|
This entire installation process for VisualME can be done
quickly and efficiently. Here are the steps required to make your VisualME installation operational and your first campaign successful.
Preliminary Steps
Software Installation (1 Day)
Identity Customization (1 Day)
Your First Campaign (1-2 Days)
Content Serving (Optional) (1-2 Days)
System Prerequisites (You have to do)
- IIS Web Server up and operational
- Functional Web Site accessible via the internet (can be on a shared server)
- SQL Server accessible via the internet, either on the same server or on another server (can be on
a shared server)
- Single SQL Server Database defined with a selected name, up and operational
- Date Format in SQL Server set consistent with Date Format in Web
Server (International Customers) e.g. British Date Format = British
Date Format
- System Level DSN defined on your web server pointing to SQL Server Database with a verified connection
- Mail Server Accessible from your Web Server
- Web Server Log Files accessible from your root web, if you want
VisualME to report on "emails opened".
Access Credentials We Require to Install (You have to
supply to us)
- Your web site URL or IP Address
- Your web site FTP Access Password
- Your SQL Server URL or IP Address, Defined Database Name, Administrative Login and Password
- Your Mail Server Type and any unique access required by your hosting source to send mail from ASP Pages
- Your Web Log File Directory
Software and Database Installation (we do from our office - approximately 2-3 hours)
- Define and upload all VisualME Database Tables
- Define a single VisualME Installation Directory in your root web (.../_vssmaintenance)
- Upload (FTP) all VisualME programs to the VisualME Installation Directory
- Define a single VisualME Access Directory in your root web (.../visualme)
- Upload (FTP) several test and access programs to the VisualME Access Directory
- Load 2 programs into your root directory: emr.asp (campaign response director) and emout.asp (opt out response director)
Website Operation Verification (We will verify - you may need to
ask your hosting provider to make simple changes)
- We need the ability to execute ".asp" programs in your web environment. We will verify this has been set correctly by your hosting provider by entering the following URL in Internet Explorer or Netscape: www.yourwebsite/visualme/hello.asp. If we get a "Hello World" message, this option is set correctly. If it is not set correctly, your site administrator will need to set it. See this screen for the configuration page they will use to set it, which shows the incorrect default setting: www.visualme.com/visualme/iis.gif
- We need read/write/execute permissions set for the "/_vssmaintenance" directory and all directories we create within it. This will sometimes be "standard" or you may have to wait until we create this directory, then ask your site administrator to do this.
- We need read/write/execute permissions set for the "/visualme" directory
- We need access credentials and type of mail server access for your web server mail server.
Finalize Installation and Configuration (we do from our office - approximately 1 hour)
- Configure VisualME for mail server access, database access, system options, language, environment,
log file access, etc.
- Verify database connections, logins, and basic system operations
- Verify mail server function
- Verify log file access and analysis
Landing Page Identity Customization (we do from our office - approximately 2-6 hours)
- Find a single page on your web site to use as a "base identity" for your campaign
landing pages and copy it.
- Using this base identity, develop a generic Landing Page, a generic Thanks Page, and a generic Opt-Out page to which VisualME marketing campaigns will be served.
- Using this base identity, develop a generic newsletter article page,
designed to display articles with content served by marketing
campaigns.
- Load these pages into your root directory, or into another directory you select.
- Develop and test a single marketing campaign, testing all these pages and functions.
Page Visitation Modifications -
for Pages requiring Visitation Analysis (approximately 10 minutes per page)
- Supply two versions of Visitation Code - for .asp pages and for .html pages (we do)
- Identify Pages for which Visitation History is Required (You do)
- Add visitation code to each page requiring visitation statistics
(usually done by you but can be done by us)
Overall Time Frame to Expect
Assuming everything is set on your web site properly, and we have access permissions, we can typically complete your installation in no more than 1 to 1 1/2 days. Most of our installations have been completed in less than one day.
Your First Campaign
Once your installation is complete, you are ready to develop your first campaign. Key things to remember.
- Proceed cautiously. Every installation can have something configured incorrectly, so you need to watch carefully as you test
your first campaign.
- You need your email text developed, subject line selected, response page text developed, email target file available (minimum name and email address), and at least one call to action determined and in proper format (typically PDF).
- With your VisualME trainer, enter your campaign information into VisualME
- Verify your VisualME generated response page.
- Verify your VisualME generated HTML Email.
- Verify your VisualME generated Text Email.
- Mail your HTML Email to a small group of people internally. Have them test all functions, verify spelling, verify grammar, download calls to action, verify secondary links (if you had more than one call to action), and in general review your campaign. Test Opt-Outs. You will not believe how often major grammar or spelling errors are found at this stage. You will also not believe how your peoples' responses will help you improve your campaign and results.
- Correct any problems, and resend the mail to the same test group. Ask them to re-test.
- Mail Your Campaign. Best days are Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday, in that order. Never mail on Monday, Friday, weekends or a holiday
Subsequent Campaigns
Repeat Your First Campaign steps above - for every campaign you do, from this point forward. I still do it, exactly this way, for every single campaign we execute. Sometimes it only takes 30 minutes, but we do it all. It will avoid embarrassing yourself and your company.
Content Page Customization -
for pages where you wish to use VisualME to serve marketing content (approximately
two hours per page)
- Identify Pages for which Content Customization is Required (You do)
- Add customization code to each page
(usually done by us but can be done by you)
|
