As a consultant, one aspect of my job is to train users on the platform. When I train new users on Account Engagement’s (Pardot) email features, I have noticed that they struggle more with creating a well-structured audience than with using the email feature itself.

The issue is quite simple. Without foundations or rules, users have a tendency to create several versions of the same list with slight variations in name and criteria. Let’s explore some strategies and best practices to build and structure lists and ensure their effectiveness in a duplicate and mistake-free list section!

1. Use a Naming Convention

To be successful at this task we must use naming conventions – and most importantly, stick with it. 

There are many ways to implement this. The recommended approach is to set up a generator (which you can easily achieve using Google Sheets or Excel), and then copy and paste exactly what it generates.

Example: 

The main Newsletter list is called “Opt-in_Newsletter”.

A new user creates a list (without using a naming convention generator) for the newsletter which is the same as the main list.

Thankfully, Account Engagement (Pardot) won’t allow the user to create “Opt-in_newsletter” (with lowercase n), however, it won’t stop them from using a different symbol or character.

Without a generator, our user is able to create “Opt-in-Newsletter” as well as Opt-in_Newsletter, and Account Engagement (Pardot) will not give them a warning.

This error might go unnoticed for a long time, which can affect your communications, confuse the team, and ultimately impact your revenue.

2. Create Master Lists

If you have an email strategy in place, you will know what lists you need. So gather thoughts with your team and define master lists.

1. Create a dynamic list for each email preference.
2. Create a dynamic list for each Country or Region you do business with.
3. Create a dynamic list for other criteria such as each lead status or type (clients, prospects, unqualified, recycled, etc.).
4. Create a dynamic list to pull any other relevant criteria based on your company setup.

3. Nest Your Lists

Once your ‘master lists’ have been built, create your final recipient list variations. The idea is to use master lists as criteria so we don’t have to pull criteria each time we need it, leaving no room for mistakes.

Pretend you work in a company called MCAE Champions, and you need to create a list of Clients based in the United Kingdom to market to. Instead of creating a list that says:

Prospect Default field Country is ‘United Kingdom’ & Prospect Custom Field Status is ‘Client’.

You will create:

Prospect list is member of ‘United Kingdom’ & Prospect list is member of ‘Clients’.

This is because at at MCAE our United Kingdom master list is structured as follows: 

Prospect Default field Country is ‘United Kingdom’ Or Prospect Default field Country is ‘Jersey’ Or Prospect Default field Country is ‘Isle of Man’.

And our client list is:

Prospect list is a member of ‘Clients’ (because the master list called Clients is structured as follows: Prospect custom field Status is: Client Or Prospect Account Field is: Tier 1).

By not nesting your lists, there is a high risk that if a new user pulls a list of UK-based clients may inadvertently miss out on a significant portion of clients that the company considers to match these criteria.

4. Archive Unused Lists

When creating lists that will be used for one-off sends, add an Archive Date. Archiving doesn’t mean deleting, but once the date arrives, it will no longer appear in your list table, and you won’t be able to use it as a recipient list. (However, if the list serves as criteria or as an action in an Automation Rule, it will still work as intended.)

By using the Archive date feature, you can keep clutter to a minimum and avoid selecting the wrong recipient lists when sending emails.

Top tip: You can add an Archive date after you’ve created your list.

5. Use Folders

If you’re an Account Engagement user, you may have noticed that the folder structure doesn’t appear straightforward and lacks the modern look that you would expect in this day and age. While it’s up to you to decide whether to keep a clean folder structure (remember: if you use scoring categories you need a folder structure!), it’s a good idea to start using folders as soon as possible when creating content. 

However, before you start organizing your content into folders, you must define a structure and communicate it effectively and regularly to your users. I feel strongly about this because as users come and go, everyone will want to contribute and leave their mark by adding folders and subfolders that sit outside the organization’s strategy. So remember: define and communicate regularly.

6. Review and Clean Up

Finally, don’t forget to revisit your master and nested lists regularly. This is to make sure they’re up-to-date, mistake-free, and still relevant. If you don’t need the lists anymore delete them or archive them. If any of the lists (including the master ones) have been around for a while, it’s advisable to check the criteria are correctly set up. 

As I explain in this article, recite your list criteria out loud and see if the lists use the correct match type:

Summary

Mastering the art of creating and managing audience lists in Account Engagement (Pardot) is key to achieving a well-organized and effective email strategy. By adhering to consistent naming conventions, establishing master lists, nesting lists, archiving unused lists, utilizing folders and regularly reviewing and cleaning up your lists, you’re paving the way towards a streamlined, efficient, and error-free email marketing structure.

Stick with these best practices and you’ll reap the benefits in your Account Engagement (Pardot) efforts!

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