Sending Methods

Automated messages are triggered via the available sending methods: API, Event Triggered or Recurring.

API Sending Method

The API sending method is for messages that will be triggered via the API using the POST /automationtemplates/{key}/send call.

Enabling the API Triggered Sending Method

1. Create a new automated message or edit an existing draft. Make note of the message key as it will be referenced in the API call.
2. Complete the message headers and message content and publish the draft.
3. Choose the API sending method from the left navigation bar.
   
   
4. Click the Enable button to enable the sending method.
   
   

The published message is now available to be triggered via the POST /automationtemplates/{key}/send API call. Note that you must reference the message key (abandon_cart in this example) when making the API call to send the message.

Learn more about sending automated messages via the API.

Event Triggered Sending Method

The event triggered sending method is used when a message is to be sent as the result of a contact's behavior or a change to a contact's attribute.

The available event triggered methods are:

• A change in a contact attribute value.
• When a contact is added to a list.
• A custom named event.

Some examples of the types of messages that take advantage of event triggers include:

• Welcome Message
• Abandon Cart message
• Browse Abandon Message

Enabling the Event Triggered Sending Method

1. Create a new automated message or edit an existing draft.
2. Complete the message headers and message content and publish the draft.
3. Choose the Event Triggered sending method from the left navigation bar.
   
   
4. Select the desired trigger event and associated options. Below is an example of a Custom Named Event (browse) with a conditional event property (Women's category) used to trigger the message. When the qualified event is passed to the system, the message will send.
   
   
5. You also have the option to add an audience rule to filter contacts that can be sent the message (i.e. exclusion lists) after they qualify for the trigger.
6. Click the Enable button to enable the sending method.

For detailed instructions and examples of event triggered messages read about automation use cases.

Recurring Sending Method

A recurring message sending method is used when a message is to be sent automatically based on a set schedule. Audience rules are used in conjunction with a schedule to determine when a message is sent and to whom it is sent to.

For example, a message could be set to check every day at 8am for contacts that haven't opened a message or clicked a link in the past 30 days, and send them a message.

Using recurring messages for a message series

Recurring messages can also be used as part of a series with sends being based on if a contact received a certain message in the past, such as in a welcome series. For example, the recurring method can be used to check everyday at 10am which contacts received the initial welcome message exactly "x" days in the past, and then send the next welcome message in the series.

Enabling the Recurring Sending Method

1. Create a new automated message or edit an existing draft.
2. Complete the message headers and message content and publish the draft.
3. Choose the Recurring sending method from the left navigation bar.
   
   
4. Select the desired scheduled recurring time and configure the audience rules to filter the contacts that will be eligible to be sent the message. The image below shows the recurring set up for a welcome message that will be sent at 10am for every contact that received the Welcome Message Series 1 exactly 3 days in the past.
   
   
5. Click the Enable button to enable the sending method.

Learn more about setting up a welcome series using the recurring sending method.

For detailed instructions and examples of other recurring messages read about automation use cases.

In the next article learn about automated message performance.