Trailhead Links

https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/trails/personalize_customer_journeys_marketing_cloud

https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/trails/use-marketing-cloud-connect

https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/trails/create-and-send-targeted-emails-with-email-
studio

https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/mr-email-marketing-strategies

https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/marketing-automation-strategies

YouTube Playlist

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWzH8Vzi6rwbZbalGqrEEjXK-BYZ3jeRE

Official Documentation

https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=mc_es_get_started_with_email_studio.htm&type=5

https://developer.salesforce.com/developer-centers/marketing-cloud/

Sample QP

https://www.salesforceben.com/certified-marketing-cloud-email-specialist-quiz-1/
 Email Marketing Best Practices

CAN-SPAM Requirements

The CAN-SPAM act requires that Commercial emails, whose primary purpose is to deliver commercial
content, meet the following criteria:

• Accurately identify the sender in the header information.

• Use a subject line that accurately represents the content of the email.

• Identify the message as an advertisement, unless you have express consent (opt-in) from the
subscriber.

• Include your physical mailing address.

• Provide a mechanism to opt out. You cannot require a subscriber to log in or visit more than a
single page to unsubscribe.

• Honor opt-out requests promptly. You must process an unsubscribe request within 10 days, and
your unsubscribe mechanism must be operational for at least 30 days after the mailing.

Optimize Deliverability of messages

• Ensure subscribers have opted in

• Have a recognizable From Name and Email Address

• Manage cadence of messaging and frequency of content (ideally set expectations on this with
the subscriber)

• Purge old or inactive emails

• Authenticate your email: Domain keys, Sender ID, and SPF Configuration
 Understand and Create Content Blocks

In the world of digital marketing, content is typically characterized as either static or individualized.

• Static content does not change for any reason, for example, the company logo at the top of an
email or social links at the bottom.

• Individualized content changes based on data found in the data extension or list at the time of a
send or push, for example, a person’s name within a text or specific content related to their
interests.

You can individualize content with:

• Personalization strings: Insert subscriber attributes, such as subscriber name, into the subject
line, preheader, or content of your email. These can be People or System attributes. Note they
are case-insensitive, and should always have a default value set.

• Dynamic content: Display content according to rules that you define based on the subscriber’s
attributes or data extension field values. Select Subscriber/Send Preview to see how Dynamic
Content and AMPscript renders in an email.

• AMPscript: Use this scripting language to embed subscriber-specific content within HTML
emails, text emails, landing pages, SMS messages, and push notifications from MobilePush.

Dynamic Header/Pre–Header: You can set a rule to change the header/pre-header based on subscriber
attributes. E.g. if an individual has a birthday coming up, a rule can be set to say ‘Happy Birthday!’ in the
header/pre-header

You can create a wide range of content blocks with Marketing Cloud, including Text, Image, Text +
Image, Free Form, HTML Content, Dynamic Content, A/B Testing, Button, Social Share, Add a Social
Follow Block, Layouts, External Content, Reference, and Image Carousel. Link Title is the text that
describes the link to the subscriber.

Create an Email

Content Builder Emails:

• Template Based: Choose this option if you already have a template that you’re using for this
email.

• HTML Paste: Choose this option to type or paste HTML code for an email into the editor.

• Text Only: Choose this option if you want to create an email that displays as text only in your
subscribers’ inbox regardless of their display preferences. Opens data is never reported for text-
only emails.

System Default Code Snippets to insert into an email:

• Physical Mailing Address (Required per CAN-SPAM)

• Forward to a Friend
• View Email as Webpage

• Privacy Policy

• Unsubscribe Center

• Profile Center (Required per CAN-SPAM)

 Email Content Delivery

Preview and Send

Subscriber Preview in Content Builder allows you to view a single email, including dynamic content, A/B
testing, and personalization. Brandon wants to use Subscriber Preview to see exactly what his email will
look like to an individual subscriber in his data extension.

Email Send Flow

The Email Send Flow is organized into four tabs that represent each stage.

1. Define Properties: Edit the subject line, preheader, from options, and send classification.

2. Select Audience: Select the audience you want to target and any you want to exclude or
suppress. You can send to all audience types, including sales Cloud Reports and Campaigns.

3. Configure Delivery: Configure your schedule, send throttling, and any advanced options.

4. Review and Send: Preview the selected email, review send configurations, correct errors, and
send.

You can launch the Send Flow in several ways:

1. By clicking the down arrow associated with an email in the Content Builder grid and
clicking Send.

2. By clicking Send from an email in the one-click action column from Content Builder grid.

3. By clicking Save and Send in the Send Flow.

User Initiated vs. Triggered Emails

User Initiated Send is a method where you can specify and target specific components such as email,
audience, suppressions, etc. You are able to schedule sends with those on demand or you could trigger
them via API.

