Once you have approved your email, it is time to complete a check list to ensure that each item is in fact correct. This may seem redundant since you have already reviewed the content, checked the lists and made sure the images are correct but it is always a good idea to do a final proof before you send out an email to thousands of people. After it is sent is not when you want to find a mistake.

Things you will be reviewing include:

• Content – check for misspellings, punctuation or bad grammar
• Hyperlinks – does every link work and is it pointing to the right document
• Images – are the appropriate images included
• Have you labeled your links? Labeling the links will drastically help when reviewing reporting on the email drop
• Subject Line – Is the current subject line included, is it catchy enough to draw the reader to open your email
• Target Lists – are the appropriate people going to receive your email, is there a see list of contacts that you want to include?

These are just a few of the many things to review before dropping an email. To help you with this process we have include the Email Checklist in the tools menu of your system. We also recommend you send the email to a test list so that multiple contacts can review the email and ensure it is ready to go. For more about sending your email to test list, read the Send Test Emails Section on this page.

After approval is received you are ready to Schedule your Email drop. Directions on that step can be found here.

 

Once the email is approved and you have tested all links, confirmed the copy and images are correct you are ready to schedule. Before you schedule go through an “Email Check List” to review items that should be reviewed for accuracy. There is one posted for you under the tools menu.

Reset Test Logs

The first step is to reset the text logs this is specific to the email template you are working on. Resetting the test logs removes the open and click data that was collected during the testing process thus making the final reporting cleaner.

With your project open on the left side of the screen click on the blue envelope to open your email template. Click the Reset Test log button on your Email Summary Page. Click OK on the pop-up window that confirms you want to delete test logs. Click Update to save your changes.

Review the Lists in your Project

Before scheduling a drop it is important to review the Email Distribution section of your project, specifically the Target and Suppression lists. This information can be seen in the project. There are three sections: Target lists, Suppression Lists and Test lists. Verify which lists are selected and ensure the information is correct. Note, It is possible to have more than one list in each of those sections.

To calculate how many contacts the mailing will be sent to click the Calculate Count Button that is seen on the lower part of your project below the selected lists. When you click this button the system will calculate the total number of recipients that will be sent the mailing, removing duplicates between lists and any contacts that are being suppressed by your suppression lists.

Even if you think you are the only person that has touched your project this is always an important step. Take the time to recalculate the count of your drop versus risking sending your mailing to more (or less) people that you intended.

Once you have verified the count is correct go to the next step. If the count appears incorrect verify the list criteria of the target and suppression lists, if you need help contact your GrowthPoint contact.

 

Scheduling the Drop

Scheduling is done at the project level. In the Email Templates section of the project in the Status Column change the drop down from editing to Approved. Next is selecting the date from your drop. In the Schedule column click on the calendar icon to select the date followed by clicking on the clock icon to select a time from your drop. The clock is based on server time, which can be found on the Email Template window. After selecting your date and time click Save New Schedule. 

Scheduling the Second Drop

If you want the newsletter to automatically send out second drop to those that didn’t open the first newsletter a second drop. Studies have shown that dropping a newsletter a second time to those that didn’t open the first email raises your open and click rates significantly.

To Schedule a second drop in the Second Drop column of the Email Templates section of your project Click the calendar icon to select a date and the clock icon to set the time. Click the Save the New Schedule Button, then click the Save Second Drop Schedule Button.

It is important to know that the second email drop will send to the people that didn’t open the email in the first drop. For example if names are imported that would be added to the first list between the first and second drop they will not be emailed. Only names from the original list that did not open the message will be sent the message on the second drop.  Details on who is sent the second email drop can be found here.

 

Adding a Delay From Last Sent Email

Select a number of Days from the drop down in the Delay From Last Sent Email column. We recommend choosing 1 day if the message is time sensitive and 4 days if the message is not time sensitive. At your discretion you can choose any other option in the drop down.

Verify your Schedule

After you are done making changes to the project click Update at the bottom of the page. It is a best practice to always go back and review the date and times of your drops to ensure a mistake has not been made. If you do not click Update your changes will not be saved.

If it becomes necessary to reschedule or cancel a drop – those instructions are below:

Rescheduling a Drop

If you need to change a drop date or time before a email has dropped click Reschedule First Drop or Reschedule Second Drop and then click the calendar icon followed by the clock icon to select a new time and date and then the Save New Schedule button.

Cancelling a Drop

If it becomes necessary to cancel a drop Click the trash can icon next to the Reschedule First Drop Or Reschedule Second Drop Button.