Welcome to Emercury Web-Based Marketing Automation Solution! Please use this guide if you are new to Emercury.
Your Emercury account contains the following options:
Messages (Campaigns)
Messages are emails that you send to your Audience. You can create standard campaigns, such as a monthly newsletter, as well as marketing campaigns, advertorials, etc
Contacts
The Contacts contains email addresses of your customers and prospective customers. Each person in contacts must have an email address. Additional fields are available to store information such as such as first name, last name, product interest, etc. We have created some default fields for you to use. You can rename the default fields to suit your needs. You can add and delete fields as well. You should import any existing customers and leads you have to the database so you can communicate with them, while also gathering information about them.
Nevermail (located under contacts)
Nevermail is a feature associated with Emercury only. In the footer of every email we provide an unsubscribe (opt out) as well as NeverMail feature. The nevermail feature once selected is to remove an email address globally from anyone using Emercury. This is our own DO NOT DISTURB list. This is explained when clicked and requires a 2 step process of entering your email to be added to this list. We make this a 2 step process to show the explanation of this feature and allow the subscriber to verify they want to be removed globally or if they simply want to unsubscribe.
Bounced Manager (located under contacts)
Here you can manager your soft and hard bounces. You can delete these emails off your list by the amount of times they bounced. It is not recommended to delete emails but the option is there. If you delete emails and then re-import a new list with these emails again you will continue to send emails to emails already marked as hard or soft.
Import History (located under contacts)
After each import we report on what was successfully imported and what was not. We will show if emails were updated. During the import process if an email address already exists then Emercury will append to the existing data. We don't allow duplicate emails into the same audience. You can download the errors of import by scrolling to the action area all the way to the right.
Suppression List (located under contacts)
Suppression is an Audience you don't want to deliver emails to. Emercury will cross reference this list vs. your audience list to make the valid list to send to. This is can be imported here and will show up as a selection under the Edit Message area. If you don't have a suppression list then the system will only send to your audience. This is not to be confused with the unsubscribe list. The suppression list is based on each Message (campaign) you send out. Unsubscribe is based on your total database.
Bulk Unsubscribe (Option in Contacts)
Choose this option to unsubscribe emails in bulk or in single fashion from your total distribution or by audience.
Filters (Option in Contacts)
Create a filter based on an existing audience to segment that audience into smaller audiences. After creation you can modify these filter by clicking on them. You can create filters on the amount of emails you want to send or by fields during import. An example of a filter could be be by domain.
Audiences
Campaigns are sent to audiences. The default audience includes everyone in your database, but if you want to send a campaign only to people with certain characteristics then create an audience that selects only customers with those characteristics. For example, you might create an audience of baby boomers who opened your recent campaign on snow blowers if you think they would be interested in your latest special offer. You can create new audiences based on already sent emails through reporting as well. You can also use filters to segment your existing audience. This all depends on how much information you have imported.
Forms
A form is a web page with data entry fields such as text boxes, radio buttons and drop-down menus. All forms have a submit button. You can link to your Emercury forms from your website or you can copy them directly into one of your web pages. People add themselves to your database by filling out your forms - in order to receive a special offer for example. You can also use forms to gather information about new and existing customers. One of the main reason to use a form is to collect new double optin email addresses off your website for later communications on newsletters or announcements.
Reports
Reports show full information about delivered campaigns, such as the number of successfully sent email addresses, soft and hard bounces, number of opened emails, number of clicks-thrus, and more. Also, you have access to the list of email addresses with the different standings of delivery to which campaign was sent. Each report can be exported with all the information you have imported into an excel, csv or XML format.
Sent Tests (Under the Reports menu)
These are the reports of your tests. They are seperated from the main reports.
Status
In reporting you will see a status option. This shows the sending status as either Preparation, Sending, Resending, Stopped or Finished.
Preparation means it is preparing to send your message.
Sending means it is currently sending.
Resending means it has finished the initial send try and will continue to resend until it the optimal delivery has been made.
Stopped means it has been stopped by you using the Stop Delivery option under Reports.
Finished means the message has been sent and is no longer retrying to send. Reports will continue to update as subscribers show activity on the delivered messages.
Successfully sent emails
These email were successfully delivered to the mailboxes server. The server has responded with an answer that says "Accepted by servername".
Hard Bounces
A hard bounce is an email that could not be delivered either because the domain does not exist or the domain existed however the server responded that the mailbox does not exist on this domain. These emails are automatically marked as disabled so you don't send emails to this address anymore. You can export these under reports and manage them under Contacts - Managed bounced emails.
Soft Bounces
A soft bounce is an email that could not be delivered not because the domain or email address doesn't exist but for other reasons. Some reasons may be that the mailbox is full or that the server was temporarily down or that the server was not accepting messages at that time. You may also see a soft bounce if you did not create your sub domain correctly within Emercury or if you are using your own domain to send, then the receiving server noticed the SPF record is not updated to our servers.
Complaints
Complaints are reported to give you insight on your marketing campaign. If a subscriber marks your email as spam then they will show up in this report. A complaint is automatically disabled from future sending. If the complaints are over a certain percentage your emails will nto be delivered to the inbox. Manage your complaints to make sure they are as low as possible. The goal is to have 0 complaints. Keep your complaints at 0 and your inbox delivery wont be affected. These complaints can be exported to CSV, Excel or XML.
