Getting Started with Email Marketing

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a list, add contacts to the list, create an email message, and then test, schedule, and send the message.

Keep in mind that Email Marketing is a powerful tool with many advanced features that can help make your email marketing more effective. At the end of each step in this tutorial, we provide links to Help topics with more information about appropriate features.

Creating a list

Adding contacts to a list

Alternately, if you have an existing database of contacts in an CSV or TXT file, you can upload that database to your list. For instructions for uploading a database, see Uploading an Existing Mailing List (Lyris HQ Interface).

To add a contact

Creating a message

1. Select a template

The template is a starting point for any message. It provides a structure for the message, such as the page layout.

To select a template

1. On the Navigation bar, click Messages.

The Messages page opens in a new tab.

2. Click .

The Select Template page opens.

3. In the Message Name field, type a name for the message.

The name is for your use, your recipients will not see it.

4. In Message Type, select Multipart HTML to create both an HTML and text versions, or Text Only to create only the text version.

5. In the template list, select the template you want to use.

The selected template is highlighted.

6. Click .

The Edit Message page opens.

More information about selecting a template

2. Specify recipients and create content

In this step, you can also add enhancers, mail merge tags, and images. In addition, you can preview the message and send Quick Tests.

To create message content

1. On the Edit Message page, click in the To field.

The list of your lists opens.

2. Select the list or segment you want then click Close.

3. In the From field, type the name you want recipients to see when they receive the message

4. In the Subject field, type the subject you want the recipients to see when they receive the message.

5. Type your content using the toolbar buttons to format your text.

Tip: Point at a button to learn what it does.

6. To preview the message, click .

7. Click .

The Test Message page opens.

More information about creating message content

3. Optionally, test the message and generate audit reports

When testing the message, you can send it to your proof contacts to see how the message will appear in your recipients' inboxes. You can also generate audit reports, which give you information about the deliverability of your message, such as whether any elements of the message might cause it to be flagged as spam.

To test the message

1. On the Test Message page, select the Send Proof tab.

The Proof Contacts list opens, showing all existing Proof Contacts.

2. Do one of the following:

To add a new proof contact, click Add Proof Contact then type the contact's email address in the empty row that appears.

To send the message to individual proof contacts, select the contact's checkbox.

To send the message to all Proof Contacts, select the Proof Contacts checkbox.

3. Click Send Proof Message.

The message is sent to the Proof Contacts you selected.

To generate audit reports

1. Select the EmailAdvisor Testing tab.

The EmailAdvisor Testing page opens.

2. In the Reports section, select the audit reports you want to generate:

Spam Filter helps you identify which elements of your message might cause it to be flagged as spam.

Blacklist Monitor shows whether any IP addresses or domains in your message are listed on any blacklists.

Email Preview shows how your message will look in a number of email clients.

3. Click Run Tests

Lyris begins to generate the audit reports. When the reports are generated, the links in the Test Results section become enabled.

More information about testing messages and generating audit reports

More information about proof contacts

4. Schedule the message for delivery

You can stop a scheduled message before it is sent.

To send a message immediately

1. On the Schedule page, make sure Immediately is selected.

2. Click Launch Message .

A confirmation message opens.

3. Click Yes.

The Confirmation page opens.

Tip: To stop the message, click Stop Delivery of Message.

4. Click Close & Return to Messages.

Your message is sent and the Messages page opens. The message status changes to Sent.

To schedule a message for future delivery

1. On the Schedule page, select Later.

The Calendar is enabled.

2. Select the delivery date and time from the calendar.

3. Click Launch Message .

A confirmation message opens.

4. Click Yes.

The Confirmation page opens.

5. Click Close & Return to Messages.

Your message is scheduled and the Messages page opens. The message status changes to Scheduled.

Tip: To stop the message, click Stop Delivery of Message.

More information about sending and scheduling messages