Marketing-Cloud-Consultant Sample Questions Answers

To know the number of contacts in their account and email it to their Chief Marketing Officer on a weekly basis, Northern Trail Outfitters should schedule the Contacts Counts Standard Report. This report shows how many contacts are in Marketing Cloud across different channels and platforms. The report can be scheduled to run at a recurring interval and emailed to one or more recipients. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_rn_contacts_count_report.htm &type=5

To import new contacts gathered from an external web form at high frequency into Marketing Cloud, Northern Trail Outfitters should perform a daily bulk export to SFTP for import via automation. This will allow them to batch the contacts into one file per day and import them into Marketing Cloud using an automation that runs at a scheduled time. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_import_activity.htm &type=5

To get real-time updates on transactional email metrics, such as Sent and Not Sent, Northern Trail Outfitters should use Event Notification Service. Event Notification Service is a feature that allows marketers to receive real-time notifications of email tracking events via webhooks or APIs. Event Notification Service can help marketers monitor and troubleshoot transactional email sends and ensure compliance with legal obligations. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_event_notification_service.htm &type=5

To diagnose the issue of failed Salesforce Triggered Sends, the consultant should ensure the System User is assigned the Standard User Profile. The System User is a user account that Marketing Cloud Connect uses to communicate with Sales Cloud. The System User needs to have the Standard User Profile or a custom profile with similar permissions to enable Salesforce Triggered Sends. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_co_troubleshoot_marketing_cloud_connect_configuration_issues.htm &type=5

Two potential reasons for SMS responses getting the default keyword response rather than the appropriate next keyword response are:

• Responses are not sent within the Conversation Window. The Conversation Window is a setting that defines how long MobileConnect waits for a response from a subscriber after sending an outbound message. If a subscriber responds after the Conversation Window expires, MobileConnect treats their response as a new inbound message rather than part of an ongoing conversation.
• Next keyword was not specified on the outbound message. The Next Keyword is a setting that defines what keyword MobileConnect expects from a subscriber after sending an outbound message. If a subscriber responds with a different keyword than what MobileConnect expects, MobileConnect treats their response as a new inbound message rather than part of an ongoing conversation.

Responses containing “stop” in the message content will not get the default keyword response, but rather an opt-out confirmation message. Responses sent with AMPscript in body will not affect how MobileConnect handles responses, as AMPscript is only evaluated at send time. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_moc_conversation_window.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_moc_next_keyword.htm &type=5

 To integrate Marketing Cloud with their existing point-of-sale system in order to email purchase receipts to their customers, Northern Trail Outfitters should use MuleSoft Anypoint Platform. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform is a tool that allows marketers to connect and integrate different systems and applications using APIs and connectors. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform can help transform and map data between different formats and protocols, such as JSON and SOAP. References: https://www.mulesoft.com/platform/anypoint-platform

The reason why the Journey does not inject customers when their order status is updated is that orders are not being updated from not meeting criteria to meeting criteria. A Salesforce Data Entry Source only injects records into a journey when they change from not meeting the entry criteria to meeting the entry criteria. For example, if the entry criteria is order status equals New, then only orders that change from a different status to New will be injected into the journey. Orders that are created with a status of New or change from New to another status will not be injected into the journey. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_jb_salesforce_data_event.htm &type=5

To troubleshoot why tracking details from Email Studio initiated sends are not being sent back to Sales Cloud, Northern Trail Outfitters should verify that required profile attributes are properly mapped. Required profile attributes are attributes that are needed for Marketing Cloud Connect to function properly and sync data between Marketing Cloud and Sales Cloud. These attributes include Email Address, Subscriber Key, First Name, Last Name, and Full Name. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_co_troubleshoot_marketing_cloud_connect_configuration_issues.htm &type=5

