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Different Ways to Send Emails from Marketing Cloud

In this article, We will look at multiple ways that we can send emails through Marketing Cloud.

User-Initiated Sends or Manual Sends
Triggered Sends or Action based sends
Journey builder Sends
Automation Studio

User Initiated Sends: A user-initiated send occurs when the logged-in user sends an email manually. Some of the use-cases pertaining to User-initiated sends are One-off emails to Customers, Testing Campaigns and News Letter Scenarios. In email studio, navigate to Interactions and Select user-Initiated Sends from the drop-down.

Click on Create and provide details such as Name/External key/Description. For the Message field with is a required field kindly select any of the desired email templates from Content Builder/Shared Content/All Shared Content. Selecting Email template should auto populate your desired Subject line or you could populate/overwrite desired subject in the field. You could also select Send to Deliverability send List with desired frequency.Send Classification needs to be set to Default Commercial/Default Transactional based on Organisation needs. You could select desired Recipients from the dropdown and select Data Extension/Lists and also select Exclusion list if any. You could also select Test Lists instead of desired Recipients and select desired Message Properties and User Tracking.

Triggered Sends: A triggered email Send occurs due to an action by customer/prospect/Subscriber. Some of the use cases pertaining Triggered sends are sending a Thank you email on Form completion/submission. Triggered sends can also be caused by SOAP Api. Detailed documentation about Triggered send interaction is available on the official site.

https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=mc_es_triggered_emails_example.htm&type=5

Other ways to send emails from Marketing cloud include Journey Builder and Automation Studio.

Journey Builder: You can manually launch the Journey or have a schedule to send emails from the Journey by looking at Journey Data extension/API event/Cloud page/Salesforce Data with the desired Schedule.

Automation Studio: You can use Automation studio to send emails from Marketing cloud on an hourly/daily/weekly/monthly basis.

Data Extension

Difference between Data Extension vs Synchronized Data Extension vs Salesforce Data Extension in Marketing Cloud

Difference between Data Extension vs Synchronized Data Extension vs Salesforce Data Extension in Marketing Cloud

In this article, We will try to understand different types of Data Extensions and deep dive into each type of data extension. Data extensions are a placeholder to hold data with various columns and it is more similar to Excel sheet/Table with different columns that can hold data in rows.

Different types of Data extensions:

Data Extension(Standard/Filtered/Random)
Synchronized Data Extension
Salesforce Data Extension

Data Extension: As discussed earlier data extension is like a table with different columns that can hold data in rows. You could use this data extension to store Subscriber information or related information that will be used for sending emails. You have to mark it as Sendable in order to send emails from Data extensions. There are broadly three other data extensions that could be used on a scenario basis.

Standard Data Extension – A standard data extension allows you to create custom fields to store data. This can act as a standalone data extension with desired fields either to capture the data or use it to as a sendable data extension.
Filtered Data Extension – A filtered data extension is generated by filtering fields, measures, and filters for sendable data extension from a Source data extension. This is mostly used when we want to have a different sendable data extension populated with final data that is used for sending emails.
Random Data Extension – A random data extension allows you to randomly select subscribers from a Source data extension. This data extension is mostly used to have a separate sendable data extension that is used for sending emails to random subscribers.

Navigation: Email Studio –> Email –> Subscribers –> Data Extensions

Synchronized Data Extension: This data extension is mainly used to populate Salesforce Standard/custom object data from Sales cloud/service cloud into Marketing cloud. We should integrate Salescloud with Marketing cloud using Marketing cloud connect (https://trailhead.salesforce.com/en/content/learn/modules/marketing-cloud-connect/get-started-with-mc-connect) before creating Syncrhonized Data extension. You can add desired columns to Syncrhonized Data extension in Marketing cloud to sync only desired data from Sales/service cloud to Marketing cloud. You could filter out data based on the boolean field before Syncing data from Sales/Service cloud to Marketing Cloud. You cannot manually add records to Synchronized data extension. Synchronized data extensions are automatically added to your data model in the contact builder. Currently, Marketing cloud doesn’t allow this data extension to be sendable and we have to build a separate data extension(sendable) in order to send emails to customers/prospects/Subscribers. We cannot use Synchronized data extensions to write back from Marketing cloud to Sales cloud. This is used for unidirectional sync(Sales cloud to Marketing cloud).

