Create and send a newsletter

This tutorial will guide you through all the steps to configure and schedule an email newsletter.

1. Create a Newsletter

1. Go to the Campaigns > Newsletters menu and click Create a newsletter.
2. Enter a name for your newsletter.
3. In the Channel dropdown list, select pmail.
4. Click Create to confirm.

You will then be automatically redirected to the configuration page of your newsletter.

By default, newly created newsletters appear in the schedule with the date of the following day.

2. Build the Email Template

1. Click Edit the template.
2. In the window that opens, click Create a template.
3. Select the editor you want to use to build your template. Two options are available:
   • Fast Builder: See our guide on creating a template with Fast Builder to learn how to use it.
   • HTML Builder
4. You can start from scratch by selecting New template, or copy the template of an existing campaign by selecting it from the list. The Advanced search button allows you to find a specific campaign template by filtering by campaign name, sending dates, or type (newsletter/scenario).
5. Click Use this template to confirm your selection.
6. Then build your template. Make sure to regularly save your work to avoid losing changes accidentally, by clicking Save at the top left of the editor.
7. Once your template is defined, click Save to confirm.

3. Define the Recipient Target

The Target section allows you to define who the newsletter should be sent to by adding target groups, filters, and exclusions.

All newsletters include by default a mandatory filter Contactable members, which cannot be removed or modified. This filter ensures that emails are only sent to members who have agreed to receive your communications and whose email addresses are available and valid.

We recommend checking our tutorial on building a target for a complete guide on how to use the targeting tool.

4. Define Sending Information

To define the email sending parameters, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Subject section and click Edit.
2. In the Subject field (with optional personalization), enter the main subject of the email. You can personalize the subject line with profile information for each recipient, such as first name or last name, to make your communication more personal, or include product details featured in the email to highlight your offer. See our tutorial on email personalization to learn how to personalize subject lines. The subject line can include emojis.
3. In the Fallback subject field (without personalization), enter an alternative subject. This subject will be used for members whose personalization fields are empty. Therefore, it should not contain any personalization fields. However, emojis can be used.
4. In the Sender name field, enter the label that will identify the sender in the recipients’ inboxes.
5. Enter the sender email address and the reply-to email address.
6. Optionally, enter the campaign UTM parameters.
7. Click Save to confirm.

5. Test the Email

Before activating your campaign, we strongly recommend testing it. This allows you to check the content and display of your message as it will appear to your contacts.

1. Click Send a test in the campaign header.
2. In the Recipient list field, enter the email addresses of test recipients. Separate each address with a line break.
3. If your template and/or subject line contain personalization fields, the Profile personalization section allows you to define which values to use in the test email.
4. If your newsletter includes offers, you can define the number of offers to include in the test email and the offer selection mode to test how the template displays in different configurations. You can send a test that closely matches real sending conditions by using the Restrict to campaign filters option, which applies the constraints defined in the Personalized offer section to product selection during testing.
5. Click Send to confirm and send the test.

6. Send the Newsletter

Once all elements of your newsletter are defined, you just need to schedule and activate it. Three sending modes are available:

• Send at a scheduled date and time
• Send as soon as possible
• Send at each recipient’s optimal time (on a scheduled date)

6.1. Send at a Scheduled Date and Time

In the Timing section, enter the desired sending date and time and deactivate the Personalized sending time option.

Make sure to activate your newsletter before the scheduled time so it can be sent on time.

6.2. Send as Soon as Possible

To send your newsletter as soon as possible, simply set the sending date to the current day and the sending time to a past time.

Then activate the newsletter. It will be sent within 15 minutes after activation.

6.3. Send at the Optimal Time

Probance One determines an optimal email sending time for each contact in your database based on their past opens. This time corresponds to the moment when the contact is most receptive and likely to engage with your emails.

The Personalized sending time option allows you to send your newsletter at each recipient’s optimal time, maximizing its chances of being opened and read.

To schedule your newsletter with this sending mode, activate the Personalized sending time option, then set a date and a sending time.

In this case, the sending time corresponds to the newsletter’s execution time by Probance One. Recipients for whom the optimal time has not yet been determined (new contacts or those who have not opened your emails), as well as those whose optimal time is earlier than the execution time, will receive the campaign at the specified sending time. Make sure to activate your newsletter before the defined time so it can be executed on time.

When you modify any element of your campaign after activating it, it automatically switches back to Inactive status. Don’t forget to reactivate it after making your changes.