Skipping Content in Engagement Programs

[Andy_Varshneya1]

Hi Lisa,

No, technically the way engagement programs work is that they go down the list from Asset 1 to Asset n and find the first one email/smart campaign that the lead is not a part of and push them through that. Because of that, say you had them skip Asset 4-5 and go straight to Asset 6, if you don't have those filters in place, they'll get Asset 4 the next week.

As for the has not viewed the asset in the email filter already, that is more as a precaution if you have the same asset in multiple emails. For example, if you have a webinar invite in emails 1-3, you want to make sure you don't promote it to them if they've already registered for the webinar.

Make sense?

[Anonymous]

I think it so. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Thank you Jamie Lewis​ and Andy Varshneya​! This is exactly the system I have been building this morning based on the info I got from Edward Unthank​'s presentation (linked above). I am glad we're interpreting it the same way - feel validated!

Edward Unthank​, I appreciate the breakdown - very helpful. Can you confirm that if I follow these steps to exclude the lead (who previously downloaded asset) they would receive the next piece of content? What I'm trying to avoid is a lead skipping a week of nurture because they don't qualify for one of the pieces of content. Thanks!

[Edward_Unthank_]

So long as you add the leads to be excluded to the program as "Exclusion" status, that piece of content will be skipped in the cast, so you won't waste a week of nurture!

[Anonymous]

Perfect! Thank you for confirming and putting together your presentation as such a great guide.

[Anonymous]

Quick follow up question, Edward Unthank​! When you add an exclusion status, how do you make sure Marketo actually excludes leads with that status in the email send program? What needs to be done in the background? Thanks!

[Edward_Unthank_]

You need to change the "to-be-excluded" leads' program statuses to "Exclusion" in the email cast programs. Once they're members of those email cast programs, they'll be skipped by the engagement program when that program comes up next in the queue.

[Anonymous]

OK, once a lead's status is 'exclusion' Marketo knows automatically what that means? The word itself is recognized by the system and that tells the engagement program to skip the content? I'm just not understanding how the status directs the program without any back end information.

Thanks,

RJ

[Edward_Unthank_]

Here's a diagram of how the cast is decided:

Engagement programs determine if they want that email/program for a cast based on two criteria: (1) the lead has received that email based on its unique ID (not applicable for programs) or (2) the lead is a member of the program being called.

"Exclusion" is an explanatory program status that I've dubbed to help make reporting obvious and readable—you could just as well put them into that program with a status of "Nice weather out today" if that exists on the program channel. The logic magic is when leads are added to that program before the cast.

Edward

[Anonymous]

The light bulb has finally gone on! Thank you very much - will soon be up and running!