Looking for enhanced Engagement Program logic to weed out non-engagers

[Dan_Stevens_]

Most of the people that become members of our EPs are due to prior behavior that relate to the content within a specific EP.  What we would like to do is prevent people - who haven't shown any engagement over a specific period of time/casts - from receiving future casts.  Aside from creating custom score fields (each time someone engages) that would allow us to trigger off whether or not a value exists, are any of you doing this today using creative filtering techniques?  And yes, we do use child programs within our EPs (vs. just simple emails) so that we can include smart list criteria to ensure a lead is qualified to receive a specific cast.  But we need to be careful here due to this limitation: If a lead doesn't qualify for an Engagement Program cast, does it proceed to the next email?

I suppose one tactic would be to create additional streams that contain the longer-term content.  And people transition from one stream to the next as they show engagement.  That would require duplicating the content in every stream to ensure they receive all content.  For example we can have one stream that has 4 pieces of core content.  And then if they engage with either of these (clicks link in email), they are pulled into a longer-term nurture stream.  This longer term nurture stream would need to included that core content for those users that prematurely got pulled into the this stage (so that they continue to receive the initial "core" content).

I'd be interested to learn how others are using EPs to ensure longer term casts are only being sent to those that are actively engaged.

[Josh_Hill13 · Accepted solution]

Why not just exit unengaged people out of the Stream using a smart campaign like you would for Inactive Scoring?

Run Daily,

No Activity after 90 days, then Pause, Move to Empty Stream, Add to List, Change Status.

You could also accelerate and decelerate content as you suggest with smart campaigns. I don't use Transitions.

[Dan_Stevens_]

I like this approach, Josh.  And for others who are reading this, it's important that we move them to an empty stream vs. removing them from the EP altogether, as this would affect reporting.  In other words, we need to keep them members of the EP.

[Dan_Stevens_]

For those that are interested in this approach, below are the smart list filters that are part of the smart campaign to move un-engaged members to an "un-engaged" stream.  The "min. number of times" constraint is especially important so that it doesn't qualify members who only received one email (and didn't click).

[Anonymous]

We also send unengaged leads into empty streams. And we also use "duplicate content" in various streams of one EP. In fact, it's not really duplicate content, it's the same content from the same program even using the same Smart Campaign which is used in these various streams.

And same as Josh, we don't use Transition Rules. Stream transitions are handled through Smart Campaigns in a folder under that EP called "Nurture Control". At least for me that's more transparent as you can name these Smart Campaigns to see what they are actually doing.

[Josh_Hill13]

Depending on Bad Exit choices, I realized today that Bad Exit can be temporary, such as marketing suspended=T, Wait 7 days, then F. Funny, I sort of knew that, but didn't think it warranted more attention until now.

Which may impact your choices on Step Numbers in the Program Tag manager. Not sure if I want to go change everything now. If you're setting up fresh, you may want to consider how people could cycle in and out of that.

[Anonymous]

Josh - I like that remark! I'd even put in a rule like that:

If you design an entry, think about the exist as well. And if you design an exit, have a potential re-entry in mind.

[Dory_Viscoglio]

Yes. This. It's very frustrating that removing someone from an EP will affect reporting, but moving them to an empty stream is a great fix.

[Josh_Hill13]

Yes, I meant to make that more explicit. Thanks.