Often times automated messages are sent as text only messages, chock full of info with a few terse sentences, as is often the case with purchase receipts. As a marketer, you see these not only missed cross-sell opportunities, but also as failures in brand building.

By utilizing the API and Automated Message Rules you will take control of content while gaining access to detailed aggregate statistics. Let’s check out how you set that up and what you get out of it.

Own the Content

With Automated Message Rules you own the message. Any information that you need in order to customize this message will be passed to you via API message tags. This allows you the freedom to make changes to the copy and creative of your emails without any development or tech resources.

API message tags (%%#examplemessagefield%%) are similar to personalization fields (%%firstname%%) and allow you to provide contact specific data that is only relevant for this email. The values for these api message tags will be provided via the API when a message is sent. In the example below you can see that we are providing the details of what you have purchased via an API message tag, as well as the last four digits of the credit card (it’s best not to store credit card details with your marketing data).

You now have the ability to recreate your emails within Bronto. But don’t stop there, now you can move things around, adjust creative and copy, and add in a few marketing aspects. Remember that this is a transactional message, don’t overload it with marketing copy. A few marketing touches will do.

Get the Reporting You Need

An API Automated Message Rule will allow us to make the connection between API calls and the message we just created. While setting up this Automated Message Rule we will specify an API Handle. This handle will be referenced later by the API call.

Once we start making API calls that use this API handle, Bronto will start aggregating reports. That means that all the opens, clicks, conversions, and everything else will be brought together into one report. With the ability to view data over time ranges (e.g. today, last 7 days, last 30 days, last 180 days) you can start to understand how effective these messages are.

Not only can you see the effectiveness of these messages, but you can work to improve their effectiveness by making changes and monitoring their performance over time.

With these tools at your fingertips, you can harness yet another communication mechanism that has been underutilized all this time.

Adam Covati
Product Manager at Bronto

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