Contact Feeder is revolutionizing how Oracle Eloqua users manage leads by addressing the crucial need for speed in B2B marketing. The ability to quickly capture, process, and act on leads can be the difference between closing a deal and losing a potential customer. For Oracle Eloqua users seeking to enhance the platform’s capabilities for real-time lead management, Contact Feeder offers a powerful solution.

The Contact Feeder app is a cloud-based solution designed specifically for Oracle Eloqua users. It enhances Eloqua’s capabilities by enabling the continuous and near real-time import of contact data into program canvases. This eliminates the delays associated with standard Eloqua listeners, allowing marketers to act on new leads and updated information with significantly greater speed and agility, directly impacting campaign responsiveness and overall marketing effectiveness.

Enhancing Eloqua to Meet New Challenges

Oracle Eloqua is a powerful marketing automation platform, but its standard feeders have a situation: they typically run only once a day. This delay can hinder rapid lead response and prevent marketers from capitalizing on time-sensitive opportunities.

Introducing the Contact Feeder Cloud App: Real-Time Eloqua Enhancement

The Contact Feeder cloud app addresses this challenge by enabling Eloqua users to feed contacts into program canvases multiple times daily, even at minute-by-minute intervals. This functionality unlocks a new level of agility and responsiveness.

Key Benefits:

• Accelerated Lead Response: Instantly move leads into sales pipelines or nurturing campaigns.
• Event-driven Marketing: Trigger campaigns based on immediate contact actions.
• Enhanced Data Synchronization: Maintain consistent and up-to-date contact data within Eloqua.
• Precise Targeting: Utilize Eloqua’s segmentation and filtering to control which contacts enter program canvases.

Who Benefits Most?

This app is particularly valuable for:

• B2B marketers focused on real-time lead processing.
• Those managing large contact databases.
• Marketers who frequently need to import and update contact data.

Data Security and Compliance:

Data security and compliance are paramount. The ‘Contact Feeder’ app operates within the secure Oracle Eloqua environment, leveraging Oracle’s robust security infrastructure. 4thought Marketing also offers tools like 4Comply, which helps organizations maintain data privacy standards. This includes features for managing consent, handling data subject access requests, and ensuring compliance with regulations like GDPR and CCPA. The app adheres to stringent security protocols, including encryption for data in transit and at rest, and regular security audits to mitigate potential vulnerabilities. 4thought marketing understands the importance of protecting sensitive contact information and prioritizes data integrity and confidentiality.

Watch the video below for a quick overview of using the Contact Feeder Cloud App in Eloqua.

Conclusion:

Eloqua users need to capture leads in real-time and turn them into meaningful marketing results. Delays in lead processing can lead to missed opportunities and underperforming campaigns. The Contact Feeder cloud app, combined with the expertise of 4Thought Marketing, empowers Eloqua users to process leads instantly, boost conversions, and run more effective campaigns.

The Contact Feeder Cloud App makes it easy to add contacts from a segment or shared filter into your Eloqua program canvas at any time. To sign up for a free 10-day trial or request a demo, contact us today.

If you need to clean up your Eloqua Custom Data Objects and remove data for specific contacts, the Mass CO Deleter Cloud App from 4Thought Marketing is the perfect solution.

Watch the 1-minute video below and learn how the Mass CO Deleter Cloud App helps you keep your Eloqua system clean.

Learn more about the Mass CO Deleter Cloud App and request a 10-Day Free Trial here.

Need to keep your Eloqua Custom Object records up to date when a field or fields change on the mapped contact record or want to add or update static values to all mapped contact records?  You can with the new Update All COs Eloqua Cloud App from 4Thought Marketing.

Watch the video below for instructions on installing and configuring the app. If you’re interested in a demo or free trial, contact 4Thought Marketing today.

The Contact CO Deleter Cloud App makes removing custom objects mapped to contacts easy using either the program or campaign canvas.

