Communication Settings

The “Postal Greeting Type Options” in the “Settings” area of Retention CRM allows Chambers of Commerce, Nonprofits and Associations to define various ways to address recipients in their postal mailings. These options can be tailored to different contact types, allowing for more personalized greetings.

Postal Greeting Type Options in Retention CRM is like a tool that helps you manage these different greetings. It lets you create a list of different greeting styles and choose which one to use for each person based on their information (like their title, name, or type of member).

Here’s a quick example:

• Greeting 1: “Dear Mr./Ms. [LastName],” (formal)
• Greeting 2: “Dear [FirstName],” (casual)

Now, if you’re sending letters to your members, you can choose to use “Dear Mr./Ms. [LastName],” for everyone, or you can set it up so that younger members get “Dear [FirstName],” and older members get the formal greeting.

General Functionality of “Postal Greeting Type Options”

Here’s a breakdown of the fields you’ll encounter:

• Label: This is the user-friendly name displayed for the greeting type option (e.g., “Mr./Ms.”, “Dear Dr.”).
• Value: This is the actual greeting inserted into the mailing (e.g., “Dear [FirstName]”). You can use tokens like “[FirstName]” to personalize greetings.
• Description (Optional): Any additional text appended to the greeting after processing (e.g., “Thank you for your continued support”).
• Order: This determines the order in which greeting options appear for users.
• Enabled? This activates or deactivates the greeting type option.
• Default Option? This sets the preferred greeting option for a specific contact type (if applicable).
• Contact Type: This allows you to restrict the greeting option to specific contact types within Retention CRM (e.g., “Individual” for members, “Organization” for partner institutions).

Using “Postal Greeting Type Options” in Association Management

Scenario for a Nursing Association:

Let’s say your nursing association uses Retention CRM to manage member data. You can define different greeting options:

• Label: “Dear Mr./Ms.” (Formal)
• Value: “Dear [Title] [LastName],” (Formal with Title)
• Label: “Dear [FirstName],” (Informal)
• Value: “Dear [FirstName],” (Informal)
• Contact Type: “Individual” (Assign these options to the “Individual” contact type representing members)

Adding a New Greeting Type

The “Add Postal Greeting Type” function allows you to create additional greeting options. Fill in the fields as described above to customize your greetings further. For example, you might create a greeting specifically for nurse practitioners:

• Label: “Dear Nurse Practitioner [LastName],”
• Value: “Dear Nurse Practitioner [LastName],”
• Contact Type: “Individual” (Limit this option to members with the “Nurse Practitioner” designation).

By utilizing these options, your nursing association can ensure your postal communications address members appropriately, fostering a more personalized connection.

The “Email Greeting Type Options” in the “Settings” area of Retention CRM allows Nonprofits, Associations and Chambers of Commerce to define various greeting styles for emails sent through the Retention CRM system. This lets you personalize communication based on recipient type.

Imagine you’re sending out emails to different people, say members and volunteers. You wouldn’t start every email the same way, right? You’d use “Dear Mr. Smith” for a formal email to members, but may be “Hi John,” for a student volunteer.

Retention CRM’s “Email Greeting Type Options” is like a tool that helps you do this automatically. Instead of manually typing out different greetings for each email, you can set up different greeting styles and then choose the right one for each recipient.

Here’s how it works:

• You create different greeting styles: For example, “Formal,” “Informal,” “Organization.”
• You write the actual greeting: Like “Dear [Contact Name],” or “Hi [Contact Name].”
• You tell Retention CRM who to use it for: You can say, “Use ‘Formal’ for members,” or “Use ‘Informal’ for volunteers.”

Then, when you send an email: Retention CRM will automatically choose the correct greeting based on who you’re sending it to.

So, instead of typing out a greeting every time, you just select the right style and Retention CRM does the rest. This saves you time and makes your emails look more professional.