Navigation: Marketing Cloud–>Audience builder –>Contact Builder –> Data Sources –> Synchronized

Salesforce Data Extension: This data extension is mainly used to send back email tracking information from email studio sends in Marketing cloud to Sales or service cloud.We should integrate Salescloud with Marketing cloud using Marketing cloud connect (https://trailhead.salesforce.com/en/content/learn/modules/marketing-cloud-connect/get-started-with-mc-connect) before viewing/using Salesforce Data extension.

Navigation: Email Studio–> Email –> Subscribers –> Salesforce Data Extensions

Automation Studio

Copy Data from one Data extension to other Data Extension

In this article, we will try to understand how to copy data from one Data extension to other Data Extension. Sometimes there will be scenarios where you want to change a field type or set a primary key on existing data extension with data. The only option in those scenarios is to drop the existing data and then update the field or set the primary key.

For this demo, I am using Customer_Form Data extension which has only 6 records. We want to change the primary key from Name to Email Address and since the data has been populated we cannot change that until we drop the data. When the volume is less it is easier to do export the data and reimport the file which is less than 20 mb.

Click on Clone on right-hand side top corner next to delete button in order to clone the data extension. This will automatically clone the fields with similar data types and populate the new data extension with Customer_Form_copy(Data extension name_copy).

Click on Save to see the Data extension populated with Similar fields from original data extension without any data. I also added Primary key to Email address after cloning the data extension.

In order to populate data from one data extension to other data extension, we can use SQL query in the Automation studio and schedule the job to run immediately or hourly or daily.

Drag the SQL Query from the palette on the left side and configure the properties by providing desired details such as Name/External Key/Folder Location/ Description.

Click on Next at the bottom and select desired data extension and populate/select desired fields in the query.

Select the desired Target data extension(Customer_Form_Copy) and desired Data action(Append/Update/Override).

Click Finish and you will be redirected to the initial Automation page. Once you click on save it will give you the ability to run once or click on configure to run on desired schedule

Click on Run once and you will be redirected to below screen. MC Team wants to make sure you haven’t accidentally click on run button so they would ask you to click on run button one more time in below screen.

After click on run we can see the results on the overview page of Automation studio as shown below.

Lets validate if our customer_Form_copy data extension is populated with desired records by navigating to Data extensions from Contact builder or Email studio.

We have successfully populated Customer_Form_Copy data extension with data by using SQL Query in Automation studio from Customer_Form data extension. Now we could delete the Customer_Form data extension and rename the existing Customer_Form_Copy data extension to Customer_Form data extension.

Data Extension

Using Lists vs Data Extension in Marketing Cloud

In this article, we will try to understand the difference between Lists and Data Extensions. We will also create Sample Lists and Data Extension to understand the navigation and creation process.

Lists: List is a collection of Subscribers(Customers/Prospects/etc) that receives information from your organization.

We can create as many lists as we want based on different marketing requirements/needs. For Example, we could create a list to send newsletters to your existing subscribers(Customer/Prospects/etc). You could also create/maintain a new list to send Coupons to Subscribers based on different criteria/segmentation. Typically these list contains attributes such as Name, Address, birthday, Interest, other custom attributes. We could also maintain or create lists with subscribers based on channels such as Social Media, Physical Mail or Mobile.

Creation of List in Marketing Cloud:

Navigation: Email Studio–> Email –> Subscribers –>Lists

Click on create on the upper right corner and click on Save.

It automatically creates some of the standard attributes such as Email Address, Status, Subscriber key, First_Name, Last_Name, Full_Name, Title, Owner, Record Owner Full Name.

We could also add custom fields to the Lists by click on create.

Data Extension: Data extension is like a table with different columns that can hold data in rows. You could use this data extension to store Subscriber information or related information(References of Subscriber information such as Purchase History/Visitor History/Non-Subscriber data) that will be used for sending emails. You have to mark it as Sendable in order to send emails from Data extensions. In general, we will not mark the sendable option to true if you do not want to send emails from data extension or just want to stage the related information of the Subscriber.