To use the app, drag and drop the cloud action into the campaign canvas and connect it to the appropriate elements. Next, double-click on the Contact CO Deleter cloud action to configure the app. Specify the custom object from which to remove records and the contact email address field. And with that, you’re done. Watch the video below for a quick walkthrough of this process.

Contact us to purchase a license or sign up for a free trial for the Contact CO Deleter Cloud App.

Credit unions earn money in several different ways, but customer loans tend to be their biggest source of revenue. First Tech Federal Credit Union is no exception. And while they continue to see strong growth, they also saw abandoned applications as an opportunity to increase conversions. Here is their story.

The Problem: Incomplete or Abandoned Applications

The problem the team at First Tech faced was not an uncommon one. Consumers regularly start online processes which they later abandon and never complete, and credit unions see this happen especially frequently. As the First Tech team explained, “loan applications require information that applicants may not have readily available, such as two years’ worth of bank statements.” At that moment, the applicant may decide it’s not worth the trouble to hunt for the documents and just abandon the application. Another customer may go looking for the documents they need, but run into delays or just never get around to finishing the process. Neither party stops the application because they changed their minds. Rather, they were simply unprepared.

For the First Tech team, each abandoned loan application was a lost source of income. They needed to allow customers to have enough time to find the information they needed and easily pick back up in the application process.

The Solution: Personalized Reminder Emails & New Evergreen Strategies

Using Oracle Eloqua, the First Tech team developed a series of reminder emails for users with abandoned applications. The first email arrives two days later after the user closes the application, with a gentle reminder and a resume application link generated by a custom Eloqua Cloud App developed by 4Thought Marketing to pick up where they’d left off. A similar email arrives five days later. These emails are designed to ensure the loan is not forgotten forever.

But the team also knew that emails that “look automated” are not likely to be opened. To improve their open rates, First Tech team used Eloqua custom objects to personalize each email. Consumers would no longer receive an email that looked like a robot wrote it. Instead, they would receive a personalized, branded email tailored specifically for the type of loan they had applied for and addressing them directly. Better yet, the emails are signed by “Kyle”, an actual human employee of the credit union working in consumer lending. First Tech’s care and attention to detail makes their reminder emails feel more like notes from a colleague than automated messages from a computer.

The Results: Significant Improvements in Open Rates and Revenue

The results were evident very quickly. Email open rates increased by 8-10% after the campaign launched. More customers returned to finish their incomplete applications. And most importantly, the credit union’s revenue increased along with completed loan applications. A few small changes made all the difference.

First Tech Credit Union’s Success Story

Personalized reminder emails demonstrably improved First Tech’s customer retention and revenue. By taking the time to personalize their customer engagement communications, the credit union made their customers feel more comfortable continuing the loan application process. The result was a win-win situation. The First Tech team could continue to rely on an automated email system to boost customer retention, and the customers could enjoy personalized reminders to pick up where they’d left off in their application.

Eloqua’s remarkable email capabilities are just one of its many features designed to increase customer interest. Want to see what it can do for your company? Get in touch with us today and find out.

You’ve just spent days crafting the perfect marketing email. You’re proud of the content, the design, the personalization, and everything else in this message. You schedule it to send at the correct time and sit back to wait for the results.

But instead of a spike in sales, you see exactly what you didn’t want to see: a spike in email unsubscribe requests.

Why Do Customers Unsubscribe from Marketing Emails?

There are a variety of reasons customers might unsubscribe, but the vast majority are ultimately based on one of these two points:

• They feel they’re receiving too many emails
• They feel the emails they’re receiving aren’t relevant to them

Both reasons stem from a desire for control. Customers want to be able to control how often they receive marketing emails from you, after all, and they also want to control (to an extent) what those emails say. The more successful companies invite their customers to choose their topics of interest, and make it quick and convenient on their preference management page.