A Triggered Send is listening for an action most like done via an API call to initiate the send. For example,
a customer form fill-out, a purchase will trigger a response email built in the Marketing Cloud. This can
be built in Interactions in Email Studio.
 Email Message Design

Email Sender Definitions

Sender Profile: Specifies the ‘From’ information – From Name, From Email, Description of the Sender

Delivery Profile: Specifies the IP Address the email is sending from, as well as configuring a standard
Header and Footer profile

Send Classification: Defines the CAN-SPAM classification of the email (i.e. if the message is transactional
or promotional), plus groups together the Send Profile, Delivery Profile, and Send Priority of each
classification

Send Throttle: Allows you to send emails during the hours you specify, starting the day you send the
email until all messages are sent. E.g. it can be configured that emails are only sent between 9am-5pm
ET each day.

• What is the first thing you want your customers to see to entice them to open the message?
Include an image of something they may have put in their cart.

• What can you include in the body to drive click-through rates? Provide a clear call to action to
complete the purchase.

• How do you conclude the email to ensure you are keeping your brand top of mind?
Recommendations provide a great way to keep your customer engaged.

Mobile aware vs. Responsive Templates

Mobile aware are user design tactics to create a single, mobile-friendly template that can work across all
screen types. Often they are therefore single column, using large text, images, and buttons, and spaced
out buttons and links

Responsive templates are designed to be responsive, serving up versions of an email that are optimized
for a screen. It often involves extra coding or additional template design. When coding a responsive
design for email, CSS3 Media Queries are used to activate the mobile version.

A/B Testing

In Marketing Cloud you can perform A/B testing on:

• Subject Lines

• Emails

• From Names

• Content Areas

• Send Date and Time

• Preheaders

Testing Tools within the Marketing Cloud:

Content Detective – Spam filtering software to identify words, patterns, and phrases that are likely to
trigger spam filters. It also suggests solutions to potential problems. It does not scan HTML code.

Validation – Will confirm Correct field syntax, content and data being used for Dynamic Rules are being
used correctly, Guide Template Language and AMPScript is being used correctly and also validates for
the presence of Unsubscribe link and From Email address.

Send Preview – Allows you to see how your email will render with Personalisation strings populated,
Dynamic content displaying based on subscriber data, and Guide Template Language and AMPScript will
be executed and the data will be displayed or the content will be rendered.

Test Send – Allows you to see how content will render, will send up to 5 email addresses at once,
though personalization does not populate, dynamic content displays default content, AMPscript code
and Guide Template Language is displayed, and not all links are active.
 Marketing Automation

Automation Tools

1. Playbooks – step-by-step guides for executing digital marketing through the customer lifecycle.
3 are available: Welcome series, Birthday email, and Customer Anniversary NOTE: Playbooks will
no longer be supported from January 2019. They are featured in Journey Builder for quick starts

2. Triggered Emails – Message sent to an individual executed from an event that happens outside
the Marketing Cloud (e.g. sign up, form fill-out etc.). Triggered emails include Welcome emails,
Purchase Confirmation, Abandon Shopping Cart, or Shipping Notices

3. Journey Builder – 1:1 marketing engine that allows you to build real-time messages in customer
journeys across online and offline channels based on customer behavior. Used for customer
lifecycle programs. Includes Journey Builder templates such as Abandon Cart, Anniversary Send,
Onboarding/Welcome

4. API – For technical resources. The API source code allows applications to communicate with one
another

5. Automation Studio – Drag and Drop interface to define a workflow that automates various
activities. E.g. import data, refresh segments, export data, or send emails.

Automation Studio

Build an automation:

1. Select the Type of Automation:

o Scheduled – Based on a schedule you define the date and time to start the automation,
how often the automation is to execute, and when the automation is to stop

o Triggered (NOTE this has been renamed to ‘File Drop’) – Automation will start as soon
as a file is placed on your designated enhanced FTP.

2. Build your automation workflow with Steps and Activities

o Workflow – Your Automation canvas where you define and create your Automation

o Steps – The order in which activities are to be executed

o Activities – A task to be executed in Automation Studio

Key Activity Definitions

Data Extract – Gives you the ability to extract tracking information or data from a data extension. This
allows you to transform an XML file into a comma delimited, tab delimited, or pipe delimited format for
you to import into Email

Import – Will import the file from an FTP site to a list or data extension.
Transfer File – Allows you to de-encrypt or unzip a file or to take a file that has been extracted and place
it on the FTP location.

