WordPress.org

Where do I go for help with any issues?

Please call Benchmark Email at 800.430.4095.

Why are the Extra 1 and Extra 2 fields no longer available?

Benchmark Email changed the default fields associated with newly created lists in mid 2011. The fields Extra 1 and Extra 2 became Date 1 and Date 2 on new lists created after that date. Users are able to change their list's field titles and types by clicking the Edit link on any list, then clicking Advanced. However, this plugin does not currently support non-default settings. We had to eliminate the Extra 1, Extra 2, Date 1, Date 2 options in order to comply with default settings before and after said change to the defaults.

Why did the widget suddenly stop connecting with Benchmark Email?

Please check your API key. We observed on 11/09/2011 that our own API key was deleted/reset on Benchmark Email's server. We had to generate a new one and place the new key code into our widget settings. To generate a new API key, log into Benchmark Email via their website and go to My Account, then Account Settings, then scroll towards the bottom of the page.

Why am I seeing "Error Connecting..." in the admin area?

To combat occasional Benchmark Email API server slowdowns causing sluggish behavior in the WordPress admin area on pages containing this plugin's features, we added a feature to disable connectivity if the plugin detects a 5 second or greater delay in any given connection attempt. Disablement lasts for 5 minutes. The connection timeout can be customized to a value greater than 5 seconds via the plugin settings page. This error can also be triggered by your web host providing slow outbound connectivity, or your web host throttling your PHP processing speed due to other problems with your site, such as memory leaks or heavy traffic. Despite delays, subscriptions are never lost thanks to our queueing system.

What happens if a subscriber resubmits their subscription?

If the subscriber's email address preexists on the list, this will update the other fields, if enabled on your widget and populated by the user.

Why do I occasionally get "Successfully Queued Subscription"?

This occurs when the Plugin is not able to immediately connect with the Benchmark Email API server at http://api.benchmarkemail.com. To remedy this occasional problem, we built in a connection failover capability to queue subscriptions into a CSV file stored in the Plugin folder, and automatically attempt to unload the queue every 5 minutes until successfull to the Benchmark Email API server. We also created a monitoring job via Pingdom.

Where do I go to change the double opt-in confirmation email text?

1. Log into your Benchmark Email account.
2. Click on Lists tab, then Signup Forms sub-tab.
3. Either create a new signup form or click to edit the "Sample Signup Form".
4. Complete the section titled "Opt-in Mail".

How do I control which page(s) the widget appears on, or subscribe to multiple lists?

There is an optional setting to limit the Plugin to a single page, if desired. The widget can be extended to allow subscriptions to multiple lists or even multiple Benchmark Email API accounts. This is accomplished by installing multiple instances of the widget in various widget compatible areas of your theme.

How do I make the form match my theme?

The signup form uses standard HTML list items so it can be manipulated by CSS within your theme to match your site's design. Some themes will automatically style the widget to match the design. Contact the designer of your theme if you are having difficulties getting the form to match your theme, or add your own child theme with CSS that styles the elements accordingly. The main classname value is benchmarkemaillite_widget.

How can I customize the email template?

You may edit the HTML and CSS code within the templates/simple.html.php file. Be sure to keep a backup of your changes in the event that file gets overwritten in a future plugin update.

I want to put the widget somewhere that widgets aren't currently allowed!

The Benchmark Email Lite Plugin does not currently support a shortcode for inclusion in a page body. We might be adding this capability down the road. The good news is that you can still use the Plugin without needing a sidebar, if you can customize your theme! You can add a little code to the theme to allow the widget wherever you wish it to be - even inside the page body if you want it there. In order to enable the widget where you want it to go, add the following code to your theme files:

functions.php

if ( function_exists('register_sidebar') ) {
    register_sidebar(array(
        'name' => '*my_custom_widget_bar*',
        'before_widget' => '<div class="*MyCustomWidgetBarWidgetClass*">',
        'after_widget' => '</div>',
        'before_title' => '<h2>',
        'after_title' => '</h2>',
    ));
}

.

footer.php or page.php (or another file where you want the widget to go within your theme's markup)

<!-- HTML markup that goes before the placement of the widget -->
<?php if ( !function_exists('dynamic_sidebar') || !dynamic_sidebar('my_custom_widget_bar') ) { } ?>
<!-- HTML markup that goes after the placement of the widget -->

.

Why did you switch to double opt-in starting in v1.0.4?

Two reasons. First, Benchmark Email requested that we use this method because it ensures list quality, which in effect keeps everyone out of trouble and keeps their prices down. Second, in the event somebody unsubscribes and chooses "Do Not Contact" checkbox and gets placed on the Master Unsubscribe List, they can only be removed from this list by the Benchmark Email customer opening a ticket for removal or the subscriber re-subscribing with a confirmed double opt-in method. This provides an easy way for somebody to re-subscribe.