The holidays are quickly approaching! A weekly email - automated by a time-saving Workflow - is a great way to engage your community.
With help from our friends at ShareFaith, we've pre-created an email series to engage your Kid's Ministry with weekly Christ-centered reminders of the Christmas Story!
Use this "How-To" article and the resources referenced below each week of the Advent season.
We hope it provides your kids and families with conversation opportunities about the birth of Jesus and what His life means for us!
ShareFaith Media & Kids is a tremendous source to download editable graphics, videos, children's resources, and more!
Let's Get Started!
First, since this workflow will use Mass Messaging to email group members, you'll need to enable Mass Contact within your ChMS. (Nope: no hidden fees for mass emailing! Learn how to enable Mass Email in 2 Minutes!)
Next, because this Workflow Automation Triggers from Group Membership, you'll first need a Group that includes all the contacts you'd like to reach. If you don't have one already, follow these two simple steps.
How to Create a Group For Mass Communication
(1) Create Your Group
Click Groups in the Left Navigation Bar
Click Create a Group in the Membership Status box.
Name your group and add a description if desired.
Scroll down and click the blue Save button in the bottom left corner.
(2) Populate Your Group
Last, add individuals to your Group. We suggest adding multiple individuals at once.
How to Setup Your Workflow
Now click Workflows in the Left Navigation bar
Click Add to start a new workflow
Name your Workflow and click the blue + Add Trigger
The first trigger for the initial email send will be when the parents are added to the communications group
Select the Group you just created from the “These Groups…” box
Next click Add Action.
Select Email
Specify who the email should go to. This will depend on how you built the group.
If you added the parents – choose This person.
If you added children to the group – choose The person’s parent.
You can add emails of people who are not in the group to receive as well.
Add a Reply To email, a Subject, and your Message.
Free Resource! Download our email samples HERE or create your own.
Make certain to click Done when you're finished.
Pro-Tip: Personalize your message by adding @NAME or @FULLNAME placeholders to insert an individual's first or first/last name, respectively.
To add the next weeks’ emails, click Add Trigger and Select Group – Membership Duration
Choose the Group again, and select the duration of 1 week
Click Add Action and select Email
Repeat the steps for adding your email content
Repeat for the next two emails – your final workflow should look like this:
Click Save.
You're ready to add your families to your Group on the first day of your series to kick off your emails.
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