What is a Spotler Preference Centre?

When a recipient receives an email via Spotler, it should include a link to a Preference Centre, which is typically within the footer.  The Preference Centre is simply a Landing Zone Page, where the recipient can see the choice of things they can subscribe to / unsubscribe from. Updating preferences will update the contact record in Spotler, which in turn updates the equivalent Person/Lead record in Workbooks.

The Preference Centre should give contacts some choice over what communications they receive but shouldn't overwhelm them with too many options. Typically we'd recommend putting different types of email communications into broad categories to reduce the number of preferences on a page, making it easier for contacts to pick and choose, with approximately 6-10 choices.

Once the Preference Centre has been created, you can set it as the system default, making it standard for all campaigns sent. Multiple Preference Centres are possible, but rarely implemented.

You should set up success/unsuccessful messages that appear when a recipient saves their updated preferences.

Why use a Preference Centre?

Our customers want to be able to communicate with as many prospects and customers as possible, without them globally unsubscribing. A Preference Centre provides the recipient of an email communication with a place where they can manage their communication preferences. In addition they may also be able to update their personal information.

This provides the recipient with a means to control the frequency and relevancy of the content they're sent while at the same time 'deterring' them from opting out completely, allowing our customers to retain a higher number of contacts.

It should be noted that preference centres typically are used for promotional messages only; transactional and service messages would not be applicable within a preference centre, as they are messages a customer must receive, even if they have unsubscribed from emails.

Methods of Unsubscribing

Generally, there are three main ways a customer can unsubscribe from promotional communications:

• Instant global opt-out
• Double opt-out
• Preference Centre

The Instant Global Opt-Out method involves a customer clicking the unsubscribe link in an email and then instantly being unsubscribed globally from that channel; it's very quick, but it not good for customer retainment.

A Double Opt-Out process involves a customer clicking the unsubscribe link in the email, and then being directed to a landing page that asks them to confirm they wish to unsubscribe fully. This can reduce overall unsubscribes, but lacks the finesse of a preference centre - which works in a similar two-step process.

A Preference Centre is the best practice method of implementing an unsubscribe option. When a customer clicks the link in the email that is configured as the unsubscribe link, they will go to the preference centre page; this will allow them to select which areas they wish to hear about, and which they don't. They can also unsubscribe fully from here as well.

If a contact decides to globally unsubscribe (often referred to as opting out), they are taken to a second Landing Zone Page, called the 'confirmation' Landing Page, which usually includes a message along the lines of 'sorry to see you go'.  This will be written back to the contact record in Spotler immediately and will update the Opt Out field in Workbooks at the next sync.