Engagement Program Best Practice

[Mark_Farnell]

I'd like some feedback from the community on whether I am aproaching the use of engagement programs in the best way.  We use similar content across different programs, currently segmenting the content based on region.  So I've created some standard email programs so I can just drop them in to engagement.

I think using programs is the best approach, since I can be sure if a lead is in more than one engagement program we wont send the same content twice, although I know that will work of just an email as well.

Also to add the program to each engagement program I am creating a new send camapign to send the program to member of "x" engagement program, so each actual email program may have several send campaigns.

Also, at the moment we are adding in another layer to only keep leads in one engagement program, so for each new engagement program I use a flow step to remove from the other engagment programs (change status to not in program) before adding to the new one.  We do this at the moment as we have several working at the same time and while we are in our early stages of using the enagagement programs want to try and make sure everyone is only in one (but if they end up in two we know they wont get the content)  This probably wont be sustainable in the longer term as we build up our nurture activities.

We're using programs fo attribution as well as tracking the overall program status of each program away from the engagement program.

Is this broadly the best approach?

[Josh_Hill13 · Accepted solution]

Generally sounds right. I'd be careful with how you manage leads across multiple Programs. I wouldn't necessarily remove the lead, rather I'd Pause it instead. Otherwise you lose data for that Engagement Program.

[Anonymous]

I agree with Josh. You will lose all engagement data associated with a lead with you remove it (change status to not in program) from the engagement program. 

I use programs in my nurture streams for the same reason. That way, you can tailor the email for the audience (I may have multiple emails per content program) while still preventing a lead from receiving content twice since they're a member of the program.

[Mark_Farnell]

Thank you Josh and Amanda - something that Amanda said interested me that I may have missed in the documentation - several emails can be used in one program, but once a lead is a member of that program they can neve receive any other emails from that program i.e. it is program memebrship rather than content that is driving that part of the engagement process.  Is that correct?

[Anonymous]

Hey Mark,

You are correct. When an email is used in a stream, a lead in that stream will skip that email if they'd previously received that specific email. 

If you use a program in a stream, you select a campaign that will send whatever email within that program. A lead in that stream will skip the program/campaign/email if they are members of that program already.

This is why we use programs. I've created a program for each piece of content. Each program contains campaigns and emails that are specific to a certain use or promotion. So when I want that piece of content in a nurture stream, I pull in the whole program, selecting a campaign that references an email that's specific for that nurture audience. Since I pulled in the program, noone that has already engaged with the content piece will receive that email.

The thing you need to watch for is that you only add leads to the program as members if they've engaged with the content, not if you sent it to them. For example, if you send a batch email with the piece, the only leads that are added as members to the program are those that downloaded the content. If they never opened the email, they didn't engage with the content, so they should still be able to receive it via a nurture program at a later date.

If you have any questions, feel free get in touch with me to arrange a call!

Amanda

[Mark_Farnell]

Hi Amanda - so therfore I am also now assuming that by only adding the lead to the actual program being used e.g. by changing program status to opened/clicked to show engagement, no one else will be added to the program.  So whilst that program is being used  in the engagemetn stream it will send the same email on every cast to the leads that have not at least opened the email?

[Anonymous]

Hi Mark,

To summarize your last comment, you're saying that the email program will only send to nurture stream emails that are not already a member of the email program (i.e. have not opened or clicked already).  If I'm understanding that correctly, then Yes - you're right.

If you want to chat further, feel free to email me at aovenden@recombo.com.

Thanks!