Offering Your Customers More Choices

Instead of giving your customers an all-or-nothing choice on communications, encourage them to refine their preferences. Offer choices such as:

• Method of communication: Some customers prefer emails, while others prefer text messages. They’re far more likely to check messages from you when they’re sent via the preferred method of communication.
• Topics: A home chef will appreciate a message about a sale on cooking supplies far more than a message advertising a pair of expensive speakers. Ask your customers what they want to hear about, and do your best to provide it.

Crafting an Appealing Email

To reduce unsubscribe requests, send timely, relevant emails. Look at every part of your current marketing email template. Where can you improve?

• Subject line: This is the first part of your email that a customer sees. Make it engaging and intriguing! An intrigued customer will open your message. You may even be able to put their name in your subject line
• Greeting: A generic “Hi!” won’t cut it here. Instead, address the email recipient by name.. This simple step goes a long way.
• Email body: Make this too short and you risk not getting your point across, but make it too long and you risk a quick “Nope” and trip to the trash bin. Do some experimenting to find the perfect middle ground.

• Message: The customer may not want to make a purchase right now, but if they feel like the email is relevant to them or their lifestyle, they’ll feel happy you thought of them. And happy customers are more likely to continue receiving emails and consider future purchases from you. Once again, Custom Objects can help you personalize the message to each recipient.
• Call to Action (CTA): The CTA is the most important part of your email—from your point of view. For the customer, the CTA guides them to the next logical step as they continue their journey.

Conclusion

Customers already receive a staggering number of emails, both solicited and unsolicited, from a variety of sources. Emails from your competitors may be in their inbox too. That’s why it’s so absolutely critical for your emails to stand out, both in appearance and content. Showing your customers that you take the time to appeal to them specifically puts you ahead of any competitors more concerned with sending as many emails as possible.

Ready to start sending personalized messages that get results and reduce email unsubscribe requests? Contact us today to learn how 4Comply and Eloqua can help.

Email marketing is a tried-and-true strategy of the modern business world. But there’s more to it than just sending a generic email to someone’s inbox. Taking the time to personalize emails and offer recipients something they actually want, rather than a generic message, goes a long way. Customers appreciate a touch of familiarity. And with Custom Objects, Eloqua users can increase conversion rates.

What Does It Mean to Personalize Emails?

A personalized email goes beyond greeting the recipient by name. While you can technically stick a person’s name into a generic marketing email and call it a day, a truly engaging message provides the customer with something they would appreciate based on their past behavior. Maybe you could include a limited-time discount on a product they’ve shown interest in, or showcase a product that supplements something they already own. You could even offer a special coupon on their birthday. Whatever you choose, make it meaningful. A truly personalized marketing email will go a long way.

Is It Possible to Personalize Automated Emails?

Short answer: Yes!

Eloqua’s email automation system allows users to personalize emails, but it requires a bit of extra work. Let’s say you’re designing an email with a follow-up offer related to a previous purchase. First, you’ll need to set up Eloqua to monitor for new purchases. When the customer buys something new, it can trigger a new sequence of events. For example, a program can check the customer’s purchase history for their most recent purchase, check whether they own another complimentary product, and then use the CO to Contact Updater Cloud App to update the contact record with the data needed to personalize an email offer. Eloqua merges this data with information from the customer’s contact record to create a personalized email offer. Finally, the email will be sent off. That’s it! 

How to Avoid Mistakes When Personalizing Emails

We’ve all received at least one marketing email with a clearly failed attempt at personalization. One of these failed emails might open with “Dear FNAME”. In particularly amusing cases, the email automation program might assume the first half of the email address is the recipient’s name, leading to greetings like, “Dear bluediamond334”. Both are huge turnoffs to customers. So how can you avoid making this same mistake yourself in Eloqua?

There are two primary strategies to keep in mind here:

• Collect high-quality data and check your records regularly to scrub garbage data. This way, you won’t send a personalized email to someone who provided you with an obviously fake name like Superman.
• Create a pre-campaign checklist for email marketers to use. Ensure they know exactly what the email will say and how it will look before sending it.

