Managing a team is tough, especially when you look at the small details. For those managing teams of over 20, it’s easy to lose track of emails without grouping them together by their respective needs.
Without a distribution list or contact group, you can accidentally forget to send pulse survey questions to the right people. But how do you set this up in Outlook? And why should you? Follow along for a thorough guide on how to create distribution lists in Outlook and how to utilize them best.
What Is a Distribution List in Outlook 365?
Outlook? And why should you? Follow along for a thorough guide on how to create distribution lists in Outlook and how to utilize them best.
Before we can detail each step, it’s important to understand what a distribution list is in Outlook. A distribution list, also known as a contact list, is a collection of email addresses.
You get to create and name the collections based on needs. For instance, if you want only to send an email to higher-ups in your company, you could create a distribution list of just the higher-ups’ emails.
Although a similar word, a contact group is not the same; instead, a contact group in Outlook is a group where members share Outlook resources. Some of these members, with the admin’s permission, may also have access to the contact list.
The Benefits of Creating a Distribution List
Creating a distribution list in Outlook offers numerous benefits. One of the biggest is that it saves time. Instead of having to manually add each email address/contact to each email you send, you can just assign it to a distribution list.
Not only are distribution lists time-saving, but they are also efficient. You are less likely to forget to send an important email to a team member if they are already added and sorted into a distribution list. This is especially important when working in an industry like law.
Apart from this, distribution lists in Outlook offer consistency. Let’s say you aren’t using this method and instead are sending separate emails to each team member at your job. Not everyone might get the same email if you type it out and don’t send it to everyone.
Lastly, using a contact list can increase the relevance of your email.
Not everyone in your business needs to see every update. For instance, if you need to send an email asking if any team leads are interested in taking a professional development course, not all of your team members are team leads. To stay relevant and keep information tight, it’d be best to only send to a contact list made up of team leads.
Using a distribution list is also good for your peace of mind when managing large teams. Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers has an extensive team within their law firm, and using distribution lists can make it easier for them to do their work, as the right information is disseminated to the necessary people.
Creating a newsletter that gathers potential client emails through on-site opt-in forms, such as those used by a firm like Baumgartner Law Firm, can be an effective way to create a list that has a designated purpose and can be reached out to with new information or service offerings:
Distribution List Examples
It’s challenging to understand the benefits without seeing examples of how to properly use distribution lists in Outlook.
Here are some distribution list examples.
Let’s say you work at a company and need to send an email with updates regarding marketing. Instead of sending the email to every single person in your company, you could create and use a distribution list with just your marketing team.
Another example is if you need to send a document asking to complete questions to just your sales team to get feedback. Instead of sending the pulse survey questions to every team member, you would use/create a distribution list of just your sales team. It’s more organized this way.
Every industry can use distribution lists to manage its business, including law. Lawyers, like Zehl and Associates, can focus on winning local cases with distribution lists.
Contact lists can consist of a lawyer and their specific assistants, so as not to bombard every team member’s email.
How to Create a Distribution List in New Outlook
Not everyone has the same version of Outlook. While New Outlook is growing more popular, a few people use the classic version or log in to the web, which looks slightly different.
For this section, we will be going over how to use the New Outlook version.
Step 1: Open Outlook and Select People
The first step to creating a distribution list is to open the app. When you’re in, look for where it says ‘People’ on the left-hand side of your page. It’s the icon with two blue people side by side.
When you click it, you should see all of your contacts, including the option to sort by favorites and deleted.
Step 2: Select the Contacts You Want to Add to a Distribution List
The second step is to click on the contact names that you want to include in your distribution list.
When you click on a contact, a box on the left-hand side of their name should appear. Click the box so it has a check mark.
Step 3: Add to Contact List
After you’ve chosen the contacts you want in your distribution list on Outlook, you’ll have to create the contact list.
Do this by finding the ‘New Contact’ button at the top left-hand side of your screen. There should be a drop-down button where one of the options is to create a contact list.
Step 4: Fill Out The Contact Lists Information
Next is to fill out the information. A box should appear asking for your contact list’s name, a description of the list, and a place where you can manually add email addresses.
After you’ve filled out the information, click the ‘create’ button. This list should now exist in the ‘All contact lists’ section in Outlook.
How to Create a Distribution List in Classic Outlook
Classic Outlook has a different process for creating a distribution list. Instead of finding a contact list, though, you’ll be asked to create a contact group. Read the steps below to find out how.
Step 1: Select People
The first step in creating a distribution list on Classic Outlook is similar to how you do so in the New Outlook. You start by choosing ‘People’ on the side panel.
Step 2: Find ‘New Group’
After finding ‘People’, it will take you to a different page. On this page, you’ll see an option that says ‘New Contact Group.’ Click this option to start the process.
Step 3: Fill Out The Information
Step three is to fill out the necessary information. After choosing ‘New Contact Group,’ a pop-up should appear that asks for the contact group’s name and to add members through their email. Once done, hit save and close. Repeat these steps to create multiple contact groups.
How to Delete a Distribution List in Outlook
So, what happens when you no longer need a distribution list or just want to start fresh? Well, you can delete or edit it. This looks different if you’re on classic vs. the new version of Outlook.
Classic Outlook
Deleting a contact group in the classic version of Outlook takes just seconds. You’ll start by opening the application and heading to the ‘People’ tab.
After this, choose the contact group you want to delete and click the delete button. This is all done in your Contacts.
You can either delete using the button in the ribbon with the trash icon or by right-clicking on the group and selecting delete from the pop-up menu.
New Outlook
Deleting a distribution list on the new version of Outlook is simple. Start by opening the application and heading to where it says ‘People.’
After this, on the left-hand side, there should be an option that says ‘All contact lists.’ Click on that option. It will bring you to all of your created lists.
Find the list you want to delete and click on it, making sure it has a checkmark in the box. Above your contact lists is the option to delete with a trash icon.
Choose the button. It’ll ask you to confirm that you want to delete it. Deleting a contact list, though, won’t delete the contacts. That is a separate process.
How to Remove Someone From a Distribution List
What if you don’t want to delete your entire contact list but instead just edit it? To take someone out of your list, you’ll have to follow separate instructions for the classic vs. the new version of Outlook.
Classic Outlook
To edit members in the classic version of Outlook, you’ll have to open the application and head to the ‘People’ option. After this, choose to go to the contact group you want to edit and open it.
Once it’s open, you can make edits. For member edits, you’ll have to find the Add or Remove Members option in the ribbon. Always hit save after you’re done making edits.
New Outlook
To edit your contact list and delete a member with the new Outlook version, start by entering the application and heading to ‘People’, where your contacts sit.
Find where it says ‘All contact lists’ and click the specific list you want to modify. After that, choose the ‘edit’ button to make changes. To delete a member, you’ll just have to click the ‘x’ next to the contact name on the right-hand side.
Wrapping Up
Overall, if you’re looking for a way to make sending emails to multiple people easier while working on a large team, the best way in Outlook is to create and use distribution lists. This way, you aren’t wasting time looking for specific contacts manually.
Running a business, whether big or small, requires a lot of patience and a keen eye, as there are many moving parts.