How to Use “Email Greeting Type Options” in Association Management

Here’s a breakdown of the fields you’ll find:

• Label: This is the name users see when choosing a greeting type (e.g., “Formal”, “Informal”).
• Value: This is the actual greeting text used in emails (e.g., “Dear [Contact Name]…”, “Hi [Contact Name]”). You can use merge variables like [Contact Name] to personalize greetings.
• Description: This is optional text appended to the greeting when displayed to users (e.g., “Use for professional communication”).
• Order: This determines the order greetings appear when users choose a type (higher number appears lower).
• Enabled?: This allows you to temporarily disable a greeting type if needed.
• Default Option?: Set one greeting as the default for new emails.
• Contact Type: This restricts the greeting type to specific contact types (e.g., “Individual”, “Organization”).

Scenario for a Nursing Association:

The nursing association can utilize these fields to create different email greetings for various audiences:

• Formal Greeting (Default): “Dear [Contact Name],” (for professional communication with members, officials, etc.)
• Informal Greeting: “Hi [Contact Name],” (for less formal communication with members, event invites, etc.)
• Organization Greeting: “Dear [Organization Name] Staff,” (for emails addressed to member organizations).

Adding a New Email Greeting Type:

Click “Add Email Greeting Type” to create a new option. Fill out the fields as follows:

• Label: Enter a descriptive name (e.g., “Student Nurse Welcome”).
• Value: Craft the greeting text (e.g., “Welcome to the nursing profession, [Contact Name]!”).
• Description: (Optional) Add a note explaining the greeting’s use (e.g., “For welcoming new student members”).
• Order: Set the order the greeting appears in the list.
• Enabled?: Leave checked for active use.
• Default Option?: Only check this for the preferred default greeting.
• Contact Type: Choose “Individual” for greetings to student nurses, or leave blank for wider use.

The ‘Communication Style Options’ in the ‘Settings’ area of Retention CRM let Associations, Chambers of Commerce and Nonprofit organizations define different ways they can communicate with their contacts. This allows for segmented communication, where you can tailor messages based on a preferred style (e.g., email, printed letter). The existing options are shown and can be edited here.

Imagine you manage a Professional Association. You have members who like to get updates via email, others prefer a printed newsletter, and some might want to receive text messages.

Communication Style Options in Retention CRM is a tool that helps you manage these preferences. It lets you define different ways to communicate with your members (email, newsletter, SMS, etc.) and then let members choose how they want to be contacted.

How it works:

1. You set up the options: You decide what communication styles you offer (email, newsletter, SMS, etc.).
2. Members choose: Your members select the communication style(s) they prefer.
3. Targeted communication: You can then send specific messages to members based on their chosen style. For example, you can send email updates to email subscribers and a newsletter to newsletter subscribers.

Example:

• Email Updates: Members who choose this will receive club news via email.
• Printed Newsletter: Members who choose this will get a physical newsletter.

How to Use “Communication Style Options” in Association Management

Now, let’s look at the fields you can use to define a Communication Style:

• Label: This is the name users see when choosing a communication style (e.g., “Email”, “Printed Newsletter”).
• Value: An internal identifier for the style.
• Description: A more detailed explanation of the style (e.g., “Regular updates sent electronically”).
• Order: Defines the order the options appear in lists.
• Default Option?: If checked, this style will be pre-selected for new contacts.
• Enabled?: If unchecked, this style won’t be available for selection.

How a Nursing Association can Utilize Communication Styles:

A nursing association can use Communication Styles to segment communication based on member preferences. For example:

• Label: “Email Updates”
• Value: “email_updates”
• Description: “Receive association news and updates via email.”
• Order: 1 (appears first in lists)
• Default Option?: Yes (most members prefer email)
• Enabled?: Yes

Another option could be:

• Label: “Printed Newsletter”
• Value: “printed_newsletter”
• Description: “Receive a quarterly printed newsletter with association news.”
• Order: 2
• Default Option?: No
• Enabled?: Yes (for members who prefer print)

This allows the association to send targeted emails or newsletters based on a member’s preferred style.

Adding a Communication Style:

To add a new communication style, click “Add Communication Style” and fill out the fields:

• Label: Enter the name users will see (e.g., “SMS Updates”).
• Value: Create a unique identifier (e.g., “sms_updates”).
• Description: Briefly explain the style (e.g., “Receive important updates via SMS”).
• Order: Assign a position in the list (e.g., 3).
• Default Option?: Choose whether this will be pre-selected for new members.
• Enabled?: Select if you want to make this style available.