Unsubscribes (Opt Out)
In each email that is sent we are required by US Law to have an OPT OUT or an UNSUBSCRIBE. This option cannot be removed from the footer of the email. The unsubscribe process is a single click process. The subscriber has the option to unsubscribe and wont be emailed again. The unsubscribe process is instant upon click and the reporting will show who unsubscribed. Under contacts you will then see the subscriber and not subscribed or [ ] Subscribed. With the box unchecked.
Surveys
Here you can create questions with options for open responses, drop down, or radio responses. Once completed you can then email those out to your audience. Your audience will receive the survey link and open a page to fill out the survey. Once completed you will see the reporting within the survey area.
Images
This is your images manager. You can create folders to organize your images and upload images for later use.
Preferences
Preferences contain settings of your account. You can update the footer preferences and add the reply to addresses from here.
Bill Info Tab
In the Bill Info area you can pay for your account, change your plan, manage credit cards for recurring payment, and view your billing history.
Learn the System
Spend some time getting to know how the Emercury system works, by exploring each of the menus options and trying all our features. Then try experimenting with each feature to see how it works. You can delete any changes you make if you do not want to keep them. Here are some ideas.
Add Subscribers (email addresses) to your Audience through Contacts.
Click the Contacts menu option.
Choose Import button on the bottom pane. You can view file format examples in the next tab.
Select the audience you want to import emails to. If you have not created an Audience yet then choose the New Audience button to create. Enter the Audience name.
Select the file you want to import. If you need an example of how the it should, view the examples below or download the example spreadsheet in CSV format already.
Agree to the Emercury Terms and Anti Spam Policy. Without agreeing to this you cannot import.
Choose Import Now button.
If your import sheet had more than one column then you will see a screen to match up the columns in your sheet with the fields in Emercury. If you choose not to match that column then leave option as Do Not Import this Field.
If done correctly you will see a message saying "Import successful, please wait while the contacts are updated.
View your new subscribers
Click Contacts Menu Option.
Select audience in the top pane and click it. This will show the subscribers of this audience in the bottom pane.
If you would like to edit the properties of a certain email address, then select the address and double click on it. This will open up the properties of that subscriber.
If you want to search for a subscriber you can put your mouse over the header Email on the bottom pane and you will see an arrow to the right of the word Email. Scroll to the option Filter in the drop down menu and type the email address or partial entry of it. The system will do the search based on what you input. Remember when done to uncheck this option or it will hold for all audiences.
Send yourself a campaign
Click New Option and a drop down menu will appear.
Click New HTML Message and the New Message tab will display.
Type in a name for your campaign.
Type the from address.
Select the reply to address from the drop down. If you havent created one in yet then choose the Green Plus sign to add a new reply to address. Once added you need to confirm this address by clicking on the link sent to that email address. Without clicking the confirmation in the link it will not be added. Once added you can then click the refresh arrows next to the green plus sign. Then choose the drop down and your email address can be selected.
Select the audience you want to send to.
Type in your subject line.
Select email category type.
Select option for Ensure Delivery Reminder.
Select option for Permission Reminder.
Select Option for Forward to Friends.
Select Option for Track Activity.
Edit Forward to Friends Footer display if needed.
Enter html and/or text to the tabs available and click Save.
Click Preview and Click Anti-Spam Check to check if the content is spam.
Switch back to HTML
Choose Edit Test Group to add email addresses for testing.
Send email to test email addresses.
Select Send Now to send the email message if all looks good to you or you can schedule it by choosing schedule.
Click Save.
Scheduling a Campaign
Click the Messages Option.
Select the message by double clicking it on or by clicking once and choosing edit message button below.
The edit message tab will be displayed. Choose the Schedule button.
Schedule by date and time
Click Save. This activates your message and it will be sent at the time you specified.
You can view the schedule by going to Messages Option and clicking your message one time.
In the bottom pane choose the schedule tab.
Here you will see the time and date you specified.
Customize the messages on your default forms
It is important to do this because they are automatically exposed to your customers in certain situations. Also, You can make it public to sign up new customers or leads to your database.:
Click Forms Menu Option.
Select default form in the table, Double click the default form to edit it or choose the option for a New Form.
Edit the Form name, Form Title, Audiences you want to update with this form, Intro Text, Message after the subscription, From Name that the email confirmation is coming from, Email that you want to be alerted after a subscription and the fields you want to add to this form..
Click the Save Now button
Select this form again in the table by clicking it once and choose Test button.
Observe the form and then close the preview window. You can also preview the form in the bottom pane by selecting the Preview Tab.
Once you are comfortable with the form you can then capture the form code and paste this into your website. To select the form code go to the bottom pane and choose Form Code tab.
Once subscribers have subscribed to your form you can view them in the bottom pane under Subscribers.
Add yourself to the audience by filling out a form
Click Forms Option.
Select the form you want to test by clicking it once and choose the Test Button.
The form will pop up.
Fill in the required information,
Enter an email address that is not already in the database.
Click Submit.
Check your inbox to and click the link to confirm your subscription.
Go back into Emercury on the Forms tab and go to subscribers.
Here you will see your subscription as confirmed. If you didnt click the verification link then it will show as unconfirmed.
You can also verify it was added to your Audience by going to the Contacts Menu Option.
Select Audience by clicking it once. The contacts will be displayed in the bottom pane.
Your email address will show below. If you cant find it choose the search by email option by placing your mouse on the header "E-Mail" then clicking on the down arrow to show the drop down menu. Choose Filter and type the email address.
