In the previous articles, we talked about creating groups or segments of your customer list based on the product or service purchased. We also discussed creating an email template library that uses content specific to those groups. Now, let's welcome your new customers properly and keep the excitement going!
Automated programs can help you onboard your new customers quickly and it automates the entire process of sending "welcome" and "follow-up" emails.
Keep the momentum going after the sale! Automate your welcome emails to create a well-timed and seamless experience.
Segments determine the content you send. This is a key component of nurturing your customers. For example, if a customer purchased a television, we need to make sure they receive useful content related to using their television.
- Make a list of the different products or services you offer
- Make sure your customer list has a field or list column that shows the product prospects signed-up for
- Create a query profile segment based on the purchased product or service
- Add any other profile or behavior attributes you will use
Be sure to consider not only the content but also the cadence and conditions in which your welcome email will be delivered.
- Click Content > Email Templates.
- Click Actions > New Template, then choose a starting point.
- From the General tab:
- Add a Message Title.
- Add a Subject Line.
- Select a Sender and Reply To address.
- From the Design tab, select Stationery, add content, and adjust the message styling. To learn how, click here.
- From the Review tab:
- Preview your message as HTML, Text, and Mobile.
- Validate your message and check your personalization. To learn how, click here.
- Click Save.
- Click Automation > Automated Programs > New
- From the General Settings tab:
- Enter a Name and an optional description for your program.
- Click Add next to Program Source List to select any list or segment that you would like to associate with this program. You can repeat this step to associate multiple lists and/or segments with the program.
- Once the program is running, your source lists will be checked periodically to look for new contacts to enter into the program and will update the contacts Activity History - you can also modify your scoring rules and create segments accordingly.
- From the Program Messages tab:
- Click Add Program Message.
- Choose any existing template, draft, scheduled, or sent message as a starting point for your new message.
- Once the message has been added to the program, hover over it and click Edit to make any changes to the content.
- From the Lists & Segments tab:
- Click the Add List/Segment button and select the desired list or segment.
- Repeat the process as many times as needed.
- From the Program Flow tab:
- Drag the step from the menu on the right side of the page and drop it into the desired location in your program flow.
- Hover over the step and click Edit to give the step a name, and specify its rules and actions.
Automate the Onboarding Journey
Welcoming your new customers is just the beginning! Educate your new customers on how they can get started with your product or service.
- Click Content > Email Templates.
- Click Actions > New Template, then choose a starting point.
- From the General tab:
- Add a Message Title.
- Add a Subject Line.
- Select a Sender and Reply To address.
- From the Design tab, select Stationery, add content, and adjust the message styling.
- From the Review tab:
- Preview your message as HTML, Text, and Mobile.
- Validate your message and check your personalization.
- Click Save.
Automated programs can be edited at any time; however, the automated programs need to be stopped prior to making any adjustments. Once the program is stopped, you can add or remove the source lists assigned to it, change the schedule for entering new contacts, or add, remove, or modify any of your program steps.
From the Program Flow tab:
- Drag the Wait step into your program.
- Hover over the step and click Edit.
- Choose how long to wait.
- Click Submit.
Find out how receptive your new customers are to your welcome! See which customers are engaging or not with your emails, and start A/B testing within your program.
View the program dashboard
Navigate to Automation > Automated Programs and select the program you are using for your triggered Welcome email program.
The data within the Automated Programs dashboard has been organized in a more coherent fashion, making it easier to get a sense of how the automated program is going at a glance. To access the Automated Programs Dashboard, hover over the Automated Program you would like to view and click Dashboard.
The Overview tab provides you quick insight into how your program is running. Get a glance at the Total Entries, Total in Program, Total Early Exits, and Total Standard Exits.
Total Exits compares standard exits to early exits. Early Exits by Status compares failure vs success.
Entries and Exits allows you to filter through entries and exits into your program. Using Graph Type you are able to change the graph from a bar to line graph. Clicking on Entries or Exits will add or remove the data from your graph.
The Steps tab gives you insight into how each step of your program is performing. Using the icon in the upper left corner, you can easily expand all steps to view the details. View the number of recipients waiting to enter the step, that have already completed the step and if any recipients were deleted of exited the program.
The Messages tab includes a graph of the messages sent over time, and a representation of the messages in the flow of a program - showing the different data (sent, open, click, opt-out). Clicking on the message Subject Line will pull up the Sent Message report.
The Sent Message report will give me more detail into your message, clickthroughs, and will give a click map view into your HTML message.
Using the Early Exits tab you can declare an early exit condition as a "success" or "failure". By clicking the thumbs up or down icon, you can immediately mark each exit condition, or set it to a neutral state. The success and failure report is available on the Overview tab.
The Details tab will provide high-level program details like the program status, the source list being used, how exit conditions are configured, the program schedule, and more.
A/B tests are created through the Send Email program step, and can be applied at any stage of both new and existing programs.
- Navigate to the Program Flow tab and add a Send Email step.
- Edit the Send Email step and click Add Conditional or A/B Test Message.
- Choose A/B Test from the Mode drop-down menu that appears at the top of the window.
- Click Add A/B Message to add messages to be tested. You may select as many messages as you would like.
- Specify the number of clicks you would like the system to count before the winning message is determined.
- When the test messages and clickthrough threshold have been defined, save the step. After making any additional changes to your program, make sure to save the overall program as well.
Once the A/B Test step is created and the program is saved, the test status and results can be viewed from the program dashboard.