The “Print Page (PDF) Formats” feature in the ‘Settings’ area of Retention CRM lets Associations, Chambers of Commerce and Nonprofits define layouts for generating PDF versions of emails or letters. You can create multiple formats with different layouts and assign them to specific message templates. This allows for customization of how your communication appears in PDF format, like official letters from your nursing association.

Imagine you’re sending out official letters on your nursing association’s letterhead.

You want these letters to look professional and consistent, right? That’s where “Print Page (PDF) Formats” in Retention CRM comes in.

Think of it as a template for how your letters or emails will look when you convert them into PDF files. You can create different templates for different types of letters or emails.

For example:

• Template 1: Formal letter with your association’s letterhead.
• Template 2: Casual email with a simpler layout.

Here’s what you can customize in each template:

• Paper size: A4, Letter, etc.
• Orientation: Portrait or landscape.
• Margins: How much space around the edges of the page.
• Order: Which template shows up first when you choose one.

Why is it useful?

• Consistency: All your official letters will have the same look and feel.
• Professionalism: Your association will look more organized and trustworthy.
• Efficiency: You don’t have to redesign the layout for every letter.

How to Use “Print Page (PDF) Formats” in Association Management

Here’s a breakdown of the fields you’ll find:

• Name: A clear and descriptive name for the format, such as “Nursing Association Letterhead”.
• Description: (Optional) Additional details about the format’s use.
• Is this PDF Page Format the default? Yes or No selection to choose your preferred default format.
• Paper Size: Standard paper size options like Letter or A4.
• Orientation: Portrait or Landscape layout for the PDF.
• Margins: Define the top, bottom, left, and right margins in your chosen unit of measure (inches, millimeters, etc.).
• Order: A number to control the order these formats appear in dropdown lists. Lower numbers appear first.

Use Case for a Nursing Association:

Let’s say your nursing association wants to create professional-looking PDF versions of welcome letters for new members. Here’s how you can utilize these fields:

1. Name: “Welcome Letter – Nursing Association”
2. Description: (Optional) “Used for generating PDFs of welcome letters to new members.”
3. Is this PDF Page Format the default?: This can be Yes if you plan to use this format for most communications.
4. Paper Size: Letter (US standard)
5. Orientation: Portrait
6. Margins: Set margins according to your branding guidelines to ensure proper layout for your letterhead and content.
7. Order: Assign a low number (e.g., 1) to prioritize this format in the selection list.

By creating and customizing these PDF Page Formats, your nursing association can ensure consistent and professional communication with its members.

The “Label Page Formats” in the ‘Settings’ area of Retention CRM lets Association, Chamber of Commerce and Nonprofit define how mailing labels appear when printing contact information. You can create multiple label formats with different layouts and then choose which fields (like name and address) to include on the labels from the “Address Settings” section.

A label format in Retention CRM is like a blueprint for how those labels will look on the paper. It tells Retention CRM:

• How big the paper is (like A4 or Letter)
• How many labels fit on the paper (across and down)
• How big each label is
• Where the edges of the label are
• What font and size to use for the text

Why is it useful?

Instead of guessing how to arrange your labels every time you need to print them, you can save your preferred layout as a label format. This way, whenever you want to print labels with the same style, you can just choose that format and Retention CRM will automatically create the labels for you.

General Functionality of “Label Page Formats”

Here’s a breakdown of the fields you mentioned:

• Name: Identifies the label format (e.g., “Avery 5160”).
• Description: Briefly explains the format’s purpose (e.g., “For standard Avery 5160 labels”).
• Default: Selects a preferred label format for new mailings.
• Sheet Size: Defines the overall paper size (e.g., “A4” or “Letter”).
• Font Name, Size, Style: Controls the appearance of text on the labels (e.g., “Arial”, size 10, bold).
• Unit of Measure: Specifies units for dimensions (e.g., inches or millimeters).
• Orientation: Sets printing direction (portrait or landscape).
• Labels Per Row/Column: Defines the number of labels per row and column on a sheet.
• Margins/Spacing/Padding: Controls the space between labels and edges of the sheet and padding within each label.
• Order: Determines how label formats appear in drop-down menus (lower numbers appear first).