Filter Activity – Applies the data filter to a list or a data extension and places the results in a filtered list
or filtered data extensions. The filter only works on 1 Data Extension

Refresh Group – Used with lists only. Takes the criteria for the group and applies it to the list to refresh
the segment.

SQL Query – Takes the SQL statement and applies it to the specified data extension. The records
meeting the criteria are placed in a resulting data extension. SQL can run on multiple data extensions.

Send Email – Allows you to choose a User-Initiated Email definition to execute or allows you to define
the parameters for the Send.

NOTE – You must define the activities in their respective application prior to setting up automation. E.g.
define File Import, or configure Email/ SMS send

An automation can have multiple steps. Each step can have multiple activities. All activities within a step
execute concurrently, and all activities in the step must execute successfully before moving to the next
step.

1. Define your Automation Schedule (if Scheduled)

2. Configure who to send the Notification Email to.

 Data Management

List-Based Data Model

Use the list model when:

• your lists contain 500,000 subscribers or less long term

• you prefer simplicity over performance

• you do not require fast import speed

• you plan to use a limited number of subscriber attributes

• you use the XML API

Data Extension-Based Data Model

Use the data extension model when:

• your lists are going to be greater than 500,000 subscribers

• you support multiple subscriber data sets, with separate definitions

• you send global messages

• you require fast import speeds

• you implement triggered sends

• you use the SOAP or REST APIs

• you prefer a flexible subscription model

Important Lists:

1. Suppression List: List used with guided, user-initiated, and triggered sends. It’s a list of
subscribers you don’t want to receive your content (e.g. blacklisted)

2. Exclusion List: Any list, group, or data extension you select to exclude from Send. E.g. duplicates
in list A are excluded when sending to list B. Or, if sending to 2 data extensions that have
duplicate subscribers in them, the exclusion list will remove one set from Send to ensure they
are not sent the message twice.

Key Definitions

Primary Key – a key in a relational database that is unique for each record. It is a unique identifier, and
cannot contain null values. You can have more than 1 primary key, and it uniquely identifies a row in a
data extension. It also ensures records are not overwritten when you create an import activity.

You cannot update data in a data extension unless it has a field that can be a Primary Key (i.e. has a
Unique Identifier). If you create an Import Activity that tries to update fields on a data extension that
does not have a Primary Key, the only option the activity can do is Overwrite the existing data
Subscriber Key – Contains a value that uniquely identifies a subscriber in your system. Can be populated
with email address or any other unique value. It also allows for multiple people with the same email
address (e.g. a family of 4 using their parent’s email address) in the system as each has their own
Subscriber Key in the All Subscribers list.

Send Relationship – A Send Relationship defines a field in the Sendable data extension to map to
Subscriber Key in All Subscribers when sending. E.G. a Data Extension may use Email Address to map to
the Subscriber Key in the All Subscribers table, which houses the entire database in Marketing Cloud

If sending to a contact in a data extension that does not have a subscriber key, the system will add them
to the All Subscribers list as active and add their email address and a subscriber key to their profile.

Sendable Data Extension – A Data extension that you can send emails to. You need to specify this by
relating the field containing the Primary Key to the Subscriber Key. You will also need to check ‘Is
Sendable’ when creating the DE.

Ways of Importing data

1. Import Wizard – Step-by-step guide to import data. Import parameters must be defined. It is
manually executed.

2. Import Activity – Like the Import Wizard, but a definition that can be saved to be used again. It
can be automated via Automation Studio

3. Via API – Executes an import programmatically behind the scenes. Good for 3rd party
integrations

4. Marketing Cloud Connect – Connect to SFDC. Get instructions from Help and Training Portal
 Subscriber Management

Profile Centre and Subscription Centre

Profile Centre – Allows a subscriber to update their personal information. When an attribute is built on
a subscriber unless it is hidden the attribute will appear in the Profile Center. Ex: their home address,
billing address, next of kin etc.

Subscription Centre – When a list is made public it will appear in the subscription center, and
subscribers can either unsubscribe or subscribe to these publications e.g. opt into newsletters, updates,
or product offering lists

Unsubscribes

• Global – Subscriber chooses to unsubscribe from every email sent by Marketing Cloud

• Master – Subscriber chooses to unsubscribe from every email sent by a company/account

• List Level – Subscriber can choose to unsubscribe from lists via the subscription center. E.g. if a
subscriber specifically unsubscribes from a particular publication list (e.g. newsletters), their
status in Marketing Cloud will show unsubscribed from the publication list but Active in
Marketing Cloud.
 Data Segmentation

Drag and Drop Segmentation

Drag and Drop Segmentation works on both lists and data extensions. You can create random segments
based on specific subscriber records or a percentage of subscriber records. You can also create criteria
or rules based on fields in the data extension, or a subscriber attribute or list. When the subscriber
meets the criteria, they are placed in the filter or data extension.

