Triggers in newsletters
What is a trigger?
A trigger is a condition or event that brings about a certain action. You decide what condition will activate the trigger and what action will follow next.
For example, you want to welcome every customer who has registered on your website. Registration is a trigger event. A welcome email is your reaction to it. You need to set up a newsletter to trigger this mechanism.
In this article, you will learn how to use triggers in marketing.
Where are trigger events used?
- Trigger campaign. When setting up a campaign, you can select the condition for launching your newsletter on the “Trigger” tab.
Automation scenario. Here you need to select the capture condition, i.e. the event after which the profile will get into the script:
Trigger events
Let's see which triggers can be tracked with Altcraft Platform.
1. When using a special API call
The trigger is activated at the moment when an API request comes from external systems (e.g. website, mobile application, CRM). You need to specify in which database to search for profile data.
Please note that you can set the waiting time, i.e. how many days, hours, or minutes should elapse between the moment the trigger is activated and the occurrence of the event.
A reminder of an abandoned cart
The customer has added the product to the cart but has left the page before completing the order. An API request is sent from your website - the platform finds the data of this customer and runs a trigger newsletter. The customer receives an email reminder about the abandoned cart.
2. When adding or changing a subscription
The trigger is activated if a new subscription to a resource is added to the customer profile or the status of the existing one is changed. Specify the resource and channel where you want to track changes:
If you do not specify any channel, the campaign will monitor the subscription status for all channels of the selected resource: Email, SMS, Push. etc. If you do not specify the resource, the campaign will monitor subscription updates for all resources for the selected channel.
Do you want the trigger to be activated by changes to any profile subscription? Do not specify the resource and channel ;)
Next, specify changes to the subscription:
| Option | When the trigger is activated |
|---|---|
| Subscription to a new resource | The profile gets a subscription to some resource that had no subscriptions before. Please note that the trigger will not work if a subscription is added to the resource where the profile already has a subscription, but, for instance, through a different channel or using different contact details. |
| New channel in the resource | The profile gets a subscription to a new channel in the resource. For example, a subscription to SMS or Push is added to that to email newsletters. |
| New contact in the channel | The profile gets a subscription to a resource with contact details (email, phone number) that were not previously in this resource. The first subscription to the channel is also considered a "new contact in the channel". |
| Status changed | The profile subscription status changes. Select from the drop-down menu which subscription status changes. Select from the drop-down menu which subscription status you want to monitor. |
| The first three items are selected | The profile gets a new subscription. |
Thanking for subscribing
Someone visited your blog, read the article, and liked it. Not wanting to miss a new article, this person clicked «Subscribe».
In the platform, you have the «Blog» resource for it. At the moment when this person clicks the button, a new subscription to the resource appears in their profile.
A trigger is activated — and the new customer receives an email «Thank you for joining us».
3. When importing via API
The trigger is activated when a new profile is added to the database via API. Select the database import to which you want to monitor.
4. When importing manually
The condition is met if the new profile data is added to the database in one of the following ways:
Here you need to select the database import to which you want to monitor.
5. Any type of import
It is activated when the data is uploaded into the database in any available way. Do not forget to select the database.
6. When performing the selected action
Here you need to decide which action and in which channel the subscriber must perform to activate the trigger. Do not forget to select the template to track the action.
This action can be a click in the email or SMS, opening a push notification, or actions in other channels. There are two options for link-related actions:
| Any click | Click on the link |
|---|---|
| The trigger will be activated after the first click on any link in the message in 24 hours. | Specify the link in the «Link name» field. The trigger will capture the first click on the specified link in the last 24 hours. |
7. When a field is changed
The trigger is activated when the specified field takes the necessary value. For example, if the user has changed their email address in their personal account, you can send them a notification email.
8. When the pixel is activated
A pixel is HTML or JavaScript code that is placed on the website to track user activity. If the user who has active subscriptions to any channel activates the pixel on the website, the trigger will capture it.
Please give your feedback on the product
The user purchases in the online store. The «Purchase» pixel is activated. 24 hours later, the user receives your «Please give your feedback» email.
9. When changing the relations
The trigger can be activated when the relations between profiles change: both direct and reverse. This may involve the appearance of relations, changes to it, and its deletion. Besides, the relation property may reach the value set in the trigger.
10. When changing a static segment
The trigger will be activated if the profile enters the specified static segment or exits it.
11. When importing via the form
The trigger is activated if the profile data was uploaded to the database after filling in the form. Select which form the customer should fill out and which database they should get into.
Application collection form
You decide to host a webinar and post a form to collect applications on the website. The user fills out the form. Their data is immediately added to the «B2C clients» database and they get a subscription to the «Applications for participation in the webinar» resource.
12. When filling out the form
The condition is met if the profile fills out the form. Select the form and database:
Thanking for the completed survey
The company conducts a Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey to find out whether customers are satisfied with the service. The client fills out the form. The company sends the client an email with a promo code to thank them for their feedback.
Conclusion
Subscribing to a newsletter, clicking the links in emails, filling out forms on the website, adding products to the cart — all these are triggers that should be monitored. The customer performs some action and you react immediately. Isn't it a marketer's dream?
What is a trigger?
Where are trigger events used?
Trigger events
1. When using a special API call
2. When adding or changing a subscription
3. When importing via API
4. When importing manually
5. Any type of import
6. When performing the selected action
7. When a field is changed
8. When the pixel is activated
9. When changing the relations
10. When changing a static segment
11. When importing via the form
12. When filling out the form
Conclusion