not work correctly
• Fixed: Crash when syncing contacts from Daylite
• Fixed: Crash when submitting a design test
• Fixed: Crash when undoing editing operations
• Fixed: Memory leaks when editing project content
• Fixed: Crash when responding to changing network conditions
• Fixed: Photos image browser does not show permission prompt

Since Direct Mail 7 was launched late last year, we have worked non-stop to continually increase performance, improve stability, and add new features. Version 7.3.8 brings the total number of fixes or enhancements to over 200. Please take a moment to make sure you are running the latest and greatest version of Direct Mail.

Have you ever wished for a built-in editor to proofread your newsletters, suggest improvements, or even draft entire sections of your campaigns? Now you can—right inside Direct Mail!

With our latest update, we’ve seamlessly integrated Apple Intelligence Writing Tools and ChatGPT, giving you smart suggestions and creative assistance as you craft your newsletters. Whether you need a quick polish or a fresh take on your message, these A.I. tools are here to help.

We’ve put together a short video to show you just how easy it is to enhance your email marketing with A.I. features. Watch now and see the difference for yourself!

Writing Tools integration requires Direct Mail 7.1 (or newer) and a Mac that supports Apple Intelligence.

Direct Mail 7 is our most significant update ever, and we are thrilled to share it with you starting today. You will notice right away the updated, modern user interface, but the improvements are more than just skin deep. From the depths of the database on up, we have re-engineered all aspects of Direct Mail to make it the best email marketing tool for campaigns large and small. You will find new tools for growing your list, new options for designing standout email campaigns, and enhanced campaign reports with more actionable information.

Check out our “What‘s New” page to learn about the improvements in Direct Mail 7 and upgrade today!

We recently notified our customers by email of upcoming policy changes from Google and Yahoo that may impact their email campaigns. This blog post is an adaptation of that email.

Translations available: Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Español

What requirements?

Google and Yahoo recently announced new email security requirements that go into effect next month. Because they are two of the largest mailbox providers, their new requirements affect all email service providers, including Direct Mail. Here is what is changing:

Sending campaigns from a “free” email address (like @gmail.com) is no longer allowed. Starting in February, if you send using one of these free email addresses, Direct Mail will automatically change the From Email address for you (to an email address ending in “@via.directmailapp.com”). Don’t worry, replies to your campaign will still go to your email address, and the From Name will not change, so your recipients will know it’s you.

You may wish to consider purchasing your own, branded domain name instead of continuing to use a free email address.

Sending campaigns from your own, branded email address (like @mybusiness.com) now requires that you enable email authentication. You can learn how to enable email authentication here. Starting in February, if you send without email authentication turned on, Direct Mail will automatically change the From Email address for you (to an email address ending in “@via.directmailapp.com”). Don’t worry, replies to your campaign will still go to your email address, and the From Name will not change, so your recipients will know it’s you.

We recommend turning on email authentication.

Where can I get help?

If you have questions about these new requirements, would like help setting up email authentication, or would like us to do it for you, please contact our support team. We are happy to help.

Are there other requirements?

Yes. Emails to your list must include an unsubscribe link and spam complaint rates must be below a strict threshold. For users of Direct Mail, these are not new requirements, but it is a good reminder to double-check that your unsubscribe link is easy to find and that your mailing list meets our opt-in requirements. There are additional technical requirements that Direct Mail already takes care of for you.

Where can I get more information?

• About email authentication
• How to enable email authentication
• Additional options besides turning email authentication or using a branded email address
• Direct Mail Support

It’s that time of year again! The latest upgrade to macOS is out today: macOS 14 Sonoma. If you plan to upgrade, rest assured that Direct Mail is fully compatible. For the best experience, make sure that you are running the latest version of Direct Mail (6.1). If needed, you can upgrade by choosing “Direct Mail > Check for Software Update” from the menu bar. If you downloaded Direct Mail from the Mac App Store, you can check the “Updates” tab in the App Store app.

If you have any questions, or run into any issues, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer support team!