There are broadly three other data extensions that could be used on a scenario basis.

Standard Data Extension – A standard data extension allows you to create custom fields to store data. This can act as a standalone data extension with desired fields either to capture the data or use it as a sendable data extension.
Filtered Data Extension – A filtered data extension is generated by filtering fields, measures, and filters for sendable data extension from a Source data extension. This is mostly used when we want to have a different sendable data extension populated with final data that is used for sending emails.
Random Data Extension – A random data extension allows you to randomly select subscribers from a Source data extension. This data extension is mostly used to have a separate sendable data extension that is used for sending emails to random subscribers.

Navigation: Email Studio –> Email –> Subscribers –>Data Extensions

Difference between Lists vs Data Extension:

Lists should be used when the overall Subscriber count is less than or equal to 500000. Data extension doesn’t have any predefined limit on the number of Subscribers or records that it could hold. Data Extension is Scalable and if you are unsure about Subscriber counts for future then its better to use Data Extension upfront.
Importing into lists is slow and it takes time to import Subscribers into Lists. Import process in Data extension is way faster and could load millions of records in less than an hour depending on a number of attributes/columns.
Lists can only hold Subscriber information and cannot be used for storing related information of Subscriber. Data Extensions can hold related information without any limits.
Triggered Sends and SOAP/REST API is supported only in Data extensions but not in Lists.

If you are starting on Marketing Cloud it is better to go with Data Extensions instead of Lists as Data grows over a period of time and all the aspects that work with Lists also work with Data Extension.

General

Using Publication Lists in Marketing Cloud

In this article, we will try to explore different use cases for Publication list. Publication list is mostly used for managing Opt-ins or Opt-outs within Email studio. This is also used to control how Subscriber receives different sends such as Emails or SMS based on different categories. We could associate each category with each publication list and make sure Customers/Prospect/Subscriber receives emails from the interested category rather than receiving all the emails. Publication List also helps subscribers in opting out of unwanted categories without opting out of all messages from your organization.

For example, a Customer/Prospect/Subscriber receives a wide category of emails such as Marketing emails, News Letters and Service Notifications. If a customer does not want Marketing emails but wanted to receive News Letters and Service Notifications we could use different Publication lists to achieve this outcome.

If you use only one publication list for all of Subscriber communications and if that person opts out of one publication then that subscriber will be opted out automatically from all publications.

Additionally,

Use a publication list to filter the audience of an email send, which ensure your publications are sent to the subscribers who want to see them.
Use a publication list to show and adhere to regulatory compliance to CAN-SPAM laws.
Use a publication list for each communication type, Such as newsletter, Weather alerts, and Coupons
Use a publication list to control who receives particular communications from a company. In Enterprise 2.0, publication lists can be shared between parent and child business units.

Creation of Publication List:

Publication list could be created by Navigating to Email studio and clicking on the Subscribers tab. Select All Subscribers and click on publication lists.

Navigation: Email Studio –> Email –> Subscribers –> All Subscribers –> Publication Lists

Click on Create and enter Name and description and click on Save.

You could also select a public checkbox if you want to display it in the Subscription center.

General

Understanding Segmentation in Marketing Cloud

In this article, we will try to understand why do we need segmentation and various ways we can segment data. Segmentation is targeting a desired set of Audiences from all the available Subscribers. For Example, if you want to launch a promotion to existing customers within the age group of 30 to 50 yrs then you could use age as your criteria to send promotional messages only to those customers instead of all the available customers. This would help you to target the right audiences and also help in a fewer number of Unsubscribes or IP Reputation. Segmentation also helps in increasing Higher Conversion rates and also Higher Clickthrough Rates.

Some of the business use cases for Segmentation are:

Segmentation could be done based on Age, Gender, Geolocation, Geographic location to Send personalized marketing messages.
Segmentation could also be done based on Purchase History to show related Products.
You could also filter desired Subscribers based on Personal Interests to promotional events.

