TDF CRM Mailer Module

Purpose

The purpose of the TDF Mailer module of TDF is to give users the ability to create direct mail or email campaigns easily and efficiently using information related and linked to the Account and Contact records set up in TDF.

The TDF Mailer module is an optional module in TDF that allows users to create bulk or personalized email messages to Contact records related to the prospects, customers, and other business relationships associated with their company.  Email campaigns can be created using Personal draft email messages set up by users or Global draft email messages set up by an administrative user of TDF.

This technical bulletin contains the following sections:

1. Overview of the TDF Mailer Module
2. TDF Mailer Module Campaign Types
3. Accessing the TDF Mailer Module
4. Creating a Mailing Campaign for Contact records linked to Account records
5. Creating a Mailing Campaign using Gap Analysis

1. Overview of the TDF Mailer Module

The TDF Mailer module can be used to extract information from the Account and Contact records set up in TDF, as well as extract information related to the TDF items that are linked to these Contact records, to create a Microsoft Excel file.  This Microsoft Excel file can then be used as a data source for a Mail Merge in Microsoft Word to create a letter or memo that can be directly mailed to prospects, customers, and other business relationships.  

The TDF Mailer module gives users the ability to create a filtered list of recipients based on the Account Packages associated with TDF.  For example, if a company set up an Account Package for each region where products and services are sold to customers, a salesperson can create an email campaign for only the contacts in the region that the salesperson is responsible for managing.

Although users have the ability to select one or multiple Account Packages to associate with an email campaign, only the Account Packages that a user has rights to access can be included in an email campaign.

Users can also create a filtered list of recipients based on the Type of Export selected and associated with the email or direct mail campaign.  

If the Type of Export associated when a campaign is Account, a filtered list of recipients can be created based on the fields and data associated with the Account records in TDF.  For example, if Account records in TDF do not have a Business Code, then all Contact records associated with these Account records can be included or excluded from an email campaign recipient list.  

If the Type of Export associated when a campaign is Opportunity, a filtered list of recipients can be created based on the fields and data associated with the Opportunity records in TDF.  For example, a filtered list can be created based off of the sales stage associated with Opportunity records.

The TDF Mailer module allows users to easily set up email campaigns based on Personal draft email messages created by users in the Draft Editor window.  Email campaigns can also be created and based on Global draft email messages published by the administrator users of TDF.

The TDF Mailer module gives users the ability to create a filtered list of recipients based on user-specified criteria and information maintained in TDF.  The TDF Mailer module also allows for email message personalization and easy message editing.

The TDF Mailer module is compatible with web editors like Dreamweaver, PageMaker, and FrontPage.  

 

2. TDF Mailer Module Campaign Types

Two types of campaigns can be created in the TDF Mailer module:

Direct Mailing

Email Mailing

Note: An existing Mailing can also be used if the user has already created a previous Mailing export.

A Direct Mail campaign type allows users to export data from TDF to Microsoft Excel.  For example, the name and address information associated with Contact records can be exported and used as a data source for a Mail Merge in Microsoft Word to create mailing labels.

The Email campaign allows users to create email messages based on Personal draft email messages created by users in the Draft Editor window.  Email campaigns can also be created and based on Global draft email messages published by the administrator users of TDF.

 

3. Accessing the TDF Mailer Module

Use the following procedures to access the TDF Mailer module:

1. Select Mailer in the TDF menu.

 

4. Creating a Mailing Campaign for Contact Records Linked to Account records

There are two different types of ways to create a mailing campaign list. One of the methods is by exporting all of the Contact records linked to Account records based off of Account Packages and filters set up in the TDF Mailer module. The Account Packages and filters are selected during the creation of the mailing list.

Selecting Contact records that are linked to Account records is a good way of identifying key contacts that need to be targeted for the mailing campaign. For example, if the mailing campaign is directed at CEOs and not salesmen, then using the Account record as the Parent item is a quick way of identifying the companies named, email address or physical address.

Use the following procedures to create a mailing campaign for Contact records linked to Account records:

1. Open the TDF Mailer module from the TDF menu.

 

2. On the Welcome screen select whether to use an existing a Mailer export or to create a new export. For the purposes of this section, select Create a new export, and click the Next button.

3. On the Select Account Packages screen, select the Account Packages that need to be included in the mailing campaign. Click the Next button when finished to continue.

 

4. Create a filter for the Account records to specify which type of Account records should be included in the mailing. Click the Next button when finished to continue.

For example, if this is a mailing record targeting prospects, then a filter can be created that only selects Account records with the Account Status field set to Prospect.

Note: Creating a filter is optional.

5. On the Set Secondary Filter screen select whether the Account records also need to be filtered by another record.  For example, an email can be set out to all Account records that meet a Sales Stage requirement on the Opportunity screen.

Note: Creating a secondary filter is optional.

 

6. On the Set Contact Filter screen, create a filter for the Contact records linked to the Account records being used in the mailing. Click the Next button when finished to continue.

For example, if this mailing is a mailing campaign that is targeting CEOs or Presidents of a company then a filter can be set to only use Contact records that have CEO or President entered in the Job Title field.

Note: Creating a filter is optional.

7. On the Create filters based on sales dollars screen, click the Next button.

Note: Refer to E. Creating a Mailing Campaign Based on Gap Analysis section of this document for instructions on setting up a mailing campaign based on sales dollars.

 

8. On the Preview Accounts screen, review the Account records that have selected based on the criteria set up earlier.

To remove an Account record from the mailing campaign, click the check box in the Include In Export field. Click the Next button when finished to continue.

