Contact database management: host, segment and personalise your campaigns
You import your contacts, you segment them, you personalise your messages.
Your contacts are in an Excel file, a CRM export, sometimes an address book someone passed you last week. And when it is time to send a campaign, everything has to be gathered, cleaned and reformatted. Time lost before a single email has been written. Ediware includes a complete hosted database management module. Everything happens on the same platform that sends your emails. Campaigns are better targeted, open rates go back up and unsubscribes fall.
No more back and forth between several tools
Managing your contact database in one tool and sending your campaigns in another means losing time exporting, re-importing and synchronising. With Ediware, your database is hosted directly in the platform.
Each database, incidentally, is built to suit your needs. You define the number of fields, their names, their order. And at import time, a mapping option matches the columns of your file to the fields of your database, even when the order does not match.
The features
- Database hosted in the platformthe very one that sends your campaigns
- Fields defined by youtheir number, their names, their order
- Mapping at importmatches the columns of your file to the fields of your database
Import your contacts in minutes, whatever the source
Whether you start from an Excel file, a CRM export or a form on your website, your contacts enter the platform quickly. No developer needed, no complex connector.
Uploading TXT and CSV files
You simply upload a file in TXT or CSV format. A few clicks and your contacts are immediately available for your campaigns.
Manual addition and day-to-day management
You can also add contacts one by one directly from the interface. Viewing, editing, individual deletion. A built-in search module lets you quickly find a contact in a large database, which is welcome when you manage several thousand recipients.
Automatic sign-up through forms
Sign-up can also happen through the landing pages module. When a visitor fills it in on your site, they are recorded directly in your database with no handling on your part. The form uses the fields you have defined, no more and no less.
On the appearance side, you control the fields displayed, the colours, the wording. For integration, several options: a direct link, a snippet of code to paste on your site, or a page with a background image. Your database grows on its own while you concentrate on your campaigns.
The features
- TXT and CSVthe file formats accepted at import
- Built-in searchfind a contact in a large database
- Link, code or pagethe three ways to integrate the sign-up form
Segmentation is what separates a mass send from a real campaign
Sending the same campaign to your whole database is the surest way to drive open rates down and generate unsubscribes. There is nothing like segmentation for targeting precisely the contacts relevant to each message. Better-performing campaigns, recipients who stay engaged.
Named, reusable segments
You create segments that select a portion of contacts according to your criteria. Each segment is named and attached to a database, and you can reuse it for several campaigns.
If you have a “business sector” field, you create a segment that selects only the contacts in industry. A “city” field lets you segment by geographic area. In fact, every field in your database can serve as a selection criterion.
See your numbers before sending
When you adjust your criteria, the contact counter updates at the bottom of the page. You know exactly how many recipients will be targeted before you even launch your campaign. And if your database changes between two sends, a quick recalculation updates the segment size.
The features
- Reusable segmentseach segment is named and attached to a database
- Any field in the databasebusiness sector, city: every field can serve as a selection criterion
- Size counterupdated at the bottom of the page when you adjust your criteria
Combine your criteria with the AND and OR operators
| Combination mode | What it selects | In the example below |
|---|---|---|
| AND operator | Contacts meeting all the criteria at once | The rule “title is not equal to Mr” |
| OR operator | Those meeting one or the other | The group “town Paris” or “town Nantes” |
You can add a simple rule or a group of rules combining two criteria. To target women located in Paris or Nantes, for instance: a first rule “title is not equal to Mr”, then a group with “town Paris” OR “town Nantes”. The segment will select only the contacts matching all these conditions.
Dynamic personalisation: each recipient gets a message that speaks to them
An email that addresses the recipient by their first name and mentions their company name is nothing like a generic message. Opens and clicks reflect it immediately. And each recipient feels the message was written for them, not sent en masse. Ediware's dynamic personalisation draws directly on your database to adapt each message with no extra effort on your part.
Every field in the database becomes a variable
The syntax is simple: [[data:FIELD_NAME]]. If your database contains a “firstname” field and a “company” field, you write “Hello [[data:firstname]]” and each recipient receives a message with their own first name. No limit on the number of variables. Every column in your database can be called.
Default values for missing data
If a field is empty for some contacts, the message will show a blank where the variable is. To avoid that, you simply define a default value: [[data:company:"your company"]]. Contacts whose “company” field is filled in will see their company name, the others will see “your company”.
In the subject line, the sender name, everywhere
Personalisation is not limited to the body of the email. Subject line, sender name, reply-to address, the recipient's “To” field: the variables work everywhere. And since this system is compatible with the platform's classic variables, you can combine the two in the same message.
The syntax is simple
No limit on the number of variables. Every column in your database can be called.
Host your documents without weighing down your emails
Sending a PDF catalogue or a product sheet as an attachment risks having your email blocked by anti-spam filters. And a blocked email is a prospect who will never read you. The solution is simple: host your documents directly in the platform and attach them to your campaigns through a download link. Your emails pass the filters, stay light, and your documents are one click away for the recipient.
On formats, you have the choice: docx, doc, xls, csv, xlsx, ppt, pptx, txt and pdf, up to 8 MB per document. Storage is secure and the links work only from campaigns sent through the emailing platform. That way you keep a record of every download.
The features
- 8 MBmaximum size per hosted document
- Document formatsdocx, doc, xls, csv, xlsx, ppt, pptx, txt and pdf
- Secure storagethe links work only from campaigns sent through the platform
Frequently asked questions about contact lists
Which file formats are accepted to import contacts?
TXT and CSV. A mapping option lets you match each column of your file to the right field in the database, even if the column order differs. A few clicks from the interface are enough.
Can you segment on any field in the database?
Yes, with no restriction. Town, business sector, title, customer status, or any other custom field you have defined. You then combine these criteria with the AND and OR operators for selections as fine as you need.
How does dynamic message personalisation work?
Every column of your database can be inserted into your messages with the syntax [[data:FIELD_NAME]]. If the field is empty for a contact, you can provide a default value with [[data:FIELD_NAME:"alternative text"]]. Personalisation applies in the body of the message, the subject line, the sender name and the reply-to address.
Can contacts sign up to the database themselves?
Absolutely. The simplified sign-up form automatically uses the fields of your database and records the answers straight into it. You choose which fields to show, customise the appearance and integrate the form through a link, a snippet of code on your site or a page with a background image.
Can several segmentation criteria be combined?
That is the whole principle. The system lets you combine criteria with the AND and OR operators, adding simple rules or groups of rules. To go back to the example of women located in Paris or Nantes: a title criterion combined with a geographic group.
Is the data in the database handled lawfully?
Databases hosted at Ediware are stored on secure servers. Viewing, editing, individual deletion: you keep complete control over your data and can delete a contact at any time, in accordance with the legal obligations in force.
What is the maximum size of hosted documents?
8 MB per document. Formats accepted: docx, doc, xls, csv, xlsx, ppt, pptx, txt and pdf. Download links work only from campaigns sent through the platform, so you keep a record of every access.
You are autonomous, from import right through to sending
You create, you segment, you send. More time on your campaigns, less on the logistics.