Communications Manager is a great way to stay in touch with your members by sending in-app notifications, emails, or both.
Create a New Message
To create a new message, go to Manage>Communications.
Here you will see the Compose screen, which is broken into four sections:
- Who will receive your message?
- What will it say?
- Where will they see it?
- When will it be delivered?
1. WHO: Choose Your Recipients
Depending on what kind of message you're composing, you may want to use either the Add Recipients by Name or the Add Recipients by Type, Group, Tag option.
*Please Note* if your customer has not registered and verified their email, they will not receive communication through this channel.
Add Recipients by Name
If you'd like to send a message to just a few recipients, search for them by typing in each name and clicking on the appropriate name in the drop-down list.
Add Recipients by Type, Group, Tag
If you're sending a message to a wide array of users, check the boxes next to the groups you’re communicating with to include them in your list.
If you would like to further specify which users in these groups should receive your message, you can use the tag filters to pare down your recipient list.
2. WHAT: Compose Your Message
Communication Manager makes composing messages fast and easy by letting you use templates and variables.
Choose a Template
Click on the arrow to see all the templates you can choose from. If nothing appears that means you haven't created any yet.
To add a new template, click on the button below your existing templates, name your template, create, format, then save. You can adjust the order of your templates by clicking and holding the three horizontal lines to the far right of the template name and then dragging to create a new order.
If you would like to create a brand new message, simply leave your selection as Select a Template (blank).
Add Finesse!
Drag and drop variables from the Variable Cloud into your message. You can even create your own if you want to add even more customization by clicking on the Add New Variable button.
What Are variables?
Variables are information placeholders that help you customize your message. For instance, if you drop in the "Recipient First Name" variable and send a message to a member named Jessica, the variable would be replaced with the name "Jessica." This will happen for each of your recipients, thus letting your recipients feel like you are contacting each of them individually, even though you really only wrote one message.
Refine the Language & Imagery
Next, check out the text of the message itself to make sure it's to your liking. Use the text formatting toolbar to change the color, font, and size of the text, or use your keyboard to type in any updates necessary. (Don't worry, this will not make changes to the pre-saved template itself.)
You can also add images by clicking on the "mountain" icon at the far right.
Then select the image you want from your computer's folders.
Preview Your Message
Once your message is good to go, take a peek at what your recipients will see by clicking on the Preview button.
**Note** You can use the icons at the top of the preview screen to see how your message will appear as an email or an in-app notification.
3. WHERE: Choose Your Mode of Communication
Check the boxes next to the modes of communication you'd like to use for this message.
- Email - Choose this method if you would like to send a message containing text and/or images directly to your recipients’ inboxes.
- In-App Message - Choose this method if you would like to send a text-only message that will appear as a pop-up notification on your recipient’s’ mobile devices.
4. WHEN: Create Your Messaging Schedule
Each message you create will get to have its own messaging schedule!
Schedule Reminders & Repeat Messages
Use the scheduling section to establish when your message will be sent, how often it will be repeated, and when it will be discontinued.
**Note** If you would like your message to be sent on a few different days during the week, choose the "Custom" option in the "Repeat" drop-down list.
Send Your Message Immediately
If you would prefer to send a one-time message immediately, click the Send Now header.
Once you're satisfied with your message, the recipient list, and schedule, click "Submit".
Consistently sending messages to your members increases engagement in the Hub and improves compliance. 🎉