The above-mentioned Scenarios are for illustration purposes and you could filter the audience based on any desired criteria.

Segmentation Tools:

Segmenting Lists – Lists hold Subscriber information. Segmenting Lists can be done by using Group and Data filter.
Segmenting Data Extensions – Data extensions can hold subscriber information or Related data. Segmenting Data extension can be done by using queries and Data filters.

Amp Script

Prepopulate desired fields using AMPscript

In this article, We will try to explore different business use cases to prepopulate a form with existing data of the customer rather than asking the customer to enter the data.

Business Use case: Some of the eCommerce websites pre-populates your email address when you click on unsubscribe. Some of the Telecom companies populate your Landing pages with prepopulated information such as Name, Phone number, and Email.

For this Demo, we have created a Sample form with Name, Email, Phone, Address, and Zip. If you observe closely we have used HTML tags starting with the Form Tag. If you save this code in a cloud page you will observe that a form is created with Name/Email/Phone/Address/Zip fields with a submit button. Customers/Prospects can submit the desired information from this page.

<label>Email:</label> <input name=”email” type=”text” />

<label>Phone:</label> <input name=”phone” type=”number” />

<label>Address:</label> <input name=”address” type=”text” />

Let us try to pre-populate the form by using %%fieldname%% in the value of the input tag. If you save this code on a cloud page you will observe that a form is created with Name/Email/Phone/Address/Zip fields and you will also see values populated with %%Name%%,%%email%%, %%Address%%.

<label>Email:</label> <input name=”email” type=”text” value=”%%email%%” />

<label>Phone:</label> <input name=”phone” type=”number” value=”%%phone%%” />

<label>Address:</label> <input name=”address” type=”text” value=”%%Address%%” />

When you click on a cloud page link you should see something similar in your browser. If you want to test this in action then send a test email from Data extension and click on the button link on the email which takes you to this cloud page which prepopulates the desired data.

Note: Sometimes it may not be a good idea to use pre-population of data especially in a Forward to Friend Scenarios as it will expose the data of the customer to his/her friend.

Amp Script

Read Values from Form and insert/update into DataExtension using Ampscript

In this article, we will try to understand the basics of AmpScript and insert records into Data Extension. In our previous article, we learned how to personalize using Ampscript. Ampscript code starts with %% and ends with %%. For example, if we wanted to get the dynamic value of Email from Data extension we can use %%Email%% on the Email template or on the cloud page. In case of Cloud page if we want to write an ampScript block then it starts with %%[ and ends with ]%%.

%%[

/** Start of Variable Declarations **/

var @newName,@newEmail,@newPhone ,@website,@Submit

/** End of Variable Declarations **/

/** Start of Setting Dynamic/static values to desired variables **/

set @newName = RequestParameter(“name”)

set @newEmail = RequestParameter(“email”)

set @newPhone = RequestParameter(“phone”)

set @website = ‘Home Page’

set @Submit = RequestParameter(‘submit’)

/** End of Setting Dynamic/static values to desired variables **/

/** Validate if the variable has got the desired value before inserting into Data extension **/

If @submit == ‘Submit’ Then

InsertDE(“Customer_Form”,”Email”, @emailAddress, “Name”, @newName,”Phone”,@newPhone)

Endif

]%%

<label>Name:</label> <input name=”name” type=”text” value=”%%Name%%” />;

<label>Email:</label> <input name=”email” type=”text” value=”%%email%%” />

<label>Phone:</label> <input name=”phone” type=”number” value=”%%phone%%” />

In the above code snippet, we have started our ampscript code with %%[ and then we declared variables using var keyword. Every variable must be declared/starts with @. We have declared newName, newEmail, newPhone for demo purposes.

var @newName,@newEmail,@newPhone,@website,@Submit

After declaring the variables the next step is to populate the variables with some values. We can set any value to the variable as it can hold text or numbers. In our scenario, we want to collect all the dynamic values such as name, email, phone and submit from the form which the customer has entered. RequestParameter function in Ampscript helps in getting dynamic values from the form.

set @newName = RequestParameter(“name”)

set @newEmail = RequestParameter(“email”)

set @newPhone = RequestParameter(“phone”)

set @website = ‘Home Page’

set @Submit = RequestParameter(‘submit’)

After the Declaration of variables and setting/getting the values into variables, our next step is to use the variables and send it to data extension.

