Tutorials > Use WebSphere Commerce > Conduct an e-mail campaign
Create e-mail content
There are two parts to the content of the e-mail message. The first part reads, "It's our RedHot Winter Clearance - 25% off," and the second part is the actual coupon image. In this section of the tutorial, we will create content for the first one and place it in a Content Spot. Then we will create content for the coupon (an associated discount promotion) and place it in an E-Marketing Spot.
- Download the ZIP file from this link: couponimages.zip.
- Extract the contents of the ZIP file to the local system.
Procedure
- Create branded content for the top of the e-mail message
- Log in to WebSphere Commerce Accelerator.
- Select the ConsumerDirect store and click OK.
- Select Marketing > Content.
- In the right pane, click New.
- In the Content Properties window, type or select the following values:
- Name
- E-mail Activity Header
- Type
- File
- File location
- Click Browse to open the Attachments wizard.
- In the Attachments panel, click Browse.
- Browse to the location where you extracted promotion.gif.
- Select the file and click Upload to add it to the Attachments list.
- Select the file again, and click Assign.
- Click action
- No action
- Click OK to close the Content Properties window.
Tip: To avoid waiting for promotion.gif to be propagated from the database to the application server, you can copy it manually from the extract location to the application server. In a production environment, you would have to wait approximately 1.5 hours for the server to refresh with the file from the database. However, for the purposes of this tutorial, we will assume that to continue right away. Copy the GIF file to the following folder on the server:
WC_EAR/Stores.war/ConsumerDirect/Attachment
WCDE_INSTALL/workspace/Stores/WebContent/ConsumerDirect/Attachment
- Create a content spot associated with the branded content
- Log in to WebSphere Commerce Accelerator.
- Select the ConsumerDirect store and click OK.
- Select Store > Content Spots.
- In the right pane, click New.
- In the Content Spot Properties window, type or select the following values:
- Name
- E-mail Activity Header
- Description
- E-mail Activity Header
- Short description
- E-mail Activity Header
- Scheduled Content
- Click Add to open the Attachments wizard.
- Add the content called E-mail Activity Header.
- Click OK to close the Content Spot Properties window.
- Create content for the coupon
- Log in to WebSphere Commerce Accelerator.
- Select the ConsumerDirect store and click OK.
- Select Marketing > Content.
- In the right pane, click New.
- In the Content Properties window, type or select the following values:
- Name
- 25 percent coupon off Tableware
- Type
- File
- File location
- Click Browse to open the Attachments wizard.
- In the Attachments panel, click Browse.
- Browse to the location where you extracted coupon.gif.
- Select the file and click Upload to add it to the Attachments list.
- Select the file again, and click Assign.
- Click action
- Select a predefined command as click action.
- Command
- Add promotion to customer's coupon collection.
- Click OK to close the Content Properties window.
Tip: To avoid waiting for coupon.gif to be propagated from the database to the application server, you can copy it manually from the extract location to the application server. In a production environment, you would have to wait approximately 1.5 hours for the server to refresh with the file from the database. However, for the purposes of this tutorial, we will assume that to continue right away. Copy the GIF file to the following folder on the server:
- WC_EAR/Stores.war/ConsumerDirect/Attachment
- WCDE_INSTALL/workspace/Stores/WebContent/ConsumerDirect/Attachment
- Create a 25% discount promotion for the Tableware category
- Log in to WebSphere Commerce Accelerator.
- Select the ConsumerDirect store and click OK.
- Select Marketing > Promotions.
- On the right side, click New.
- In the Content Properties window, do the following steps:
- Type or select the following values:
- Name
- Coupon Discount on Tableware
- Description
- Coupon Discount on Tableware
- Short Description
- Coupon Discount on Tableware
- Select This is a coupon promotion.
- Under Number of days until coupon expires, type 30.
- Click Next.
- Select the Tableware category.
- Click Next.
- On the Percentage Off Per Item panel, type a discount percentage of 25%.
- Click Finish.
- A list of promotions should now be displayed. Locate the promotion you created, select it and click Activate.
- Create an E-Marketing Spot and a Web Activity
- Log in to WebSphere Commerce Accelerator.
- Select the ConsumerDirect store and click OK.
- Select Marketing > E-Marketing Spots.
- On the right pane, click New.
- In the E-Marketing Spot Properties window, type or select the following values:
- Name
- E-mail 25 Percent Off Tableware Coupon
- Description
- E-mail 25 Percent Off Tableware Coupon
- Short Description
- E-mail 25 Percent Off Tableware Coupon
- In the Scheduled Web Activities section, click New.
- In the Web Activities window, type or select the following values:
- Name
- 25 Percent off Tableware
- Description
- 25 Percent off Tableware
- Short Description
- 25 Percent off Tableware
- Activity Type
- Promotion
- Selected Promotion
- Coupon Discount on Tableware
- Selected Coupon
- 25 percent coupon off Tableware
- Click OK to save the Web Activity.
- Click OK to save the E-Marketing Spot.