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Newcomer Email Journey

Drip Newcomer Email Sequence

The Drip Newcomer Email Sequence is designed to warmly welcome newcomers to Foothills Unitarian Church and help them get oriented within the community. This automated sequence is initiated whenever a newcomer attends a worship service (either in person or online), which triggers their entry into a designated MailChimp Journey. The journey comprises three emails sent over three days, each encouraging engagement with the community and completion of a Getting Connected survey to guide further connection and customized follow-up.

Key Resources:

Automation Process

1. Newcomer Journey Entry Conditions

Conditions for being added to the Newcomer Journey:

  • Newcomers are identified through attendance records in Planning Center Online (PCO).
  • Newcomers are tagged in Mailchimp via lists made in PCO within the List Category: PTP Communication.
  • Tags can be manually added in MailChimp if necessary.
Target Criteria  PCO List MailChimp Tag 
Newcomer Attending Online for the First Time
  • Attend Worship for the first time location: online
  • Is Newcomer
  • Newcomer date since 1 week ago
https://people.planningcenteronline.com/lists/3740492/settings

Online Worshipper Newcomer Email List [MailChimp List] - 3740492


In-Person Worship Attendance

Any one of these actions:

  • Attend Worship for the first time location: in-person 
  • Attended Inquirers for first time 
  • Gave to Share the Plate this week 

 

And all of these:

  • Is Newcomer
  • Newcomer date since 1 week ago
https://people.planningcenteronline.com/lists/3740537 In-Person Newcomer Email List [MailChimp List] - 3740537
Parents/Guardians of Children Attending 

 


https://people.planningcenteronline.com/lists/3740582 Family Newcomer Email List [MailChimp List] - 3740582
 


2. MailChimp Journey Details

Once tagged as a newcomer in MailChimp, the individual enters the Newcomer Journey sequence. This journey involves:

  • Email #1: Customized welcome email (based on attendance type, either online or in-person).
  • Email #2: Information about ways to get involved.
  • Email #3: Encouragement to complete the Getting Connected survey for tailored recommendations.

The emails are sent with a one-day interval between each, ensuring engagement without overwhelming the newcomer.

3. Getting Connected Survey and Conditional Drips

Each email includes a call to action to fill out the Getting Connected survey in MailChimp. This survey collects preferences on areas of interest and ways the newcomer might want to connect further. Depending on the selections in the survey:

The survey responses trigger additional drip emails tailored to the newcomer’s interests after completing the Newcomer Journey.

Survey Options

Currently Active 

  • Learning about the caring network and what support Foothills offers.
  • I’m interested in learning more about Unitarian Universalism and how it fits with my values.
  • I’d love to get to know the staff and their roles at Foothills better.
  • I'd like to understand more about how things work behind the scenes at Foothills.
  • I’m curious to learn about the different groups and where I might fit in.
  • I’d love to know how I can stay connected as part of the online community.
  • I'd like to know more about Foothills stance on LGBTQIA+ issues
To Be Added 
I'd like to learn more about the Music
I'd like to find ways to connect with the BIPOC community at Foothills.
I’d love to learn about the family programs to help us get connected

MailChimp Tag Key

Tag Use Added Via
Newcomer Email Sequence  Everyone that starts the Newcomer Journey  Automatically Via the Journey 

Online Worshipper Newcomer Email List [MailChimp List] - 3740492

Designate first time online worshipers PCO List that syncs with mailchimp 
In-Person Newcomer Email List [MailChimp List] - 3740537 Designate first time in-person worshipers PCO List that syncs with mailchimp 
Newcomer Email Sequence: Done For those who complete the Newcomer Journey  Automatically Via the Journey 
Info Survey Filled Out When a person completes the Getting Connected Survey  Automatically via the Survey
Info Drip Journey Started Was added to the Newcomer Survey Automation Journey  Automatically Via the Journey 
Info Drip Journey Complete Completed the Newcomer Survey Automation Journey  Automatically Via the Journey 
Info: (fill in the blank) There are multiple tags each with the same syntax: Info: _______. Each of them represents one of the options in the Getting Connected Survey, they are used to filter the Newcomer Survey Automation Journey so people only receive what they requested  Automatically via the Survey

How to Add An Additional Option to the Newcomer Survey Automation 


Watch Video

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How to remove someone from a journey that was added by mistake?

1. Click ‘Journey Settings’ in the journey
2️. Click ‘Manually remove contacts from journey’.
3️. Paste emails or create a segment of contacts to add.
4️. Click ‘remove contacts.

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Newcomer Tag Additional Content

Target Criteria  PCO List MailChimp Tag 
2/3 Sundays after becoming Newcomer
  • Checkin attended Sunday Worship, at least twice in the last three weeks 
  • Is Newcomer
  • Newcomer date since 1 week 
https://people.planningcenteronline.com/lists/3740758 Newcomer (2/3 Sundays) [Mailchimp] - 3740758
Missed Two Sunday (retention)
  • Last attended worship since 3 weeks ago
  • Excluding people attended 
https://people.planningcenteronline.com/lists/3740798 Newcomer (Missed Two Sundays) [MailChimp List] - 3740798