We always have to do conditional based logic to avoid unnecessary calls/errors to data extensions. To implement conditional logic we can use If condition/If else condition similar to other programming/Scripting languages. The syntax is a little different when compared to other programming/Scripting languages.

If (condition is true) Then

do this

Endif

In our scenario, we are checking if @submit variable is populated with value as submit then insert into data extension

If @submit == ‘Submit’ Then

InsertDE(“Customer_Form”,”Email”, @emailAddress, “Name”, @newName,”Phone”,@newPhone)

Endif

InserDE syntax helps in inserting data into Data Extension. The first parameter takes the data extension name and is a required field. We also need a column name on the Data extension for which the value has to be inserted.

Syntax

InsertDE(1, 2, 3)

Ordinal	Type		Description
1	string	Required	Name of the data extension from which to insert the specified row
2	string	Required	Column name used to build insert clause
3	string	Required	Column value used to build insert clause

Usage

InsertDE(‘SomeDE’,’FirstName’,FirstName, ‘LastName’,LastName, ‘CreatedDate’,NOW())

Marketing Cloud

Understanding Profile Center and Subscription Center in Marketing Cloud

In this article, we will try to get an overall understanding of the Profile Center, Subscription Center and Preference Center in Marketing Cloud. Marketing Cloud provides with out of box functionality in order to Manage its Subscriber(Customer/Prospect/etc) preferences using Profile and Subscription Center.

Profile Center: Marketing Cloud provides the Profile Center Web page where Subscriber can update their basic information and Personal preferences. This applies to Email Marketing only. We can add custom attributes to show available information(First Name/Last Name/Email/etc) or collect additional preference related attributes on the Profile Center.

Navigation: Email Studio –> Email –> Subscribers –> Profile Management

Click on Preview Profile Center

Subscription Center: Subscription Center is a different web page that identifies which messages a Subscriber(Customer/Prospects) can receive from our business. Communications that have been added to a public publication list are displayed in Available publications. Publication lists helping in Opting in/opting out of desired communications instead of opting out from all communications. For example, if a customer wants to opt-out from Weekly deals emails and want to receive Newsletter Emails this could be handled using Publication lists. As a side note you cannot use custom attributes in Subscription Center.

Navigation: Email Studio –> Email –> Subscribers –> Profile Management

Click on Preview Profile Center and select Subscription Center

As part of the CAN-SPAM Act, it is mandatory to have the Unsubscribe option to be part of Email marketing and the out of box profile center and Subscription center provides with such an option with much of hassle.

Note: You can only customize the color scheme and add your logo using Brand Builder but not do much of customization to any of these standard web pages.

Marketing Cloud

Custom Preference Center in Marketing Cloud

In this article, We will try to understand Custom preference center and also compare it with the Profile Center/Subscription Center to get an overall understanding. Custom Preference Center provides the ability to have both Profile and Subscription information in one page. We can customize the preference center page with desired options that will allow Subscribers to opt-in/opt-out and also provide additional option to Unsubscribe from all the emails. If you are using a Marketing cloud connect then by default we will have to use Custom preference Center.

Ideas to use Preference Center:

You want to provide few options to your Subscribers(Customers/Prospects/etc) such as asking them if they are interested in Getting Emails about birthday Coupons, Networking Events and Promotional Events.
You could also ask customers to opt-in or opt-out into Newsletter, Feedback emails, Conferences, and Events. Since this is a cloud page you could retrieve the preferences from Data extension/Sales cloud and display the subscriber preferences.

You could build custom preference center by using Smart Capture form if you are using Lists. If you are using Data Extensions or Marketing cloud connect then you could use Cloud pages/AmpScript to capture the Subscriber preferences and Update Data Extensions/Sales Cloud /Service Cloud.

Considerations for using Preference Center vs Profile/Subscription Center: