Navigation Path​

  1. In the ​Navigation​, click ​Messages​ > ​Create Message​.
    ⇒     The ​Create Message​ window opens to the first step ​Properties​.

Purpose​

Use this window to enter the details of your message.

What can I do in this window?

  • Enter message details

  • Enter the message type

  • Choose message recipients

  • Select A/B split

  • Choose reporting options

Message Details (pane)​

Message Details are for internal use only. Email recipients do not see these details.

Field

Description

​* Message Name

Required field that allows you to apply an internal message name that is different from the email subject.
Enter a message name to distinguish and track a message in the same marketing campaign with the same or similar email subject.
The ​Message Name​ field populates with the email subject on any existing messages. The ​Message Name​ in messages with a draft or scheduled status can be edited.

​Assign To Campaign

You can assign the email that you are creating to an existing campaign or a new campaign.
To assign the message to an existing campaign, select the existing campaign from the dropdown menu.
To assign the email to a new campaign, select ​Create a new campaign​. Enter the new campaign name in the ​Create a New Campaign​ window. After you enter the name, click ​Save.
To go back and select an existing campaign, click ​Cancel​.
You do not have to attach the message to a campaign to send your message.

​Bill Codes

Allows you to attach a user-defined alpha-numeric code to your message.
If this particular message is related to an account, enter the bill code your company uses to reference that account into this field.

​Message Tags​

This feature is optional and that allows you to define additional tags to your message.
Message tags are commonly used for reporting purposes. For example, you could list the product lines that are promoted in your email to compare emails with product line tags in your statistics.
After you create your tags, these options appear when you create a message. You simply check the box next to which tags apply to that message.

​Message Notes​

This feature allows you to track campaign details and provides more details about the message itself, such as an internal marketing code or information on the content.
An example for notes is "New Spring Campaign", "Quarter 1 Email Blast - West Coast", "New Promotion for Internet Customers".
Message Notes​ are saved with each campaign. You can view them while editing a previously saved draft, or when viewing message statistics after sending out a campaign.

​Country

Select the destination country or countries from the drop-down list.

​Promotions

Select the type of promotion from the drop-down list.

​Language

Select the language for the message or messages from the drop-down list.

​US Region

Select the message target region in the US from the drop-down list.

​Opt-out Form​


For example, you are tasked to send promotional messages for a "Spring Sale".

Use the ​Message Name​ to identify campaign details and the message sequence. While the email subject is consistent for two messages of the four messages, you can have the email subject be consistent or unique. The campaign name would be consistent, as all the messages are part of the Spring Sale campaign.

Message Name

Subject

Campaign Name

Spring Incentive #1

Spring Savings Today!

Spring_Sale_Campaign

Spring Incentive #2

Spring Savings Today!

Spring_Sale_Campaign

Spring Incentive #3

Spring Rewards

Spring_Sale_Campaign

Spring Incentive #4

It's That Time: Spring is Here!

Spring_Sale_Campaign

Message Type (pane)​

You can create three different message types: Live Message, Standard Test Message, Basic Test Message. This field is required.
Each message type opens different options for recipients.

Message Type

Description

​Live Message​

Select this option to send a standard live message. This option follows the standard message creation workflow.
Live Message​ opens ​Choose Recipients​ with the options ​All Subscribers​ and ​Specific Segments (Static & Dynamic Segments)​.

​Standard Test Message​

Select this option to test the readiness of a message before sending a live message. This message type allows complete testing of all aspects of the message, including personalization, custom fields, dynamic content, Share-to-Social, and more. A standard test message follows the same sendout process as a Live Message. However, only one email address per sendout is counted although the recipient receives HTML and Plain Text versions.

The system automatically prepends the word "TEST" in the subject line. "TEST" is not saved permanently in the database, this word is only used to identify the message as a test during the message sendout. Each recipient receives two messages, one HTML and one plain text version. To allow for a complete message testing process, Standard Test Messages collect as many statistics as Live Messages. Also, selected segments are limited to 100 recipients. If a segment exceeds 100 recipients, the system does not send the message and returns it to the Edit Drafts message list. A successfully delivered Standard Test Message can be retrieved from the ​Sent Messages​ message list area.

To run additional tests, select the message and click ​Duplicate​. The duplicated Standard Test Message is then available in the Edit Drafts message list area. Also, in the ​Create​ step of the message creation process, a Basic Test message can be sent instantly. Select ​Send Basic Test​ in the ​Create​ step. An overlay screen appears to enter and select test email addresses.

You can enable the ​Inbox Preview​ report via a radio button at the top of the overlay screen. This test message follows the same process as the Basic Test Message. This type of test message is mainly for testing the rendering and creation of a message. A Basic Test Message does not enable testing for custom field population, link tracking and other statistics, functional opt-outs, or dynamic content.

Standard Test Messages does not populate Message Stats Exports, Custom Reports, or Custom Search.
Use Monthly Sending Totals to reconcile your monthly billing statement in lieu of Message Stats Export.
Standard Test Message​ opens ​Choose Recipients​ with the option ​Included Recipients​ and ​Excluded Recipients​.

​Basic Test Message​

Use ​Basic Test Message​ as the primary step to test a message, primarily to test the rendering and creation of the message.
A Basic Test Message does not follow a live message send process, as a result this message only requires the steps ​Properties​, ​Create​, and ​Review & Send​. Also, the received message does not not render dynamic content, populate custom fields, provide functional opt-outs, or track links or other statistics.

Messages sent with the Basic Test Message process are not applied towards your standard CPM rate.
Basic Test Messages do not populate any reports, statistics, or searches in the system.
​Basic Test Message​ closes the ​Choose Recipients​ options.

Choose Recipients​

Message Type

Possible Recipients

​Live Message​

This message type opens the Choose Recipients pane with options to select recipients.

  • All Subscribers
    This option opens information on the subscribers and includes the option to exclude recipients.

    • ​Included Recipients: All subscribers​ cannot be changed.

    • ​Excluded Recipients:​ with selection option.
      Click ​Exclude Segments​ to open a window and select specific segments to exclude from the sendout.

  • Specific Segments (Static & Dynamic Segments)

    • ​Included Recipients:​ with selection option.
      Click ​Include Segments​ to open a window and select specific segments to include in the sendout.

    • ​Excluded Recipients​
      Click ​Exclude Segments​ to open a window and select specific segments to exclude from the sendout.

​Standard Test Message​

This message type opens the Choose Recipients pane with options to select recipients.

  • ​Included Recipients:​ with selection option.
    Click ​Include Segments​ to open a window and select specific segments to include in the sendout.
  • Excluded Recipients​
    Click ​Exclude Segments​ to open a window and select specific segments to exclude from the sendout.

​Basic Test Message​

You cannot select message recipients.

A/B Split​

A|B Split allows you to send two variations (A Version/B Version) of your message to determine which variation performs better for your audience. Two message testing options are provided, "Enable two versions of message content" and "Enable two send times." You can test message variations for the following elements:

  • Subject Line

  • Message Body Content and Layout

  • Message Sent Time or Throttling

Each version is sent to a different random sample of your recipients to help you to determine which version performs better. You configure these sample size options in the ​Review​ step.
If A|B Split is enabled, the ​Sending Range​ is disabled for that message

A|B Split option

Description

​Disable​

Disable is the default option. The A|B Split feature is not enabled.

​Enable two versions of message content​

This option can run a 50/50 A|B Split or A|B Split with a Champion.

This option allows two variations of message body content, message layout, or subject lines. This option does not allow testing of different send times or throttling options.

​Enable two send times​

This option can run a 50/50 A|B Split only.

This option allows two variations of message send times and throttling options. This option does not allow testing of different message body content, message layouts, or subject lines.

​Version A Notes​

​Version B Notes​

Use this text area to include any internal notes that help to identify and remind a user of the difference between each version. For example, ​Version A Note​ can include information about free shipping, while ​Version B Note​ can list details about 10% off. These fields can contain a maximum of 100 characters.

Related Topics​

Create Message - Overview​