Ready to start your first email marketing campaign? Review the email marketing basics and requirements below.


Step 1 – Create your email. Here’s what you’ll need to get your emails on their way…
  • Creative (required) - “Creative” is the word for the actual HTML email or text email you send to your contacts. The new pbSmart™ Connections Email Design Builder makes it easy to design the creative for your HTML email. Browse the Template Gallery to choose from over 400 modern, professionally-designed templates, each of which is 100% customizable. You could also upload your own design and adjust it with the easy-to-use template editor. For total control over your campaign creative, the powerful, intuitive Image Editor lets you perfect any images used in your email.
  • Campaign Name (required) - The campaign name is for your internal tracking purposes – only you will see it. Make sure to name your campaign something descriptive (July 2012 Newsletter) so you can easily find reports on it later.
  • ‘To’ Line (optional) - The ‘To’ line displays the recipient’s name, email or relation to you. If the ‘To’ line is left blank, the subscriber’s email address will be shown. If you would like the subscriber’s names to be shown in the ‘To’ line when they receive your campaign, you must insert the database variable for your subscriber’s first name. We recommend you insert the first name as it is more personal.
  • ‘From’ Line (required) - The ‘From’ line is your displayed name in your campaign to your subscribers.
  • Subject Line (required) - The subject line specifies the subject of your campaign. Make is catchy so your customers will want to open it and read what you sent.
Step 2 – Specify your audience. This is where you decide who’s going to be receiving your email.
  • Audience (required) – Your audience consists of everyone who you want to receive your email. You can target certain subscribers for an email campaign by using lists, filters or data sources.

Once you’ve created your email, you can also choose to expand your audience by posting your email to Facebook and/or Twitter.

  • Social Media (optional) - You’ll see a check box when building your campaign. The application will provide editable social posts before you schedule the page.
For more information, watch our video on getting started with pbSmart Connections