The _Subscribers data view contains information about each subscriber in an account, such as subscriber key, email address, status, and business unit ID. The _BusinessUnitUnsubscribes data view contains information about each unsubscribe event for each subscriber in a business unit, such as subscriber key, business unit ID, and unsubscribe date. By using these two data views, the data team can find subscribers in their Marketing Cloud account and their unsubscribe data for child business units. References: https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_data_view_subscribers.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_data_view_businessunitunsubscribes.htm &type=5

Synchronized data extensions are data extensions that are automatically populated with data from Sales Cloud objects using Marketing Cloud Connect. They can be configured with filters to limit the records that are imported based on criteria such as field values or record types. By using synchronized data extensions with a filter on the consent checkbox field, NTO can import their Sales Cloud data into Marketing Cloud and leverage it within Journey Builder. Synchronized data extensions can be refreshed as frequently as every 15 minutes, which meets the requirement of having no more than 30 minutes delay. References: https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=sf.mc_co_data_integration_synchronized_data_sources.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=sf.mc_co_implement_synchronized_data_sources_best_practices.htm &type=5

To use Case data from Service Cloud as part of their current email messaging campaign, Northern Trail Outfitters should use Synchronized Data Extensions on the Case Object with a Boolean filter on the Contact Me field. Synchronized Data Extensions are data extensions that allow marketers to sync data from Sales Cloud or Service Cloud objects into Marketing Cloud using filters and schedules. Using Synchronized Data Extensions on the Case Object with a Boolean filter on the Contact Me field will allow Northern Trail Outfitters to import cases that indicate the customer wants someone to contact them after the case is closed. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_co_synchronized_data_sources.htm &type=5

The API user created in Marketing Cloud for Marketing Cloud Connect should have the API User checkbox selected and the Administrator & Marketing Cloud Administrator roles applied. This ensures that the user has access to all features and functions in Marketing Cloud and can perform API calls between Marketing Cloud and Sales Cloud. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_co_create_a_marketing_cloud_api_user.htm &type=5

• The Shipment object requires a Lookup to Lead or Contact1. This is because triggered sends can only be sent to Salesforce contacts, leads, or person accounts when object records are created or updated1.
• An Apex Trigger is created on the Shipment object2. This is because a trigger is Apex code that executes before or after certain operations on an object2, and it can be used to invoke the Marketing Cloud integration action that triggers the email send3.

A verification activity is an automation studio activity that allows checking the record count or field value of a data extension and sending a notification email if it meets certain criteria. A filter activity is an automation studio activity that allows filtering records from a source data extension into a target data extension based on filter criteria. By using these two activities in an automation, NTO can monitor available coupon codes in their coupon data extension and send a notification email to their email specialist if the available coupon count falls below 500. An import activity is used to import data from an external file or data source into a data extension, which is not relevant for this use case. A data extract activity is used to extract data from a data extension or data view into a file, which is also not relevant for this use case. References: https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_verification_activity.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_filter_activity.htm &type=5

To capture and categorize email Not Sent events and insert them into a data extension using Automation Studio, Northern Trail Outfitters should use the following order of activities:

• Data Extract with the Tracking Extract type. This activity will extract tracking data, such as Not Sent events, from Marketing Cloud and place a zipped file in the Safehouse.
• File Transfer from Safehouse. This activity will move the zipped file from the Safehouse to an Enhanced FTP location.
• File Transfer unzip. This activity will unzip the file and place it in an Enhanced FTP location.
• Import File. This activity will import the file into a data extension.

Data Extension Extract is not a valid extract type for tracking data. SQL Query is not an activity that can insert data into a data extension from a file. Data Factory Utility is not a valid activity in Automation Studio. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_data_extract_activity.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_file_transfer_activity.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_import_file_activity.htm &type=5

A consideration that should be made when building dynamic content rules is that rules should be built before uploading the respective content. Dynamic content rules are rules that define what content should be displayed based on subscriber attributes or behaviors. Dynamic content rules should be created before uploading content blocks or images into Content Builder, as they cannot be edited after content is uploaded. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_ceb_dynamic_content_rules.htm &type=5

Two considerations that should be made about tokenized sending are:

• Personalization strings still allow PII to be displayed within an email. Tokenized sending does not encrypt or mask PII within an email, it only prevents it from being stored in Marketing Cloud. Therefore, personalization strings should be used with caution and only when necessary.
• Service Level Agreements for email sends are unsupported with the inclusion of outside servers. Tokenized sending relies on an external server to provide PII at send time, which may introduce latency or errors that affect the delivery time and performance of emails.

