Customize sign-up units to identify and inform existing subscribers

You can customize the message that appears in sign-up units for subscribers who’ve already signed up, but submit their information again.

You can also assign a custom attribute to a sign-up unit to identify existing subscribers who submit their information via that unit. This allows you to create messaging specific to these subscribers and to target them in campaigns or trigger a joined-a-segment journey.

Use cases for customizing messages for existing subscribers

Use case	How to	Notes
Show confirmation message to existing subscribers who submit info in desktop sign-up units.	See: Desktop sign-up units	This use case is supported for any desktop sign-up unit. It’s also supported for dynamic landing pages and text-to-join (TTJ).
Trigger “already subscribed” messages to existing subscribers who submit info in mobile sign-up units.	See: Mobile sign-up units	This use case is supported for any mobile sign-up unit. It’s also supported for dynamic landing pages and text-to-join (TTJ).
Use the same text-to-join (TTJ) keyword for new and existing subscribers.	See: Text-to-join (TTJ)	Reach out to your Attentive CSM or contact our White Glove team (whiteglove@attentivemobile.com).
Add existing subscriber to a segment for future targeting	See: Assign a custom attribute to a sign-up unit Create a segment of subscribers based on custom attribute values from sign-up units	Value of true is added for selected attribute for all users who submit information. If you want to target new or existing subscribers independently, additional segment criteria is needed.
Enter existing subscriber into a journey	See: Assign a custom attribute to a sign-up unit Create a segment of subscribers based on custom attribute values from sign-up units	Send existing subscribers a series of text messages (e.g., to mimic the messages sent in a welcome journey) or send emails intended for subscribers who are already subscribed.

Customize messages for existing subscribers

Follow the steps in the sections below to customize the message that appears in sign-up units for subscribers who’ve already signed up.

Desktop sign-up units

1. Create or edit a desktop sign-up unit.
2. Go to the Success page.
3. Click the Brand Styles tab.
4. In the left panel, enter a message in the Desktop existing subscriber message field. If you don’t enter a message, a default message will appear for existing subscribers.
5. Click Preview existing subscriber success message to see what the success page looks like for subscribers who’ve already signed up.

You can also customize the existing subscriber success message for desktop landing pages.

Mobile sign-up units

1. Create or edit a mobile sign-up unit.
2. Click the Brand styles tab.
3. In the left panel, enter a message in the Mobile existing subscriber message field. Like other messages, you can add personalizations, shortlinks, and offers. If you don’t enter a message, existing subscribers will receive a default message that lets them know they’re already subscribed.
4. Click Save changes.

You can also customize the message that’s sent after a user signs up on a mobile landing page.

Text-to-join (TTJ)

If you’d like to customize the message sent to existing subscribers who use a text-to-join (TTJ) keyword, reach out to your Attentive CSM or contact our White Glove team (whiteglove@attentivemobile.com). You can also create a dynamic segment with a condition to include subscribers who’ve sent you a text message which is exactly your TTJ keyword to target these subscribers later.

Assign a custom attribute to a sign-up unit

You can assign a custom attribute to sign-up units to identify subscribers (new and existing) who’ve submitted their information via that sign-up unit.

1. Create or edit a sign-up unit.
2. In the left panel, under Audience Targeting, select an existing custom attribute or create a new one.
   
   
   Note: You can only assign Boolean (i.e., true or false) attributes to sign-up units.
3. Click Schedule and activate.

Once a custom attribute is assigned to a sign-up unit, subscribers (new and existing) who submit their information via that sign-up unit are assigned the value true for that custom attribute.

Patents: https://www.attentive.com/legal/patents 

Create a segment of subscribers based on custom attribute values from sign-up units

You can create or refine dynamic segments based on custom attributes assigned to sign-up units.

1. Create or edit a dynamic segment.
2. Select A subscriber’s characteristics from the condition dropdown.
3. Select your custom attribute from the dropdown.
4. Select a value (true or false). Keep in mind that all subscribers who submitted information via sign-up units with this attribute will have the value of true.