How to Use “Label Page Formats” in Association Management

Nursing Association Use Case:

A nursing association can leverage “Label Page Formats” to create mailing labels for various purposes:

• Membership renewal reminders: Design a label format including member name, address, and membership ID for efficient renewal campaigns.
• Event invitations: Create labels with attendee names and addresses for targeted event invitations.
• Chapter updates: Develop a label format with member names and preferred contact information for distributing chapter newsletters.

By customizing label formats and including relevant fields, the nursing association can streamline communication and ensure information reaches the right members.

The “Preferred Communication Method” feature in the ‘Setting’ area of Retention CRM section allows membership organizations such as Associations, Chambers of Commerce and Nonprofits to record how their contacts prefer to be communicated with. This simplifies communication efforts and ensures messages are delivered through the most preferred channel.

General Functionality of “Preferred Communication Method” feature

Each option has a “Label” displayed to users (e.g., “Email”), a corresponding “Value” used internally (e.g., “email”), and an optional “Description” for further clarification. The “Order” determines the order the options appear, while “Reserved” indicates system-reserved options and “Enabled?” controls whether a specific option is available for selection.

Add Preferred Communication Method

The “Add Preferred Communication Method” section lets you create new communication methods. You’ll define a user-friendly “Label” (e.g., “Text Message”), a corresponding “Value” (e.g., “sms”), and an optional “Description” (e.g., “Receive updates via text message”). The “Order” determines where this new method appears in the list, and “Enabled?” controls its availability.

How to use “Preferred Communication Method” feature in Association Management

Let’s consider a nursing association using these settings:

• Existing Options: They might keep “Email” (for newsletters) and “Postal Mail” (for membership certificates).
• New Options: They could add “SMS” for urgent updates and “Phone Call” for critical notifications.

By recording these preferences, the association can tailor their communication strategy. For instance, they can send event updates via email to most members, while using SMS for critical alerts or phone calls for personalized reminders. This ensures members receive information through their preferred channels, fostering better engagement.

The ‘Schedule Reminders’ feature in the ‘Settings’ area of Retention CRM allows Nonprofits, Associations and Chambers of Commerce to automate sending emails to contacts at specific times. This can be useful for reminding members about upcoming events, membership renewals, or other relevant information.

How to Use ‘Schedule Reminders’ in Association Management

Here’s a breakdown of the fields and how a nursing association can use them:

• Title & Used For: Briefly describe the reminder (e.g., “Membership Renewal Reminder”). “Used For” can be further customized for specific member segments (e.g., “Registered Nurses” or “New Graduates”).
• When (trigger date): Set the date and time the email should be sent (e.g., 30 days before membership expires).
• Effective From & To (optional): Define a date range for when the reminder should be sent (useful for time-sensitive campaigns).
• Repeat: Choose how often the reminder should be sent (e.g., daily, weekly, or monthly).
• Record Activity: Track the sent emails in the member’s activity history.
• Limit or Add Recipients: Choose to send the reminder to a specific group of members or exclude certain segments.
• Enabled: Activate or deactivate the reminder.
• Email Details: Set the sender name, email address, and email subject line.
• Use Template: Design a reusable email template with your association’s branding and messaging.
• HTML & Plain-Text Formats: Craft the email content in both HTML for formatted visuals and plain-text for wider compatibility.
• Save As New Template (optional): Save your email design as a template for future reminders.

Scenario: A nursing association can use ‘Schedule Reminders’ to:

• Send automated emails reminding members to renew their licenses before they expire.
• Inform members about upcoming educational workshops or conferences.
• Prompt members to register for voting in association elections.
• Share important updates or news relevant to the nursing profession.

By utilizing these reminders strategically, the association can improve communication with members, boost engagement, and streamline administrative tasks.