9. On the Preview Contacts screen, review the Contact records that are linked to the Account records chosen on the Preview Accounts screen.

To remove a Contact record from the mailing campaign, click the check box in the Include In Export field. Click the Next button when finished to continue.

 

On the Summary screen, review the information provided.

10. Choose which type of mailing campaign to use for the mailing list compiled.

For example, if this mailing campaign is an electronic based mailing campaign select the Email Mailing link. If this mailing is a physical based mailing campaign select the Direct Mailing link.

11. On the Select a Mailing Type screen, choose the draft that needs to be used for the mailing. Click the Next button to continue. For information about creating drafts refer to Technical Bulletin 6302 – Using the Draft Editor.

 

12. On the Bookmark Options screen the bookmarks located on the draft chosen can be edited.  Click the Next button to continue. The following fields can be edited for the bookmark selected:

• Default Value – This field is used to set a default value for that bookmark that is the value used if the selected TDF field is blank.

For example, if the TDF field the bookmark is linked to is blank, a default value such as “Valued Customer” can be used so that “Valued Customer” displays in the mailing instead of a blank field.

Note: TDF does not recommend using the other fields.

 

13. On the Manage Attachments screen, click the Add an attachment link to add an attachment for the mailing. Click the Next button to continue.

Note: TDF does not recommend using this option.

14. On the Select an Event for this Mailing screen, choose an Event that the mailing is being used for. If this mailing is not for an Event click the Next button to continue.

If this mailing is for an Event entered into TDF, click the Associate this mailing with an Event in TDF check box, and select the Event in the Event grid.

 

Typically a mass mailing for an Event is an invitation list. To make the mailing an invitation list click the This is an “Invitation” mailing check box.

 

15. On the Advanced Options screen choose the options that are going to be used when the mailing is sent. These advanced options can help users with slower computers or for mass mailings that can slow a system down. Click the Next button to continue.

The following advanced options are available:

• Messages Per Minute – This field is used to limit how many emails are sent per minute.
• Email Logging – This field is used to prevent the mailing from being logged into TDF. Do not check this box if the mailing needs to be logged into TDF.
• Faxing Options – This field is used to send the mailing by fax if the contact does not have a valid email address. The fax number used is the number entered in the Business Fax No field.
• Reply-to Options – This field is used to forward all replies to the mailing to specific salesman. This field is typically used for Opportunity based mailings.

16. On the Preview Mass Message screen, review the mailing that is being sent out to the Contact records selected.

17. To review all of the Contact records selected, click the Load/Refresh Preview Data link. After clicking the link the Contact records load in the Data Preview grid.

 

18. Click the Next button to continue.

19. On the Process Data screen click the Start button to begin processing the mailing list. Click the Stop button to stop the process.

To save this export for future use, click the Click here to save these settings link.

 

20. In the Name this Mailing window type in a description to identify this mailing.

The user can also set the date that the email message was processed for future reference.  This field is used when an existing export is loaded to indicate when the last time that particular email message was sent out.

21. Click the Finish button to close the TDF Mailer module.

 

5. Creating an Email Campaign Using Gap Analysis

Another filter that can be applied to email campaigns is a Gap Analysis filter. A Gap Analysis filter is useful for identifying customers that can be targeted for a specific product. For example, the Gap Analysis can identify all customers that are buying light fixtures but are not buying ceiling fans. A mailing can then be created to target those customers who are not buying ceiling fans.

Use the following procedures to build a mailing campaign based off of a Gap Analysis filter:

1. Open the TDF Mailer module from the TDF menu.
2. On the Select Account Packages screen, select the Account Packages that need to be included in the mailing campaign. Click the Next button when finished to continue.
3. Create a filter for the Account records to specify which type of Account records should be included in the mailing. Click the Next button when finished to continue.

Note: Creating a filter is optional.

4. On the Set Contact Filter screen, create a filter for the Contact records linked to the Account records being used in the mailing. Click the Next button when finished to continue.

Note: Creating a filter is optional.

5. On the Create filters based on sales dollars screen, click the Enable Gap Analysis Filter check box.

 

6. In the Notice window click the OK button.

7. Choose a date range based off of one of the predefined date ranges set up on the basic tab.

Or Click the Advanced tab and choose custom dates for date range.

 

8. Click the OK button to continue.

9. In the Select Base Summary Conditions section click the Select a specific item link.

 

10. On the Select an Item screen, choose which classification to base the item based filter on.

For example, to identify all companies that are buying Regulator parts choose Product Group as the classification and select the Regulator Parts product group.

Click the OK button to continue.

Note: The Sales for Range field identifies the sales for that classification based on the date filter chosen.

11. In the Select Base Summary Conditions section choose the operator for the filter.

Note: In order to choose a different Base Summary condition click on the link again. Clicking on the link of the currently selected item does not open the Product Group.

 

12. Type in the numerical value for the Item based summary.

The Quick Summary section displays date results based on the filter selected. In this case 396 Account records have been found that match the filter criteria.

 

The Comparison Selection Summary Conditions section used to either compare a different item or identify Account records that have a sales figure greater or less than the same item selected as the base.

For example, a comparison can be made to Account records that have regulator parts sales less than 10,000 dollars but greater than 2,000 dollars. This helps identify the companies that would benefit the most from the mailing being created, and to not target the companies that are already buying a healthy amount of regulator parts.

 Note: A comparison does not need to be selected.

13. Complete the rest of the Mailing in the Export Wizard to send out the mailing message.