Customizing an E-mail

ACTITO gives you the possibility to personalize your e-mails in order to display text elements specific to each of your contacts. This can be based not only on Profile attributes but also on a wide range of interactions.

Customizations should be set up during the writing stage of your e-mail.

In order to insert a customization, type the '$' character followed by the technical name of your customization (for instance, ${firtsname}) in your message, at the place you want the customization to appear. When a reader will receive this e-mail, this tag will be replaced by their own first name, which will let them feel more involved.

Tip

The use of special characters and spaces is not allowed in the technical name of a customization. For example, ${firstname] should be used instead of ${first name}.

To set up your customization, you then have to click on 'Exit editor' in the top right of your screen.

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-1-29_10-28-43.png

This will direct you to a preview of your message, where it will be possible to click on the 'Customization' tab in order to edit them.

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-1-29_10-30-41.png

It is possible to go back to editor mode and resume writing your message at any time. It is however possible to insert all your customizations tags then to define the settings of all of them at the same time. If you make use several times of the same attributes, please make sure to use the same technical name in the body of your message. Moreover, an unambiguous technical name will simplify your work if you use many customizations. There are indeed several possibilities.

Customization values

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-1-29_10-40-54.png

Profile Attribute

It is possible to display any attribute from a profile table, such as addressing the recipient by their name or referring to a subscription.

The attribute value is especially useful to parameter the greeting at the beginning of your e-mail. A gender test is therefore predefined.

Gender test

This option enables you to choose a value depending on the gender of the profile, or a default value in case it is unknown.

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-1-29_10-47-26.png

Question answer

This option makes use of the answer in particular of an ACTITO form or survey. It is necessary to first select the relevant form, then the question you want to use.

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-1-29_10-52-47.png

Segmentation

It is possible to add a customization based on which segment a profile belongs to.

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-1-29_10-54-36.png

Web form URL

This customization will direct to an ACTITO form, which the reader will be able to fill in to start a comprehensive dialog or to update their profile information.

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-1-29_10-57-33.png

Unsubscribe URL and Web version URL

Lets you repeat the 'unsubscribe' link or the 'web version' link.

Share e-mail URL

It is possible to redirect to a 'share' URL on social networks.

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-1-29_11-1-16.png

Fixed value

Replaces the customization by a predefined value.

Technical value

This lets you make use of technical data stored by ACTITO.

External value (External customization)

It is also possible to include a customization based on external values which are not stored in ACTITO. This data can be 'provided later' for values provided by a scenario, or it can come from an external file.

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-1-29_11-8-28.png

External files are especially useful for one-off information whose purpose is not to be stored in ACTITO, such as a discount code.

To link such as file to an external value customization, you will have to click on the 'More' button then on 'Upload external customization file'.

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-1-29_11-11-29.png

You will need to upload a CSV file with the key attribute in one column, and the matching customization in a second column. After importing the file, you will be able to select its name in the drop-down list for external values customizations.

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-1-29_11-16-22.png

Custom Tables

It is also possible to create a customization based on data store in Custom Tables, which are the purple tables in the star model.

To this purpose, it is necessary to first include the table in question at the Targeting stage. All you need to do is clicking on 'Add a module' and to select the name of the relevant Purple Table in the drop-down menu.

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-2-11_13-54-11.png

Adding a specific criteria is not needed, as the mere presence of the module is enough.

This prerequisite will allow the Custom Table to appear in the drop-down menu of values on which the customization can be based.

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-2-11_14-7-1.png

What data point to use?

After selecting the field of the linked table intended for the customization, you will be invited to specify 'what data point to use?' A purple table might indeed include several lines related to the same profile (for example, a 'Tickets' table).

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-2-11_14-8-7.png

Three options are available:

  • Consistent with the targeting: selects the value matching the filters defined at the Targeting stage (For example, a criteria on the date or the value of a ticket).

  • Last data based on field "id": chooses the latest data entry for each profile in the Custom Table.

  • Provided by the scenario: this option must be chosen in the case of scenarized e-mails when the 'Start' block of the scenario is related to the value of the customization (For example, if the scenario is triggered by a ticket creation, a targeting,...). This will ensure that the information which triggered the scenario is the same as the information used for the customization.

Tip

In the case of scenarized sendings, it is necessary for the customization to be 'provided by the scenario', even if the scenario is triggered by a 'Targeting' start block. Instead of attempting to mirror the targeting that triggered a scenario in the targeting of the e-mail, choosing a customization 'provided by the scenario' will ensure your e-mail to be customized with the interaction that started the scenario.

Advanced options

You do not necessarily have to display the value of the attribute such as it is. It is also possible to transform it by replacing it with a specific text based on this value. To do so, click on the 'wheel' icon at the end of a line.

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-1-29_11-20-49.png

You will be able to map profiles attributes with the substitution value that you want to display. This is especially efficient when the possible values of the attribute are defined in a list, such as gender or country.

However, it also possible to set up a default value in case the value found in the profile table does not match your criteria.

For example, if you launch a campaign for the French National Day, it is possible to add a customization based on the 'addressCountry' attribute and to customize your greeting depending on whether your client is French or not.

images/download/attachments/615287717/image2019-1-29_11-34-41.png

Tip

Even if you choose to code your own HTML, it is still possible to use customization in ACTITO. You only have to include the relevant $ tag.