The “Message templates” in the ‘Settings’ area of Retention CRM are like pre-written email or letter formats that Chambers of Commerce, Nonprofits and Associations can reuse for common communications. These messages can be triggered by specific user actions (like membership renewals) or by system workflows (like sending contribution receipts). You can customize these templates to fit your specific needs.

How to Use “Message templates” in Association Management

Here’s a breakdown of the fields and how a nursing association might use them:

• Message Title & Subject: These fields let you name your template and craft clear subject lines for emails. For example, a title could be “Membership Renewal Reminder” and a subject line “Your [Association Name] Membership is Expiring Soon!”
• Enabled?: This lets you activate or deactivate templates.

System Workflow Messages

These pre-written emails get sent automatically based on actions in Retention CRM. Here are some examples relevant to a nursing association:

• Contributions – Receipt (on-line): This template would be used to send automatic email receipts to members when they pay their dues online.
• Events – Registration Confirmation and Receipt (on-line): This would send confirmation emails with event details and receipts to nurses who register for online events or conferences.
• Memberships – Auto-renew Billing Updates & Cancellation Notification: These could be used to inform members about upcoming automatic renewals for their association dues and provide options to cancel if needed.
• Memberships – Signup and Renewal Receipts (off-line): This could be used for offline payments, sending email receipts to members who pay their dues via check or money order.

Adding New Message Templates

The “Add Message Template” section lets you create custom message formats. You can compose the message directly in Retention CRM, upload an existing document, or choose a format for generating PDFs. Once your message is created, you can enable it for use in emails or document generation.

The “From Email Address” in the ‘Settings’ area of Retention CRM lets Nonprofits, Associations and Chambers of Commerce define email addresses other than the logged-in user’s for sending emails to contacts. This is useful for creating professional-looking emails with a consistent sender name and address.

How to use “From Email Address” in Association Management

Here’s a breakdown of the fields you’ll find:

• FROM Email Address: This is the actual email address that will appear in the “From” field of your emails. You’ll need to include the display name in quotes and the email address in angle brackets (e.g., “Colorado Registered Nurses Association (CRNA)” <info@crna.org>).
• Order: This determines the order in which email addresses appear when selecting a sender. A lower number means a higher priority.
• Enabled?: This checkbox controls whether the email address is available for selection.
• Default Option?: This option allows you to choose a preferred sender email address.

Let’s say your nursing association has different departments that send emails to members. You can create separate “From Email Address Options” for each department:

• “Membership Services” <memberships@crna.org> – Used for emails related to membership applications, renewals, and benefits.
• “Continuing Education” <cn@crna.org> – Used for emails about upcoming workshops, conferences, and online courses.
• “Advocacy & Legislation” <advocacy@crna.org> – Used for updates on legislative issues and calls to action.

By setting a default option (e.g., “Membership Services”), most emails will use that address, while other departments can still choose their specific address for relevant communications. This keeps your email communication professional and allows members to easily identify the sender and the department it comes from.

The “Organization Address and Contact Info” feature in the ‘Settings’ area of Retention CRM lets Associations, Chambers of Commerce and Nonprofit organizations define their organization’s details used in various communications. This includes the organization’s name, a description (optional for multiple domains), and your physical address. This information gets inserted into emails using tokens, ensuring legal compliance and a professional touch.

Using “Organization Address and Contact Info” feature in Association Management

Let’s break down the fields for a hypothetical nursing association:

• Organization Name: This is your association’s official name, likely something like “[Your City] Nurses Association”.
• Description: (Optional) Briefly describe your association’s purpose, for example “A non-profit organization supporting nurses in [Your City]”.
• Default Organization Address: This is your association’s physical address for things like correspondence or event locations.
• Organization Contact Information: Here you can add your association’s main email address and phone number for inquiries. Retention CRM uses tokens (e.g., {domain.email}) to automatically insert this information into email newsletters or communications.

In a scenario, you might use the address section for sending meeting invitations or membership information to nurses. You could use the email address for sending out newsletters or important updates. By including this information in Retention CRM, you ensure all communications from your association have a professional look and provide nurses with easy ways to contact you.