Conclusion

Even in a world where we recognize the vast majority of marketing emails are automated, having one addressed specifically to us still feels special. Taking the time to personalize an email goes a long way toward maintaining or improving customer relationships. And with the right tools in Eloqua, it’s easier than ever. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our cloud apps.

 

The Embed CO Records in Email Table Cloud App allows you to easily construct a multi-row table in your emails using data from custom object records. Your finalized table will neatly list the specified data from matching custom object records in an easy-to-read format your customers will appreciate.

It’s easy to use. Watch the 2-Minute Overview

Anyone who has ever used Eloqua knows what a powerful tool it is. Combined with the custom cloud apps developed by 4Thought Marketing, the system improves even more. And while the vast majority of the time, systems run smoothly and without errors, nothing is truly perfect and error-free. Problems can occur with any system; for instance, users may make mistakes in data entry, or operational glitches may arise from complex integrations. These issues can stem from various sources, including human error, system updates, or even network connectivity problems. But this doesn’t have to spell the end of your marketing automation setup. You can take proactive steps to troubleshoot and rectify these errors, ensuring that your marketing campaigns continue to run efficiently and effectively. Here’s what you can do to optimize your Eloqua experience and minimize disruption.

What is Eloqua Cloud App Error Routing?

Eloqua apps communicate with Eloqua via its APIs to process information seamlessly. However, communication issues might occasionally disrupt this flow. For instance, in May 2021, Eloqua reported issues with the Bulk API, which is used by various other applications to update and move records to different steps in the campaign canvas. This resulted in records being stuck in an error status on the campaign canvas, which could be frustrating for marketers relying on timely data processing. Despite recent improvements in Eloqua’s error-retry mechanisms, there are instances where a record needs a gentle nudge to get back on track. Understanding how error routing works is crucial for maintaining the integrity of your marketing strategies and ensuring that every lead is followed up on appropriately.

Fortunately, Eloqua has built-in capabilities to reroute records to a previous step, enabling retries of the process. This is essential for maintaining the flow of your marketing automation. In the example below, we’ll guide you through configuring error routing effectively to ensure errors are addressed without manual intervention, streamlining your operations.

• Create a wait step to receive problem records (998. Error).
• Click on the Cloud App step to configure.
• Click on “Automatically route contacts with error from the cloud app”.
• Select the wait step you created earlier.
• Set the delay. This can be as short as .01 hours.
• Then connect the Error step back to the previous cloud app.

How to Keep Eloqua Cloud Apps Running?

Today’s marketing automation systems are incredibly complex and designed to be mostly error-free. However, even the most sophisticated systems occasionally encounter errors that they cannot address on their own. Often, these errors can be quickly resolved by retrying the record using Eloqua’s error routing feature. This feature is not only a time-saver; it also enhances the overall reliability of your marketing automation efforts. To maintain a proactive approach, consider implementing regular training sessions for your team on best practices for using Eloqua. Furthermore, regularly reviewing your system integrations can help identify potential points of failure before they affect your campaigns, enabling smoother operations.

Interested in further training on everything Eloqua can do? Get in touch with 4Thought Marketing to schedule a workshop designed to elevate your Eloqua capabilities and keep your marketing automation error-free.

The CO Date Calculator Cloud App from 4Thought Marketing lets you perform date calculations within custom object programs. Users can add or subtract days, weeks, months, or even years from any date value and store the results in a CO record. For example, maybe you want to pre-schedule a campaign after a specified number of days or weeks and then create a segment triggered from the calculated date. The Date Calculator App can provide!

To use this app, open an existing CO program or create a new one. Search for the date calculator action and drag and drop it into the program canvas. Configure the app, select the source date field, and input the date calculation and destination field you need. Finally, save your work. That’s it! The altered date is stored in Eloqua for as long as you need it.

Please contact us if you would like to learn more about the CO Date Calculator Cloud Appd. Or take it for a spin with a 10-day free trial.