What are Automations?
Automations are powerful marketing tools in ActiveCampaign, that are used to set rules for automatically delivering SMS and/or Email marketing content to your customers. For example, you can set an automation to send a “Thank You” email upon purchase, then automatically follow up with a coupon offer after a predefined period of time.
This automated marketing “schedule” can contain an unlimited chain of rules and conditions. You can customize the marketing based on these conditions, such as whether the customer has opened, or clicked on previous messages. Other conditions can be tested, like whether the customer visited your website, or meets certain statistical criteria, such as number of visits to your store.
Here’s the best part – with the ManageMore ActiveCampaign integration, these automations can automatically be started when a sales transaction is processed in ManageMore Business Software or the ManageMore Point of Sale.
Step 1 – Log into your ActiveCampaign account
To login to your ActiveCampaign account visit www.activecampaign.com and click on the “Login” link at the top of the page. If you do not have an account, you can create a free demonstration account on that page. Make sure your ManageMore software is linked to your ActiveCampaign account. For more information on how to link ManageMore with ActiveCampaign, check out this article.
Step 2 – Create an Automation
To create an automation in ActiveCampaign, click on the “Automations” link at the top of the page. Then click on the green “New Automation” button.
Upon clicking the New Automation button, you will be presented with the New Automation dialog (see below). For automations that will be started by ManageMore, select the “Start from Scratch” option to create your own recipe. The press the “Create” button to continue. Optionally, select “Import” to import a pre-made automation created by our support team. If you choose this option, please skip to Step 5.
Step 3 – Choose the Trigger for your Automation
Upon creating a “Start from Scratch” automation, you will choose how the automation is triggered. This determines when the automation will begin. You can choose to start the automation when the contact subscribed (i.e., is entered into ManageMore), submits a form on your website, on a particular day or date (such as the contact’s burthday). If you would like ManageMore to start the automation, for example, upon creating a new sales invoice, you should choose the option labeled “Or don’t have a trigger for your automation.”
Step 4 – Design Your Automation
Here’s where the creativity comes in. Add Actions to allow the automation to send an email, send an SMS message, or notify someone (e.g. an administrator). Add “If /Else” conditions to allow the automation to take a separate path, depending upon a certain condition, such as the value of a field, or date. Add Wait, to delay the automation for a certain period of time, or until a certain date. The automation will fill out visually, like a flow chart to show you what will happen.
Important – You must mark your automation as ACTIVE in order for it to be used and/or selected in ManageMore.
Step 5 – Import Automation(s)
If you would like a starting point for your automation, you can choose a recipe provided by ActiveCampaign, or you can import one that was created by our support team, specifically for our ManageMore Customers. To import an automation, select the “Import Automation” option (see Step 2 above). Then copy (Ctrl+C) and paste (Ctrl+V) one of the following URL’s.
ManageMore Invoice Response – use this automation to send the customer a message upon creation of a sale. (See Step 6 for how to start this automation when the sale is made)
http://tplshare.com/Q5Ka8Wf
Six Months Since Last Sale – use this automation to send the customer a message if it has been six months since the last sale. You can change this time period after importing.
http://tplshare.com/OIIv_VX
Tag Repeat / Loyal Customers – use this automation to add a Tag to identify your Repeat Customers (2 sales), and Loyal Customers (3 or more sales)
http://tplshare.com/Yhw334r
Repeat Customer Automation – use this automation to send a message to Repeat Customers (2 sales)
http://tplshare.com/nlPreDf
Loyal Customer Automation – use this automation to send a message to Loyal Customers (3 or more sales)
http://tplshare.com/PQzCgFM
Step 6 – Set Up ManageMore to Start your Automation
The final step (optional) is to set up your ManageMore software to trigger the automation. You can have the program start the automation when a new sales transaction (quote, order, invoice) is created, or when a payment is received. You can also start the automation only if certain Supertrack Inventory item(s) are included on the transaction.
To specify an automation to be started upon EVERY sales transaction of a certain type (quote, order, invoice), visit Setup … Application … Optional Features … E-Mail Marketing. This can be found in the ManageMore Business Software. The click on the button next to the type of transaction. You will be presented with a list of your active automations. Double-click on the automation to be started.
If you want your automation to be started upon a sales transaction for a certain product or service, go to the Supertrack Inventory List (Lists … Inventory … Supertrack Inventory List). Double-click on the item desired, then click on the E-Mail Marketing Button (see below).
Then select the automation for the type of transaction desired.
