Digital Content: Find or Create a Mailing List

Mailing lists are used in Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SMC) to send a communication to a group of users. Add mailing list descriptions and needs to the Key Messages & Links column of the applicable digital content plan.

Access the applicable digital content plan template:

• Digital Content Plan: Launch
• Digital Content Plan: Change
• Digital Content Plan: Retirement

Mailing Lists Overview

The subject matter expert (SME) is responsible for finding or creating mailing lists for their audiences if they are sending a communication using Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SMC) or Gmail. If the audience is pulled from a technology or service, the subject matter expert will need to request or pull the list themselves.

For MyU news posts, SMEs can decide if they want to segment out their message to undergraduates, graduates, employees, faculty, and instructors or all; systemwide or at one or more campuses.

Note: If the communication is being sent through Brief or sent as an in-app notification, list pulls are not needed.

You must have the list ready before drafting to ensure the communication is written for the appropriate audience and sent in a timely manner.

Creating Email Lists in Salesforce Marketing Cloud

This guide focuses on creating a subscriber list for transactional emails in SMC. Subscriber lists are used for simple two-column email lists.

If you anticipate needing to customize your email message (e.g., add unique data for each recipient), you may need to create a data extension instead of a subscriber list. In that case, please request service through the OIT Digital Content and Communications request form.

Signing In

1. Sign in to Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
   • You may be asked to verify your identity with a code sent to your email.
2. Hover over Email Studio in the top menu and select Email.
3. Hover over Subscribers and select Lists from the drop-down menu.

Creating a Spreadsheet for a Subscriber List

1. Create a blank Excel spreadsheet.
   • SMC subscriber lists must have at least two columns.
2. Title the first column Subscriber Key and the second column Email Address.
3. Copy your email list from your source document and paste it into both columns.
   • The information in both Subscriber Key and Email Address columns should be the same. Example:
     
4. Go to File and then Save.
5. Give your spreadsheet a relevant name.
6. Select CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (.csv) under the File Format drop-down menu.
7. Select Save.

Creating a Subscriber List

Subscriber lists are used for simple two-column email lists.

1. Select Create in the top right corner of the page.
   1. Enter a Name for your list.
   2. Check the box that says Public List.
   3. Entering a Description is optional.
   4. Select Next.
   5. Bypass Define Name & Location; Select Next.
   6. Bypass Set Double Opt-In; Select Save.
2. Under Actions, select the import button for your newly created list.
   1. From the Import Subscriber Wizard modal window, select Next.
   2. Read the Certification: List Opt-in Status; Check the box that says I agree.
      1. Select Next.
   3. Under Upload Source select Browse and locate your .csv spreadsheet.
      1. Select Open.
   4. Under Data Format ensure CSV is selected.
   5. Under Update Options ensure Add new subscribers and update subscribers that already exist is selected.
   6. Select Next.
3. Under Map Attributes select Subscriber Key in the Source column and Subscriber Key in the Destination column, then select Map.
   1. Repeat for Email Address if it is unmapped.
4. Under Source ensure that the First row is header box is checked; Select Next.
5. Under Confirm Mappings ensure the information is correct.
   • Email me upon import completion box is optional.
6. Select Begin.
7. Under Complete ensure all subscribers were imported.
8. The Take me to my list check box is optional.
   • If left unchecked, you will be directed back to the Subscribers / My Lists landing page.
9. Select Finish.

Understanding Commonly-Used Lists

You can use pre-existing email lists in Google Groups and Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SMC) to communicate with staff. You can use these lists alone or in addition to creating your own list.

Google Groups

• [email protected] - All IT staff members systemwide
• [email protected] - All Office of Information Technology staff members
• [email protected]: All of OIT leadership

Salesforce Marketing Cloud Lists and Data Extensions

• IT@UMN (All IT Jobs and ITatUMN Supplemental in SMC): All IT staff members systemwide