When using a list or field in a data extension, drag and drop segmentation will segment subscribers
based on their profile data

You can use Measures to create filters based on behavioral data e.g. clicks, opens.

When you want to create a filtered list or data extension based on behavioral or subscriber profile
attributes, you will create a rule with the criteria and save the rule. This rule is called a Data Filter.

You can also link up to 3 data extensions together using Data Relationships

Example: By linking 2 data extensions by email address, you can create another filter using any of the
fields in the extensions.

Refreshing Segments

Filtered segments are a snapshot in time – therefore when new data is added to the list or data
extension, the segments need to be refreshed.

Ways to refresh segments:

1.

1. Automation Studio Activity

2. Manually

Process for creating and automating the refreshing of segments:

1. Create the Data filter – Define the rules and conditions (can be done in Subscribers tab in Email
Studio)

2. Create the filter activity – Creates the Filtered Data Extension or a Filtered List (can be created
in Automation Studio)

3. Automate via Automation Studio – Place in a workflow to refresh the segments

o Query Segmentation – Activity to retrieve a data extension or system data view

information that matches your criteria. System data view tables contain behavioral
information such as opens, clicks, and bounces.

Data is retrieved via SQL and results are placed in a resulting data extension. The data
 extension must be created before defining and executing the query activity. Example of
Query Segmentation – Select * from Subscribers where Age > 40 or Salary > 60000

Examples – if Segmentation is being done on a list based on BOTH Behavioural and Subscriber data (e.g.
newsletter subscribers who have purchased something in the last year and clicked an email last month)
then QUERY is the best segmentation for this.

A query is used for advanced filtering like querying for multiple data views. Is used to link multiple data
extensions for filtering.

Sharing Data across Business Units:

If an account has multiple business units and an Enterprise Account, assets, as well as objects, can be
shared across Business Units. This needs to be configured with Business Unit Access Permissions.
 Tracking and Reporting

Basic tracking metrics are found on the Overview page. Detailed metrics are found when you drill down
into a specific email.

Any metrics on the overview tab can be exported and viewed in Browser or email to an individual.

Track Your Email Send

Data is the key to understanding your customer and optimizing future email sends — and for that, Email
Studio has Brandon (and you!) covered. Once Brandon has sent his weekly promotional email, he can
see how it performed in the Tracking tab, which allows him to view:

• Sent – Total number of emails sent.

• Delivered – Total number of emails delivered.

• Deliverability Rate – The percentage of emails that were delivered compared to the number
that bounced (soft and hard).

• Total Soft Bounces – The number of emails that were recognized by recipients’ mail servers but
were returned to the sender because their mailboxes were full or the mail servers were
temporarily unavailable.

• Total Hard Bounces – Number of emails that permanently bounced back to the sender because
the addresses were invalid.

• Email Opens – The total number of times subscribers open an email where the images render.

• Open Rate – The percentage of emails that were opened (images rendered) compared to the
number that were delivered.

• Clicks – The number of subscribers who clicked on a link in the email.

• Click Rate – The percentage of subscribers who clicked on a link compared to the number of
emails delivered

• Unsubscribes – Total number of subscribers who clicked unsubscribe.

• Unsubscribe Rate – Percentage of subscribers who clicked unsubscribe compared to total

number of emails delivered
SFTP

Marketing Cloud offers these advanced options for using FTP to import your large subscriber data files
into a subscriber list:

• The basic FTP option allows you to upload files to our FTP site and import them through
Marketing Cloud and the Import Subscriber wizard.

• The encrypted FTP option allows you to use encrypted import files for greater security.

• The enhanced FTP option provides the greatest level of security, as it gives your organization its
own FTP directory.

Format Requirements

• Format: When you create the file of subscriber data to be imported into the application, save it
as a tab-delimited TXT file or a comma-delimited CSV file. (Many applications offer these
formats as “save as” options.)

• Header row: A header row (a row at the top of the file labeling the columns in the file) is
recommended for mapping purposes. If the labels in the header row do not exactly match the
names of the attributes in your account, the application cannot map the data for you by
default.

• Attribute data type: If you’re importing subscriber attributes, the data in the import file must be
of the same data type (text, date, or numeric) as the attribute field in the application.

• Attributes with restricted values: When importing subscriber data into attribute fields that
restrict the possible values, the import data must exactly match one of the values defined as
allowable for that attribute.

• Preferences: If you’re importing subscriber preference data, your import file must use only the
values Yes and No.