How to Distribute Standard Coupon Codes via E-Mail Blast

Introduction

ChronoTrack has now added the ability for Coupon Codes to be uploaded into CT Live's E-mail blast feature as part of a contact list CSV file. The uploaded codes can then be used in the message body of an e-mail by using the [%coupon_code%] placeholder. Each recipient will see their own name and the code uploaded with their e-mail address in the e-mail they receive. This guide will show you how to import and use standard Coupon Codes in an E-mail blast.

Add and Export the Codes to the Contact List

First, you'll need to create the Coupon Codes you'd like to distribute. If you intend to distribute codes that are unique to each athlete, choose a Series type coupon with enough codes for everyone in your e-mail list. For more information on creating a Coupon Code, click HERE.

Once you've created the coupon codes, follow the steps below to add the codes to your list of e-mail recipients. 

1. From the Registration > Coupons tab, locate the Coupon Code you made and click the View Codes button.
   
2. In the window that appears, click and drag all the way to the bottom of the window to highlight all of the codes. Make sure the scroll bar reaches the bottom.
   
3. Now, press Ctrl + C to copy the text you highlighted, then open Excel.
4. Right-click inside the first cell in a blank Excel sheet and select the Match Destination Formatting option under the Paste Special heading.
   
5. Now, re-label the Code column as coupon_code, then copy the column and paste it into your e-mail contacts list. 
   
6. Finally, save the file as a .CSV

Import Contacts + Codes

Now, on the E-mail tab, create a new campaign and fill in the appropriate information for the e-mail campaign. If you're not familiar with creating an e-mail campaign, click HERE for a full guide.

To import the list of e-mails, names, and coupon codes:

1. Click the Create List button and select Import from the "Select Recipients from" dropdown. Enter a List Title, then click Select File and locate the contact list with the coupon codes you created previously.
2. Click Continue. On the next page, make sure the Name, Email, and Coupon Codes are mapped to the correct values, then click Continue.
   
3. On the final step, confirm the information in the file, then click Complete & Save.
   
4. Allow some time for the file to upload. When the process is complete, the page will refresh, and the list title will appear in the To field.
   

Composing a Message with Codes

Now, compose your e-mail message and use the [%coupon_code%] placeholder to insert the Coupon Codes into each participant's e-mail. See the example below for an example of how this might look. You can also personalize the e-mail with the [%first_name%] placeholder.

In order for the names and codes to be inserted into the e-mails, the placeholders MUST follow the format shown in the image below - [%first_name%] and [%coupon_code%]