Basics:

A trigger defines rules that are tested automatically against your list, and if any subscribers meet these trigger criteria, a message is sent to them automatically. This is great for sending out user customized messages without having to worry about manually finding users and scheduling messages to them.

There are two basic types of triggers:

Database Update - This is dynamically activated when a user value changes in the database to the value specified. This applies mainly to custom fields since the basic fields are demographic in nature. The main purpose of this is to automatically send out messages based upon changing client preferences or status (e.g. If a custom subscriber field ‘Offercode’ changes to ‘CODE123’ you can send out a message giving them instructions pertinent to that code.)

Relative Date - This checks subscriber date fields and checks them against a specified offset. This means, that the trigger criteria is met when the user’s database field date value is so many days before or after today. Email System checks these date triggers once a day to see which users, if any, have a date that meets any relative date triggers. If the current date being checked, "today", activates the trigger, at that particular trigger’s message is scheduled to them at the time specified in that trigger. Users may choose an hour of the day at which to send the message (e.g. You can set up a message to go out on or before a fixed date, such as an upcoming appointment, or a few days after their initial subscribe date.)

(Note: If you wish to use recurring dates, such as birthdays or anniversaries, you will need to regularly update these fields such that the "year" value matches the current year.)

Advanced Features:

Filter Criteria - Beyond the simple trigger criteria of Database Update and Relative Date, a user can apply other filtering criteria, using the same interface as they use in normal sends. This allows for more precise targeting of groups, and the creation of more complex triggers. This is especially useful in creating automated message campaigns that need to target specific groups, or target the same basic group with slightly different messages (e.g. sending out different messages to subscribers in different states, countries, or in different languages based upon a custom language field.