Key Terminologies – Funnels

Funnels are a powerful automation feature that can greatly enhance the operations of your membership association. Funnels in the CRM refer to a series of automated steps or actions set by you that guide contacts through a predefined journey or process. These funnels help automate repetitive tasks, nurture leads, and improve member engagement. 

Key terminologies

• Benchmarks: Benchmarks are specific events or conditions that serve as checkpoints within a funnel. They determine when certain actions or decisions should be triggered. Benchmarks act as the “gateways” that contacts must pass through to progress through the funnel. Some examples of benchmarks in the CRM include: 
  • Email Opened: This benchmark is triggered when a contact opens an email. It can be used to track engagement and determine if additional actions should be taken, such as sending a follow-up email or assigning a tag. 
  • Link Clicked: When a contact clicks on a specific link in an email, this benchmark can be triggered. It allows you to track specific actions taken by the contact and trigger relevant actions or send targeted follow-up emails. 
  • Form Submission: This benchmark is triggered when a contact submits a form on your website or landing page. It can be used to track conversions and trigger actions such as sending a confirmation email or assigning the contact to a specific segment.
  • Tag Applied: This benchmark is triggered when a specific tag is applied to a contact. It allows you to segment contacts based on their interests, behaviour, or membership status.

• Actions: Actions are the specific tasks or automated steps performed within a funnel. They are triggered by benchmarks, and they determine the subsequent actions to be taken. Actions can include sending emails, adding delays, assigning tags, updating contact information, or triggering other automation. Here are a few examples of actions in the CRM:
  • Send Email: This action involves sending an automated email to a contact. You can create personalised email content with dynamic fields and specific timing based on triggers or delays. 
  • Delay: This action introduces a time gap or pauses in the funnel before the next action is executed. It allows you to schedule delays between steps to control the timing of communications and guide contacts through a specific sequence. 
  • Assign Tag: Assigning a tag to a contact is an action that helps categorise and segment contacts based on specific criteria. Tags can be used to trigger other actions or automation, customise communication, or track engagement. 
  • Update Contact Properties: This action involves updating contact information or properties in the CRM. For example, you can update a contact’s membership level, subscription status, or other relevant data based on their actions or progress within the funnel.
• Conditional logic: Conditional Logic in the CRM allows you to create if/then scenarios based on specific conditions or criteria. This enables you to customise your funnels for your association members. Here’s an example of how conditional logic can be used in a membership levels scenario within the CRM:
  • Let’s say your association has different membership levels, such as Studnet, General and Corporate. You want to create a funnel that sends personalised emails to members based on their membership level. 
  • Setting up Conditions: In the CRM, you can define conditions based on membership levels. For example, you can set up conditions like
    • If the membership level is Studnet, send email A. 
    • If the membership level is General, send email B. 
    • If the membership level is Corporate, send email C.