Why some leads and contacts miss emails, how to opt them back in, and how to test a drip campaign

Overview

Email opt-in status controls whether a lead or contact can receive emails from Sales and CRM, including drip campaigns and one-off emails you send from the record. A record that is not opted in will not receive them, which is the usual reason a lead "never got the email" or a contact "skipped the drip campaign."

This guide explains how opt-in is set automatically, how to check a record's status, how to opt a lead back in, what to look for when the same person has more than one lead record, and how to test a drip campaign.

1. How Opt-In Is Set Automatically

When a lead or contact is created, its email opt-in status depends on the Country on the record.

Important: This is why results look inconsistent. Leads that arrive from a web form or landing page without a country, or with a country that requires opt-in, can receive opt-in request emails. Contacts with no country are not opted in, so they miss drip campaigns that their contact type should trigger.

2. Check a Record's Email Subscription Status

1. Go to Sales > Lead Management and open the lead.
2. On the lead's Primary Info page, find the Email Subscription line near the email address. A value such as Opt-In Request not Sent means the lead has not opted in.
3. Check the Country field on the same page. A blank country is the most common cause.

The Email Subscription line on the lead record.

When you add a lead manually, the Add Lead form includes a Send Email Opt-In Request automatically checkbox. Leave it selected to send the lead an opt-in request email automatically.

The Send Email Opt-In Request automatically checkbox on the Add Lead form.

3. Opt a Lead Back In

Use this when a lead has unsubscribed, never opted in, or was created without a country, and has asked to receive emails.

1. Go to Sales > Lead Management and open the lead.
2. Click Modify at the top of the lead's Primary Info page.
3. Scroll to Email Subscription Details and find Email Subscription Status.
4. Select Opt-in. The other choices are Opt-In Pending and Opt-out.
5. Click Submit to save. The lead can now receive emails again.

The lead's Primary Info page: the Modify link, and a blank Country field.

Modify screen: Email Subscription Status with Opt-in, Opt-In Pending and Opt-out.

Important: Only opt a lead back in when the lead has asked to be. Keep a record of the request, for example by saving the lead's email or noting the date and how they asked on the lead record.

4. Duplicate Lead Records

The same person can exist as more than one lead, for example when a lead returns years later with a new email address and a second record is created. Opt-in status belongs to each record, so one record can be opted in and send emails normally while the other is not and fails.

1. Search Sales > Lead Management by the person's name and email to find every record.
2. Confirm which record you are sending from. Open each one and compare the Email Subscription status and the email address.
3. Opt in only the record that should receive email, using the steps in section 3, and only if the lead has asked to receive emails.
4. When you add a new lead, select the green duplicate-check icon at the top of the Add Lead form first to find an existing record.

5. Test a Drip Campaign

Testing has two parts: checking that the email itself looks right, and checking that a new record is enrolled and receives it.

Send a test of the campaign email

1. Go to Sales > Campaigns and click Manage Campaigns.
2. Open the campaign you want to test.
3. Click Action and select Test Campaign.
4. Enter your email address in the Email field and click Test. The actual message, with formatting and attachments, is sent to that address.

The Test Campaign dialog.

A test send checks the content only. It does not confirm that a lead or contact will be added to the campaign.

Confirm a new record receives the drip

1. Create a test lead or contact that meets the campaign's trigger, using your own email address.
2. Set Country to USA, or open Modify and set Email Subscription Status to Opt-in. Without this the test record is not opted in and nothing is sent.
3. Save the record. If the campaign is set to send the first email as soon as a lead is added, expect it to arrive right away.
4. Open the campaign under Sales > Campaigns and review the template's Sent, Delivered and Opened counts to confirm the email went out.

Campaign Details: the template's Sent, Delivered and Opened counts.

Note: If the test email does not arrive, check the test record's Email Subscription status and Country first. A record that is not opted in is the most common cause.

6. Compliance

• Opt a lead back in only when the lead has asked to receive emails.
• Keep a record of the request, such as the lead's email or a dated note on the lead record.