Journey Builder decision splits do not provide a method to access tokenized data natively, but they can be configured with custom activities or API calls to do so. Tokenized sending does not require field-level data encryption for additional security, as PII is never stored in Marketing Cloud. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_tokenized_sending.htm &type=5

Two considerations that should be made when using a File Drop Automation are:

• They may utilize an external FTP site. A File Drop Automation can be configured to use an external SFTP location as well as an Enhanced FTP location for file triggers.
• The directory is unable to be used by another File Drop Automation. A File Drop Automation can only use one directory for file triggers, and that directory cannot be used by another File Drop Automation.

The directory used by the file trigger can be inside or outside the import directory, as long as it is not used by another File Drop Automation. The directory can contain more than five file triggers, but only one file trigger can start an automation at any given time. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_file_drop_automation_studio_triggers.htm &type=5

To report on ‘Not Sent’ contacts in Journey Builder, Northern Trail Outfitters should use the standard report ‘Subscribers Not Sent to’. This report shows how many contacts were not sent an email due to various reasons, such as unsubscribes, bounces, duplicates, or errors. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_rn_subscribers_not_sent_to_report.htm &type=5

An auto-suppression list populated with the known email addresses can be used to ensure none of these competitors receive their emails. An auto-suppression list is a type of exclusion list that prevents subscribers from receiving certain types of messages based on criteria such as email address, subscriber key, or domain. References: https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_auto_suppression_lists.htm &type=5

To send an email with personalized fields from multiple data extensions without coding experience, Northern Trail Outfitters should combine the data outside of Marketing Cloud and upload it into a sendable data extension. This will allow them to have all the required fields for personalization in one data source and avoid using complex scripting or queries to join and filter data from multiple data extensions.

Establishing data relationships and creating data filters would not help with personalization, as they are used for segmentation purposes. Creating SQL query activities would require coding skills and experience with SQL syntax. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_send_email_using_a_data_extension.htm &type=5

A Verification Activity can be used to prevent emails from being sent if they exceed a certain number of contacts. A Verification Activity checks the number of records in a data extension or list and stops the automation if the number is above or below a specified threshold. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_verification_activity.htm &type=5

How to determine engagement should be resolved prior to generating the audience for sending a special discount offer to engaged customers on their email list. Engagement is a measure of how subscribers interact with emails, such as opening, clicking, or converting. Different criteria can be used to define engagement, such as frequency, recency, duration, or channel preference. Determining engagement can help segment the audience and target the most relevant customers for the offer. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_engagement_split.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_engagement_metrics.htm &type=5

The LookupRows AMPscript function returns a rowset from a data extension that matches the specified criteria. It can be used to retrieve multiple rows of data from a data extension based on one or more column values. For example, NTO can use the LookupRows function to retrieve all rows from the second data extension that have the same session ID as the subscriber in the sendable data extension, and then loop through the rowset to display the product data for each abandoned cart item in the email. References: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.noversion.mc-programmatic- content.meta/mc-programmatic-content/lookuprows.htm

The email address that would appear as the From Address for the automatic reply to the customer is reply@marketingcloud.com. This is because Northern Trail Outfitters has configured their Reply Mail Management settings to forward replies to customerservice@nto.com and send an auto-reply message to the customer’s email address. The From Address for the auto-reply message is always reply@marketingcloud.com, regardless of the original From Address or the forwarding address. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_reply_mail_management.htm &type=5

