Single or multi-step campaigns (aka Drip Marketing) 

Drip marketing: For some information on drip marketing for small business, click here.

Templates in Projects: For information on using templates and cloning in Projects, click here.

Other references:

Email module, click here.

Creating templates, click here.

Creating bulk email lists, click here.

Full example, step by step, click here.

All campaigns through the Projects module. The process is divided into 2 parts: Design and Implementation. 

A campaign can be:

• to a single contact 

• a pre-defined group

• comprised of any series of steps you require to be carried out 

A campaign step can

• contain event triggers and/or instructional information

• be scheduled for any date

• carry out email, print or phone functions

• be assigned to another user for implementation or executed by the designer/creator. Either way, both the designer and the implementer are notified in their Home page of current and overdue campaign steps

Functions

• New campaigns can be started from scratch, or cloned from another campaign. 

• Campaign design and implementation is managed, monitored and tracked through your Home page. 

• Campaigns can be ascribed to the Hot tab on the Home page to quickly access "template" or favorite campaigns you want to clone on a frequent basis. 

Design process

• Typically, a prime campaign contact list is initially created using the Query Builder to run a query.

• A campaign could use more than one query for its steps, depending on the requirements of a particular campaign step.

• The query that produces the list can include filters based on custom fields designed for the specific campaign. 

• The design phase can include field customization in the Contacts database to accommodate specific information tracking for the campaign. As the campaign progresses, feedback may be periodically entered in those custom fields and may thus affect the on-going contact list.

• A campaign step is displayed in its own window, leaving the user full access to all of the other modules during the process.

Steps

Email steps - 

• typically use pre-defined word processing documents as templates, created in the word processing module, Quill. 

• can include field name placeholders, including custom fields. At runtime, those placeholders are replaced with the live data from the specific contact's database record (first name, last name, address, etc.). Emails are populated from these templates. 

Phone steps provide a list for all the standard phone numbers of each contact. 

Print steps -

• trigger the preparation of a CSV file through Query Builder which is then be offloaded and used in for mail-merge or address labeling in any word processor. 

• typically use the same prime campaign contact list query to run a CSV output. 

All campaign steps:

• A contact view button provides direct access to the contact module and the specific contact's record and enables preparation of activity notes, callbacks, messages, etc. 

• Successive steps can use the same or different templates.

• Steps can provide step-by-step informational instructions as well so that the implementer only need follow the written instructions to complete the step. 

• Email steps are automated, phone steps can include phone scripts and print steps provide instructions on displaying the query and outputting the CSV file.

The design of a campaign can be complex, and is best carried out by an experienced individual. However, the implementation or running of the campaign - particularly email and print steps - can be easily handled by most staff, including administrative personnel. 

Runtime events

• A campaign step can contain detailed, step-by-step instructions so that it can be quickly and easily run by anyone.

• Steps are typically one-button: after displaying the step, the implementer usually has to click only one button to execute the step, no matter how complex the step is. 

• By using filters in the query builder based on custom fields, the list can be dynamic. 

As the campaign progresses, custom and standard contact fields could be updated in the contact database, thus changing the list content on-the-fly, to reflect campaign events. In this way, the campaign list can be successively narrowed to focus on the desired contacts.

• Each step can be assigned to a specific person to run. 

• Email steps can designate the email sender so that one step could be a message from the CEO, another some sales update information from the sales people, another from the support department, and so on. The step does not have to be run by the person designated as the email sender. 

This allows complete campaigns to be run by one person, but appear to be coming from many people in the company. 

• Steps cannot be modified by the implementer where that person is not the original designer.

• In the event a step is not run on the scheduled date by the implementer, the designer is notified on his/her Home page that the step is still outstanding, and can take prompt action.

• The step's event(s) is(are) triggered from a read-only Project Step activity record and will display the Quick return mini-window and the full "Campaign Central" window (where the step's list, email content and attachments are presented). 

This way, the implementer can view any underlying modules and use Quick return to jump back to the Project Step activity record.

