How can I use Custom Attributes to create targeted mailing lists?

Custom Attributes are labels that your office creates to apply to contacts. Each of these labels becomes its own dynamic list so you’ll be able to use them to send targeted mailings. These attributes can also be made available on the Update Profile Page for contacts to select, and they display as list options within Surveys to which you can associate a survey response.

Since these are customized by you, you can create whatever category of attributes you’d like, but one of the most common categories is “Areas of Interest” with attributes that correspond to legislative issues or topics of interests.

Log into the Constituent Gateway eNewsletter PLUS.

1. Go to the top navigation actions in the upper right corner, and select Account Setup.
2. Select Custom Attributes from the dropdown menu.

Creating a New Category and Attributes

To create a new category, type in a new category name in the “Add Category” field. If this is the Areas of Interest category described above, you might want to check it as the default category since it will probably be used frequently. Then click Add.

1. Click Edit to add attributes.
2. Type the name of the attribute in the first field. If you have a code that you would like to affiliate with the attribute (i.e., ECON for “economy”), then you can type that code in the Affiliation Code field. If you don’t want contacts to see the attributes so that the attribute is internal only, then select Private. If you want the contacts to have the opportunity to see the attributes on the Update Profile Page, then select Public.
3. Click Save or Save & Add Another if you have several attributes you’d like to add.

Sending a Targeted Mailing to Custom Attribute List

Selecting recipients for a mailing takes place in the Mailing Info step of the Mailing Wizard. Type the name of the Custom Attribute list(s) you want to send to in the “Mail to Lists” think-ahead field, or click Choose lists to see all of your available lists and select the correct one.

Adding a Category of Attributes to the Update Profile Page

Each newsletter design has a link entitled Update My Profile for viewers to update their contact information. Now that you’ve created a category within Custom Attributes, you will have the option to make it available on the Profile Page so viewers can also update their “Areas of Interest.” Clicking an attribute will add the contact to the appropriate list.

Adding Custom Attributes to a mailing’s Update My Profile page also takes place in the Mailing Info step of the Mailing Wizard.

1. When setting up your Mailing Info, select Advanced Options.
2. Click in the “Select custom attributes” field and type “Areas of Interest,” or scroll down your list of categories and select the appropriate one.

Associating a Survey Response to an Attribute

You can also associate survey responses to Custom Attribute lists. This will take everyone who selects a particular survey response and automatically add them to the list of your choice.

1. Create your survey, and if you create a question with the Question Style of “Choose Multiple,” “Choose One,” or “Choose One/Drop Down,” you will have the opportunity to add answer options.
2. Add Answer, which displays just below your question.
3. Type in the Answer as you want it to appear in the e-newsletter.
4. Click the “Associate to list” dropdown menu and select the appropriate Custom Attribute list.
5. As you complete each answer, select the Add Answer or Edit Answer button.