What You’ll Provide

Before we dive into each of the individual steps, here’s a high level look at the types of information and actions with which we’ll need your help during the implementation.

Your Sailthru Implementation team will discuss these items with you and let you know which specific information and actions are required.

Note: If you wish to use Single Sign-On, you may use any SSO or Identity Provider that follows the SAML standard to sign into the Sailthru platform. Documentation will be provided to guide you through setup.

Admin Items

• List of users including
  • Which users should be admins, able to make major settings changes
  • Whether some users should be divided into permission-based groups to limit their view/use of certain templates and campaigns 

Technical Items

• Sailthru’s Deliverability questionnaire, which may require assistance from your company’s email marketing lead for this implementation.

Marketing Items

• List of types of emails you currently send and are planning to migrate to Sailthru
• Sailthru’s Deliverability questionnaire, which may require assistance from your company’s technical lead for this implementation

Implementation Steps: What to Expect

1. Configuration and Setup

Initiating, Account Setup, and Planning	The creation of a Sailthru account and the initiation of the Implementation process. This will allow Sailthru to confirm scope of work and allows user to access the platform.
Sending Emails on Client’s Behalf	Making all DNS changes and verifications that will grant Sailthru permission to send emails on the client’s behalf.
Email Marketing, Content, and Tagging Strategy	Verifying the number of templates, newsletters/campaigns, triggered messages, reviewing tags, and user data to help Sailthru understand your current strategies and the resources needed to apply those strategies to the Sailthru platform.
API Library/Plugin Implementation	Install and test client API library that will allow remote access to all of Sailthru’s REST API.
Web Integration	Adding Horizon Javascript, Horizon Meta and Sailthru Tags that will allow Sailthru to collect page views, user interest data, and recommend content based on a user’s interests. For more information on web integration, see the Personalization Engine Setup documentation.
Send Site Content to Sailthru	Configuring Content API from CMS/E-Commerce platform to Sailthru allowing for the addition, update, and deletion of content in Sailthru’s database.

2. Data Import

Create Lists in Sailthru	Create and name all lists. This will allow you to add users to a particular list.
Upload Existing User Data	Uploading users and variables into lists. Add historical signup dates on users. Upload Global Opt-Outs and Hardbounces.
Set Up Ongoing User Data Sync	Point new users to Sailthru, implement Postback API Call (optional) and Opt Out Page/Preference Center. This task will allow you to manage your users and provide them the option of opting out.
Set Up Purchase Data Sync (E-Commerce Clients Only)	Implement Purchase and Job API to allow for the import of realtime and historical purchase data. This will allow Sailthru to collect all purchase data.

3. Static Email Send 

Static Email Template Setup	Setup Templates, Data Feeds, and add Sailthru specific variables. Review template, run render test, and test template. This task will make sure your templates are correctly setup before using it to send.
Client Ramp-Up	Review Onboarding questionnaire and deliverability plan. Deliverability to confirm IP/PMTA set up. This will allow Sailthru to share the best practices of deliverability and recommend the most effective sending plan.
Start Sending Static Newsletters/Campaigns	Choose email template and list. Create a newsletter/campaign to perform first static send.

4. Triggered Email Send

Triggered Email Setup	Setup Template, Payload, and add Zephyr coding to template. Review, test, run render test, and implement the Send API. This task will make sure your triggered templates are correctly setup before using it to send.
Send Onsite Custom Events to Sailthru	Implement Event API Calls, and Setup template triggers. This will allow a template to take action given the occurrence of the event.
Start Sending Triggered Emails	Trigger email sends at various points such as user sign up, opening an email, and clicking through an email.

5. Personalized Email Send

Setup Personalized Content and Feeds	Confirm content in Content Library, choose template for personalization, create Horizon feed, and add Zephyr Script. This task will make sure that the proper content is being pulled in to Sailthru. Note: If you’re using the Content API exclusively, ask your Sailthru implementation team to turn spidering off completely for your account.
Personalized Email Testing	Run render test, configure lists, and test send to internal group. This task will make sure your Horizon powered templates are correctly setup before using it to send.
Start Sending Personalized Emails	Choose personalized email template and list. Create a newsletter/campaign to perform first personalized send.