Anatomy of a campaign:

Design:

Design consists of these main tasks:

• Decide the campaign type: one contact or group
• Set up custom fields (and panels) in the contact file (optional)
• Create the contact list(s) according to filtered criteria
• Bulk update custom fields from initial list (optional)
• Create templates, including field placeholders
• Create the campaign (project) record
• Create the programmed steps and campaign event triggers 
• Create reminders (callbacks) to campaign implementers

The designer and the implementer may be one and the same person, or different people. Through the reminders, the implementer will access the campaign and execute the events of the campaign.

Implementation:

When properly structured, a campaign requires little, if any, experience on the part of the person designated to execute the campaign (the implementer).

As part of the design stage, the designer will create reminders for the key event dates. The reminder will be assigned to the implementer who will see the current and overdue reminders as callbacks on their home page.

Using templates and field placeholders:

Field name and other placeholders are supported in Quill's documents, so you can include those documents in the body of emails and have the field information automatically completed on mail out.

This feature is not limited to campaign emails. Any email can use templates, or you can simply type the placeholder information into the body of the email, and the appropriate content will be inserted into the placeholders. 

Placeholders:

Placeholders can include day and date, as well as any field from the Contacts database table, including custom fields you have set up.

Response back - opt out, etc.

To ensure compliance with email spam regulations, response back links are supported so that email recipients can opt out of the campaign or any unsolicited emailing.

In fact, the response back link or links can be used for survey questions or any type of click through where you want a field in the contact table updated with a result.

How to set up and use templates with field name placeholders and click-through response links

Inserting fieldname info:

1. Select Insert > Field name
2. From the Insert field window, select from the drop down list and click [Return field name only] to insert field name at the cursor position. You can work back and forth between Quill and the Insert field window to do as many fields as required. You don't need to close the Insert field display until you are all finished, or until 120 seconds have expired.
3. Fields in the field list can be quickly accessed by clicking on the list and typing the first letter of the target field.

Example:

{{firstname}} {{lastname}}
{{address}}
{{city}} {{stateorprovince}}
{{country}}

{{day}}, {{dateinwords}}

Dear {{firstname}}

etc.

It is, of course, up to you to ensure the placeholder fields you define on your documents have values in the database. Otherwise, they will be empty on display and could appear professionally inappropriate. Particularly with campaigns, use only field names you are certain will have values. 

Inserting response back links:

1. Select Insert > Response back.
2. Select the field you want the response value inserted into when the email recipient clicks through.
3. Confirm the URL address, enter the value you want inserted into the contact table field, optionally add a message you want displayed when the email recipient clicks through on the response, then click [Create response string]. 
4. Click [Close] when finished.

Example:

If you want to be removed from our list, click here.

(If you examine the above row using the HTML option of Quill, you will see something like:

href="http://yourdomain.com/qapps/response_back.aspx?id={{contactid}}&field=campaign09_1_subscribe&value=no&msg=Thank you for the information. You will no longer be contacted for this campaign." target=qresponsepage>click here<

(Note: you can include field name placeholders in the 'msg' response of the response back as well.)

Save your Quill document. Typically, you'd save it as a template. It's not mandatory to save it as a template, but is good practice. At any rate, always save your document.

Testing response back strings:

1. Create an email and set yourself up as the owner. Click [Expand owner info] and [Search for an owner]. Locate your account and insert it.
2. Use your email address as the recipient. If you've done a contact lookup from the email to insert the owner, just click the [+] button in the sender area (beside the [Lookup] button), select the email address you want and click [OK].
3. Get the template you saved above. Click [Tmpl] beside the Subject line, locate the template and retrieve it.
4. The field name placeholders will be automatically completed if you have set up an owner for the email.
5. If you haven't set up an owner, the template's placeholders will still display (indicated by the {{ and }} brackets).

To test:

1. Ensure there is an owner (you) and a recipient (also you).
2. Click [Preview content in web page]. 
3. When the preview displays, click the response link. 

The update process will take place and open a response window confirming the update.