Once you’ve created or modified a dynamic segment, you can use that segment to trigger a joined-a-segment journey. If you only want to target existing subscribers with the journey, add a condition to exclude subscribers where the sign-up method is that unit. Keep in mind that net new subscribers will receive the welcome journey.

Frequently asked questions

Can I preview the success message for desktop sign-up units?

Yes. While editing the Success page in the desktop sign-up unit builder, click Preview existing subscriber success message to see the message that will appear to subscribers who’ve already signed up.

Can I trigger a journey for existing subscribers who submit information through a sign-up unit?

Yes. You’ll need to assign a custom attribute to the sign-up unit, create a segment of subscribers based on custom attribute assigned to the unit (make sure to exclude subscribers where the sign-up method is that unit if you don’t want the messaging to be duplicative with a Welcome Journey), then create a joined-a-segment journey. This use case is helpful, for example, when you have a sign-up unit attached to a welcome journey with a series of messages and you want existing subscribers to receive the same messaging if they resubmit their information.

What happens if I leave the Mobile existing subscriber message field blank in the mobile sign-up unit builder?

If the Mobile existing subscriber message field is blank for a mobile sign-up unit, and an existing subscriber submits their information through that sign-up unit, they’ll receive a default message for subscribers who’ve already signed up. Reach out to your Attentive CSM or our White Glove team (whiteglove@attentivemobile.com) to confirm or change the default message.

What kind of custom attributes can be assigned to sign-up units?

You can only assign Boolean (i.e., true/false) custom attributes to sign-up units.

How do I create a segment of subscribers that includes both subscribers who signed up via a sign-up unit and existing subscribers who submit their information?

Create a dynamic segment and build the following condition:

1. Select A subscriber’s characteristics from the dropdown.
2. Select the custom attribute assigned to the sign-up unit from the dropdown.
3. Select true from the dropdown.

Create additional conditions as needed, then click Create or Update.

How do I create a segment of subscribers that only includes subscribers who signed up through a sign-up unit and excludes existing subscribers who submit their information through that unit?

Create a dynamic segment and build the following condition:

1. Select A subscriber’s characteristics from the dropdown.
2. Select Text sign-up method from the next dropdown.
3. Select Is from the next dropdown.
4. Select Sign-up unit from the next dropdown.
5. Select A specific sign-up unit from the next dropdown.
6. Select the sign-up unit you’re creating this segment for.

Create additional conditions as needed, then click Create or Update.

How do I create a segment of subscribers that only includes existing subscribers who submit their information through a sign-up unit and excludes subscribers who actually signed up through that unit?

Create a dynamic segment and build two conditions joined by AND.

The first condition:

1. Select A subscriber’s characteristics from the dropdown.
2. Select the custom attribute assigned to the sign-up unit from the dropdown.
3. Select true from the dropdown.

The second condition.

1. Select A subscriber’s characteristics from the dropdown.
2. Select Text sign-up method from the next dropdown.
3. Select Is not from the next dropdown.
4. Select Sign-up unit from the next dropdown.
5. Select A specific sign-up unit from the next dropdown.
6. Select the sign-up unit you’re creating this segment for.

Create additional conditions as needed, then click Create or Update.

Does this functionality allow us to show sign-up units to existing subscribers?

No. Generally speaking, sign-up units won’t appear to existing subscribers unless they’re using a new browser, browsing in incognito mode, or visiting a landing page. This functionality allows you to take advantage of those times when existing subscribers happen to see sign-up units in one of those scenarios.

If existing subscribers submit their information through a sign-up unit, do they go through the associated welcome journey again?

No. For example, let’s say you use a landing page to collect subscribers’ birthdays. If a subscriber is already signed up but submits their birthday through the landing page, they won’t go through a welcome journey. You can, however, customize the confirmation message on desktop and mobile to make sense for this use case by using the existing subscriber messages to let them know their birthday has been saved.

If you’re only promoting a landing page to existing subscribers to collect additional information, like in the birthday example above, it’s helpful to add language to the landing page that clearly tells subscribers to enter their birthday in addition to their email or phone number. Subscribers must enter either an email or phone number so that they can be identified.