Targeted Email

The tool we picked

We're using Targeted Email, a tool offered by NGPVAN (they run Connect!). It offers a large number of benefits.

• It is already integrated with Connect* 
• Users don’t have to manually sync their data; this solves a major pain point for users and also significantly reduces our risk as a party
• We have fixed the membership sync from Lighthouse so that accurate membership information is available in Connect
• The tool has templates and a drag and drop feature for easy email creation
• Parties will have some familiarity and knowledge of Connect already
• It is affordable
• In order to use Targeted Email we are making improvements to MyCampaign which will help us get more value out of Connect which is our most powerful campaigning tool

*It was not technically possible to integrate other email tools with Connect data e.g. Mailchimp - we looked at this extensively

We want the tool to be powerful enough for advanced parties so that they can use the tool to target the right people with the right message and win elections in a data driven way. We also want to make sure that the tool is user friendly and simple enough to be accessed by those of us who are not ‘techy’ and are just getting started. That is not easy to do without some compromises. 

The truth is, none of the options we had in front of us were perfect. We want to be open and honest with you about that. There are significant and important benefits for everyone if we have consistency across our technology and tools; it’s easier for us to work together, it’s simpler for everyone to get the support they need and it helps us manage our risk and avoid fines. 

What it costs you

What you pay for targeted email depends on the size and type of organisation you are*.

*Local Parties outside of the United Kingdom and AOs are not able to use Targeted Email. We have alternatives available for you, please contact support@libdems.org.uk to find out more.

Targeted Email Features

Targeted Email and MyCampaign:

Targeted Email is integrated with the MyCampaign side of the Connect database. That means we’re looking at what improvements we can make to that side of the database to make sure it holds the most accurate and useful information from a campaigning perspective. 

We have already made some improvements to MyCampaign by fixing the membership sync from Lighthouse. The feedback we’ve received from local parties who have taken the additional steps to reconcile their data between Lighthouse and Connect has been really positive. We are strongly encouraging any local parties who haven’t taken the steps to reconcile their data yet to do this now.  Guidance on what to do can be found on the Campaign Hub.

If you are already a member it is here in the Lighthouse Guides. If you are not yet a member of the Campaign Hub you should sign up for access here

We will continue to make improvements to the data available in MyCampaign so that we can deliver more value from Connect and the Targeted Email tool.

Targeted Email subscription status

• Email addresses in MyCampaign will have a subscribed/unsubscribed status which defines if they are emailable or not
• When you look at a person’s record in MyCampaign you will see their email addresses and whether those email addresses have a status of subscribed or unsubscribed
• The subscription status is per party organisation; another local party may be able to see the record but would not be able to email them unless they have their own consent.

Targeted Email preferences

We know how important it is to local parties to have the email preferences of their members and supporters accurately recorded and respected. 

We want to provide as much granularity and flexibility as we can, but we also need some degree of consistency in order for the system to work. 

We need to be able to accurately track who is subscribed to what list and we also need to give the people we email the ability to manage their own preferences. If we don’t do this well as a party then we face the risk of significant fines from the ICO. 

• Email preferences are called ‘email interests’ in MyCampaign. When you look at a person’s record in MyCampaign you will be able to see the subscription status of their email address as well as their ‘email interests’ e.g. ‘Email Interest: Local News’, or ‘Email Interest: Campaigning News’.
• When you move from managing your emails via Nationbuilder or Prater Raines to using Targeted Email, we will run through a mapping process to help you match your tags and preferences from your current email tool as best we can to the system we will use in MyCampaign.

Targeted Email + Saved searches

We have set all local parties up with three saved searches in MyCampaign which they can use for their most common emailable groups. This means when you go into Targeted Email, all you need to do is select the saved search you want to send your email to e.g. “[Local Party Name] Members and Supporters”. 

Local parties can then create their own local mailing lists. This might include E-Focus mailing lists for your ward updates, or email lists for people who have signed a petition on Fleet. The list creation process is very similar to other lists you might create for your campaigning needs. If you know how to create a phonebank list in Connect, you'll find this super easy.

Targeted Email and Email Creation

The tool has a drag-and-drop editor which makes email creation so much easier than Nationbuilder. Just choose what you want to add to your email and drag and drop.

We've shared some templates for common email types, like donation asks or GOTV emails for polling day. All of the templates are party brand compliant, designed to be easy to read on mobile and accessible for a range of audiences.

Next steps

If you're keen to get started with Targeted email, you can sign up here: https://tech.libdems.org.uk/signup