List importing (with existing members) into Engagement Programs

[David_Jackman1]

Hey guys,

I have a nurture I set up where we are sending out emails to specific leads, encouraging them to take certain classes/webinars, and then once they take all classes, they are routed into a marketing stream. Each stream is set to a certain status (ex: "Taken class A, but not B, - which would spawn an email telling them to take class B). I've set up custom fields with a date that ea. specific class was taken on. (Our vendor sends us the list each week which contains new leads as well as leads already in our system--a number of them already in the engagement program - so the only way we know whether they have taken another class is when a new list comes in with those class dates in the excel field (which I upload into Marketo). In order to manage this, I've set up an "entry" stream with no content- just set up for determining what date fields (classes are taken) are filled and what's not for anyone that gets entered, and from there it sends to the appropriate content stream.

Here's my question:

Scenario: I have someone (call them "Richard") in Stream 3 for example (took class A but not B), and we are waiting to see what next class they take/not take to move them along or not. A new list comes in and I upload that list into the engagement program. Inside that list contains Richard, with an updated class date field (or even if no fields have changed, I think my question would still be the same):

Once list uploaded, will Richard... A: Be sent from Stream 3 into the Stream 1 (entry stream) again, and then route him from there, or will... B: the engagement program see that he's already inside and skip adding him into Stream 1 again?

The main reason I ask is that I have long wait steps set up that apply to people in certain streams for this logic (used for follow ups/adding to marketing based on time, etc), so ideally, I wouldn't want people getting shifted back into Stream 1 each time they are re-uploaded from a new list with an update.

Thanks for your help!

David

[Grégoire_Miche2]

Hi david,

It completely depends on how the import is done, what process is set up after import. A coupole of bets practices:

• never import leads in a program. You have too little control. Create a static list in the program and import them there.
• One the import is done, run some batch campaign to assign the persons to the appropriate streams
• You will be able to use filters such as Lead was created with list contraint to detect the people who were created during the import. Or Member of engagement program with Stream constraint to fine tune assignment.

-Greg

[David_Jackman1]

Thanks Greg, I appreciate the insights.

So, right now I have a static list that's inside the EP. When I import people into it, they go into Stream 1 by default - my entry stream. From there, there's a smart campaign I made that sends everyone into a specific stream based on certain criteria/fields. So what I'm wondering is, if a person whose already in the EP - not in Stream 1- but a different stream- is also in a new list that's uploaded into the program via static list - (so that it can sync with new info- like custom field filled out that makes them qualify for one of my smart campaigns), does the list upload treat them as a new EP Member and put them back into Stream 1, or will it leave them in the current stream they were in (or supposed to go to) based on my criteria? Hope that makes sense...

[Grégoire_Miche2 · Accepted solution]

Hi David,

When I import people into it, they go into Stream 1 by default

This only happens if you set the EP as the acquisition program on import or if you run a smart campaign to do so. Otherwise, the imported persons are not added to the EP automatically by default.

Now, when you set up that smart campaign, make sure you do not reprocess the ones that already in the streams using the following filters:

• Member of list IN [your import list]
• Member of engagement program NOT IN [your EP]

This will make sure that only the new persons are assigned to streams and that it lets untouched the ones that were already there.

-Greg

[David_Jackman1]

That's helpful and answers my question. Thanks Greg. One last question... regarding my import list, as these spreadsheets are coming in weekly (which will contain a mix of new leads and leads already in our system), can I just add them to the same static list each time or do I need to create new lists for each spreadsheet upload?

Thanks.

[Grégoire_Miche2]

Hi again David,

I suggest you create 1 new static list, name it "passed imports". In the end of flow of the batch smart campaign, add 2 steps : 1 remove from list (import list) and 1 add to list (passed imports).

Each week use the same "import list".

-Greg

[David_Jackman1]

Thanks Greg, sorry I'm not sure I fully understand the purpose of this suggestion though. Is to create a buffer for failed uploads or track dupes, etc? Thanks.

[Grégoire_Miche2]

Hi David,

No, it's just to get a log of past imports and cleanse the import list, so that if in the future you import the same person again, smart campaigns that run on list membership can detect people who were really in the last import. You could do without it, but it's a practices that I enforce because it makes things clearer, in case you (or someone else) looks at it in 12 months and wonder how the whole thing is supposed to work

-Greg

[David_Jackman1]

Ahh ok thank you Greg, that makes sense. I appreciate your help in all of this!

[Grégoire_Miche2]

You welcome.

-Greg