Default Programs vs Email Programs

[Anonymous]

I'd like to get your opinion on using Programs vs Email.  I solely use the default program option and build drip campaigns with many assests and smart campaigns.  My college soley uses email campaigns.  What is the main differentiator between the 2?  The email campaigns have great dashboard & control panel features that I don't have for my campaigns.  I will not be using nuture and I'm familiar with events but I'm wondering if one is better than another. 
Maybe I'm still green and this is a simple comparison.
Thank you in advance!

[Kim_Allen · Accepted solution]

Hey Melinda!

The advantage I see to the Email Programs is the dashboard and the neat setup. However, it's important to realize these are built for one-off email blasts. It's really up to you. You should also consider reporting and how you want to go about that because this does use a different channel.

This may be helpful: https://community.marketo.com/MarketoDeepDive?id=kA5500000008T1kCAE#easy

[Anonymous]

Thank you Kim P.!

[Veronica_Holme4]

Hi, the neat thing is you don't really have to choose. If you have a complex program you can use the email program to perform the send function within the default program, as you can nest an email program inside a default program as a local asset.

That way you get all the flexibility of using the default program for complex programs, and the cool dashboards of the email program for any one-off email blasts within the default program. Plus you get theimproved A/B testing functionality which I think is actually the gold mine of email programs.

You can also report at the email and default program levels in terms of program channels (though that can get a tiny bit tricky. I usualy exculde the email programs from results reporting on the programs and just report on the default program).

[Myllisa_Patter1]

Veronica,

I see your comment about nesting which I get, but I can't figure out how to get beyond the one-time schedule. If I have a complex program, I want to be able to trigger the email send or at least schedule the send to drop daily so that the email sends automatically when someone new enters the program. I can't figure out how to do that using a nested program. Do you have a solution?

[Anonymous]

Hi Veronica - I am actually onsite right now with a customer and am unable to select the Email Program Email from the outer Default Program. Do you know if it's an issue??
Thanks for any info
Rachel

[Veronica_Holme4]

Hi Myllisa - No, there's no real workaround for that. You can still only use the email program for the "one email, once" scenario. As soon as you need scheduled or triggered email sends, you must use a smart campaign for this. For triggered emails you can use "Champion/Challenger" to get the A/B functionality, but I can't see any way to get you the dashboard in that scenario, at least not yet.

Rachel - Regardless of if you use the email program standalone or nested, the email asset you want to use in the email program MUST be built locally to the email program. Building the email asset in the parent default program will not work, you will not be able to select it in the email program. This is (as far as I know) by design.