Getting Started with PowerMessenger

Tutorial created by Ray Borduin, WebAssist

Categories: PowerMessenger

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What you need to start

- PowerMessenger
- MySQL database already created

You will need to have already signed up for a hosting service from a hosting provider, and have access to a MySQL server to store your database. Click here for instructions on how you can set hosting up.

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Upload the files

With PowerMessenger, the first step is to upload all these files to your live server.
Please be sure the folder that contains PowerMessenger's files is named 'powermessenger' to help prevent conflicts with other solution packs. Assuming the folder is named 'powermessenger', you can then upload the entire folder to the root of your remote site.

For more information, see the Uploading Solution Packs tutorial.

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Run the Wizard

Once all the files are uploaded to the root of your website, you need to run the Installation Wizard to install the Solution.

Open your web browser and enter the following URL to be directed to the Installation Wizard.
http://[yourdomain.com]/PowerMessenger
[yourdomain.com] refers to your website's live URL.

The PowerMessenger Installation Wizard is designed to help you get this Solution up and running as quickly as possible. The Installation Wizard will perform a server check, as well as set up your database for you and ask you general questions about your online store.

The following outlines the various steps of the Installation Wizard.

Activation

PowerMessenger 4 will ask you for your WebAssist serial number for you to begin the Installation process. Your serial number is provided for two domains (one for testing and one for your live domain). You can obtain your serial number from the WebAssist Download Center.

Server Settings

The Server Settings step displays the result of the Server Diagnostic Check. This check analyzes your server and will alert you if necessary features are not enabled.

If anything fails, resolve the issue and click Run Test Again to see if it is fixed.

Database Info

The database info step allows you to enter the details for the database you intend to use for PowerMessenger, so that the Installation Wizard can automatically add all the database tables to your database for you.

Watch a video on obtaining your database credentials or creating a new database.

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Configure settings

PowerMessenger includes a number of settings that you will want to configure before integrating the pages into your site. Once you have completed the Installation Wizard, you will be able to log into the PowerMessenger admin at any time to make changes to these settings, and create new mailings.

Sign into the PowerMessenger admin

1. Open your web browser and enter the following URL:
   http://[yourdomain.com]/PowerMessenger/admin_pm
   If you are configuring PowerMessenger for a client, this is the URL you can provide your client for them to create their mailings.
   
2. Enter the username and password you created when running the Installation Wizard.

PowerMessenger Settings

1. Once logged into the PowerMessenger admin, choose the Settings link from the main navigation.
   
2. Review all the settings and make changes as necessary. In particular, the Email Settings section allows you to configure the email send delays so that you can ensure that your emails do not exceed limits set by your hosting provider.
   
3. Once you have made all your Settings changes, click Save Changes.

Front-end page design

1. PowerMessenger includes pages for your customers to login, register and subscribe to your mailings. You can choose from 4 different page designs to be used for these pages.
   These are just some of the pages that are included.

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Create Mailings

Once everything is set up properly, you can start creating your mailings. Follow these steps to create and schedule a mailing.

1. After logging into your PowerMessenger admin, you are taken to the Mailings page. To create a new mailing, click Create Mailing.
   
2. In the popup dialog, enter a name for this mailing and click Create Mailing.
   On the Mailing Design page, you can enter all the information for your mailing and modify the content and design.
   
3. In the From Email field enter the email address that you would like the emails to appear to come from.
   
   The email address you use does not need to be a real email address. If you are sending this email to a large number of individuals, you may want to use 'no-reply@yourdomain.com' in order to let the recipient know not to reply to that email address.
   
   
4. In the From Name field, enter the name that you wish the email to appear to come from.
   
5. In the Subject field, enter the subject for this email.
   
6. Choose the option you would like to use for the body of the email:
   
   1. Manage body from this interface: Allows you to select a file from a template or a page that you can modify in the editor provided.
      
   2. Use file as body: Allows you to specify a file that you would like to be sent as the email.

   
   

7. If you chose to Manage body from this interface, you will want to modify the content of the email within the editor provided.
   
8. Choose Get SPAM Report if you would like to be emailed a report on the likelihood of this email being detected as SPAM.
   You are provided with a field to enter an email address and name for the email.
   
9. Click Save to continue to specify the audience for this mailing.
   
10. On the Mailing Audience page, choose the audience you would like to receive this email.
    'Everyone' will send the email to every email address that has subscribed to receive this email in the users table of the database.
    
11. Click Define New Audience if you would like to create a new audience for this email.
    You are provided with a list of the columns in the users table for you to define filters regarding how this audience is determined.
    
    If you are experienced writing SQL queries and would like to create a custom query to determine the audience for this emailing, choose the 'Custom SQL Query' option at the bottom of the Audience Filters dropdown list.
    
    
12. Click Save when ready.
    
13. When you are ready to begin sending this mailing, click the Send mailing button from the Mailings list.
    
    Once you have selected to send the mailing, the email will be sent out according to the rules you have specified. Depending on the wait times specified and the number of recipients, this could take some time before all emails have been sent.

For more...

For more information and tutorials, see the PowerMessenger support page.

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