When you create a new Triggered Drip Campaign, it’s in Test Mode by default.  

“Test Mode” is a unique Postalytics feature that allows you to test your integrated Zapier Triggered Drip Campaign to make sure that it is working properly, without producing mail or using your Postalytics Direct Mail Credits. You can send data triggered drips from your CRM or Automation Tool into Zapier to your Postalytics Triggered Drip Campaign, in Test Mode, while you tweak and configure your creative, your data and/or your integration.

When you trigger mail to your campaign in Test Mode, it will generate a PDF that you can easily review. The PDF is exactly what gets created in a “Live” campaign, it just doesn’t get printed and mailed. This PDF will test any personalization on your mail piece driven by data in your CRM or automation tool. Toggling your campaign between Test Mode and Live Mode is quick and easy and can be done as often as you like.

Toggle Test Mode Live Mode Postalytics Dashboard

Trigger a Mailer from your CRM/Marketing Automation in Test Mode 

In order to test your Triggered Drip Campaign, you’ll first need to “fire” a trigger from your CRM/Marketing Automation tool. The testing process is the same regardless of which tool and integration you are using. Again, your Triggered Drip will default to Test Mode so Create A Zap with Postalytics and you’ll be ready to test.

You can check the status of the Zap by going to the Zapier dashboard and clicking the Task History tab. You’ll then see your test in the Task History log as shown below:

send direct mail zapier action - zapier task history

In the Postalytics app, visit the dashboard for your Triggered Drip Campaign, that is in test mode. You should see Total Valid Contacts of at least one, more if you tested additional contacts. You can test as many times as you like with test mode, and you don’t have to worry about sending mail or using credits.When you toggle back to Live Mode, Postalytics will clear out your test data to keep your reporting dashboards clean.

Triggered Drip Dashboard Test Preview Created Mail Toggle Mode

Once triggered, you’ll be able to easily review a PDF. The PDF is exactly what gets created in a “Live” campaign, it just doesn’t get printed and mailed.

Click “Preview Created Mail”. A popup window will appear with a PDF of each mailpiece generated for your test records. Remember that since you are in test mode, none of these pieces have actually been sent to the printer. The PDF will include any personalization driven by your data.

Once your campaign has been toggled to “Live Mode” and your triggers are coming through, clicking “Preview Created Mail” will show live mail that has actually been sent to the printer.

Preview Created Mail Postcard Postalytics Triggered Drip

When you’re happy with the results, you can flip your Postalytics Triggered Drip campaign to Live Mode, and purchase your Direct Mail Credits, if needed.

To Turn Your Campaign “Live” You Need Credits 

Before your campaign can be turned live, you’ll need to have at least 100 Direct Mail credits for the format that you’ve chosen. (By format, we mean the creative format/postage combination, such as 4×6 First Class, 6×9 Standard, or Custom Envelopes). If you already have credits, your campaign will seamlessly turn live.

If you don’t have at least 100 credits, you’ll need to purchase them. A pop up window will appear when you use the toggle to switch to live mode from the Campaign Dashboard. if you do not have enough credits. Select “Purchase Credits Now” and proceed with the steps to purchase credits.

Postalytics Dashboard Live Mode Toggle
Purchase Credits Warning Pop Up Direct Mail

Once live, your campaign will “listen” for Zapier Zap to trigger it and send the postcard or letter to each recipient with no further interaction. You can just sit back and relax while the campaigns keep rolling along.