Guide: How to Use and Set Up Transactional and Marketing Messages in WeGive

📅 Purpose

This guide helps WeGive users understand the difference between transactional and marketing messages, and how to create, manage, and send each type effectively. It walks through when to use communication lists, set up triggered messages, and customize email templates, ensuring donors receive the right message at the right time.

🔎 Key Definitions

• Transactional Messages: Sent in response to a specific donor action (e.g. a donation is made, a payment fails). These are system-critical and donors cannot unsubscribe from them. Often triggered by platform events.

• Marketing Messages: General updates or appeals not tied to a specific action (e.g. newsletters, announcements). Donors can subscribe/unsubscribe via Communication Lists.

• Communication Lists: Audiences used to target specific marketing messages. These lists give donors subscription control and help segment messaging for relevance.

• Triggered Message: An automatic message triggered by an event (e.g. "Payment Success"). Used for both transactional and marketing purposes depending on the context.

• Regular Message: A one-time message (email, SMS, etc.) sent manually to an audience.

📊 Setup Steps

1. Start with Email Templates (Optional, Recommended)

• Navigate to: Engagement → Email Templates

• Use the drag-and-drop editor to build a reusable, branded layout

• Include placeholders (merge tags) like ,

Tip: Create one general template with a logo/header/footer, and reuse it for all email types by updating the center content.

2. Set Up Key Transactional Triggers

These should be prioritized before going live:

• Payment Success – Thank the donor and confirm their gift

• Payment Failure – Let the donor know a transaction failed (include merge tag)

• Payment Processing – Alert donor their bank/ACH gift is pending

• Recurring Plan Created – Confirm a new recurring plan has been initiated

How to Set Up:

• Navigate to Engagement → Triggers

• Locate the desired event ("Payment Success" etc.)

• Click Edit

• Attach a relevant template (or use plain text if preferred)

• Assign to "Preferred Email"

• Preview the message and activate

3. Build Out Communication Lists for Marketing Messages

These are NOT required to launch, but help long-term personalization and compliance.

• Go to: Engagement → Communication Lists

• Segment donors by type (e.g. major donors, event attendees)

• Donors can opt-in/out via their donor portal

• Enable double opt-in to comply with privacy requirements

4. Create Marketing Messages

These include newsletters, appeals, or updates:

• Navigate to Engagement → Messages → +

• Select "Regular Message"

• Choose the audience using Communication List (or Rule Groups if relevant)

• Build the message using templates

• Send test emails to preview

Note: If no communication list is applied, unsubscribe functionality won’t be available

📝 Strategy: Communication Lists & Tagging

Use tagging and communication lists together for scalable segmentation:

• Start simple: Major donors, recurring donors, first-time donors, newsletter subscribers

• Import tags from outside tools (e.g. Google Sheets) to support more complex relationships

• Use these tags for:

  • Journey automation

  • Message segmentation

Best Practice: Even if you’re not ready to segment immediately, start tagging and structuring groups so you can personalize later.

✅ Launch Checklist

📢 Bonus: SMS & Keywords

• SMS messages work like emails but don’t use communication lists

• Donors unsubscribe by texting STOP, CANCEL, or QUIT

• You can create keyword-triggered messages (e.g. text "GIVE" to receive a checkout link)