The file naming pattern is a setting in the import activity that specifies how to identify the file to import. If the file name changes every time, but has a consistent prefix, the %%BASEFILENAME_FROM_TRIGGER%% variable can be used to match the file name based on the prefix. For example, if the file naming pattern is set to thankyou_customers_%%BASEFILENAME_FROM_TRIGGER%%.csv, it will match any file that starts with thankyou_customers_ and ends with .csv. References: https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_import_file_naming_conventions.htm &type=5

To automate exclusion of identified email addresses from all future sends that use specific sender profiles, Northern Trail Outfitters should use an auto-suppression list. An auto-suppression list is a tool that allows marketers to exclude subscribers from email sends based on their email address and sender profile. The email addresses can be added to the auto-suppression list using a SQL query or an import activity. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_create_an_auto_suppression_list.htm &type=5

Creating an installed package in Marketing Cloud with Read and Write permissions for data extensions should be used to facilitate the functionality of upserting rows into a data extension using a REST API endpoint. An installed package is a container for one or more API integrations that provides authentication credentials and permissions for accessing Marketing Cloud resources. Read and Write permissions for data extensions allow the API integration to retrieve and modify data in data extensions. References: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/create_a_package.html https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/data-extensions.html

To target all customers who have registered to receive push notifications, Northern Trail Outfitters can use two ways to create this segment:

• Using Mobile Studio, create a Mobile Push Filtered List then filter on the MobilePush Demographics attribute group. This is a user-friendly tool that allows marketers to segment their mobile push audience based on criteria and conditions without coding.
• Using Automation Studio, query the _MobilePushDemographics Data View and save this to a data extension. This is a more advanced tool that allows marketers to segment their mobile push audience using SQL queries and data views.

Using Journey Builder or Contact Builder are not ways to create segments for mobile push audiences, as they are used for different purposes. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_moc_create_a_filtered_list.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_query_activity.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_data_view_mobilepushdemographics.htm &type=5

A random split activity is an automation studio activity that randomly splits a data extension into multiple groups based on percentage or number of records. It can be used to create test groups for different messaging strategies or to segment a large audience into smaller batches for sending. It can handle up to 12 groups and up to 50 million records per group. References: https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_random_split_activity.htm &type=5

To send a welcome email to contacts when a contact record is added as a campaign member to a ‘Loyalty Member’ campaign in Sales Cloud, Northern Trail Outfitters should use Salesforce Triggered Sends. Salesforce Triggered Sends are emails that are sent from Marketing Cloud in response to events or changes in Sales Cloud objects, such as contacts or campaign members. Salesforce Triggered Sends allow marketers to send timely and relevant emails based on Sales Cloud data and actions. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_co_salesforce_triggered_sends.htm &type=5

Two solutions that could pull in the RSS feed at the time of send for Northern Trail Outfitters’ weekly email newsletter are:

• AMPscript. AMPscript is a scripting language that can be used to retrieve and display dynamic content from external sources, such as RSS feeds, in emails.
• External Content. External Content is a feature that allows marketers to create blocks of content from external sources, such as RSS feeds, in Content Builder.

Dynamic Content is not a solution for pulling in RSS feeds, as it is used to display different content based on subscriber attributes or rules. Personalization Strings are not a solution for pulling in RSS feeds, as they are used to display subscriber or account information in emails. References: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.noversion.mc-programmatic-content.meta/mc-programmatic-content/ampscriptUseCasesRetrieveRSSFeed.htm https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_ceb_external_content_blocks.htm &type=5

To send an SMS message and capture the responses in a data extension using AMPscript, Northern Trail Outfitters should use two MobileConnect templates: Text Response and Data Capture. Text Response is a template that allows marketers to send a text message to a mobile number and receive a reply. Data Capture is a template that allows marketers to use AMPscript to insert the reply into a data extension. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_moc_text_response.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_moc_data_capture.htm &type=5

To allow for long-term self-sufficiency in segmentation, Northern Trail Outfitters should use data filters. Data filters are a user-friendly tool that allows marketers to segment their data based on criteria and conditions without coding. Data filters can also be refreshed and reused for different campaigns. Attribute groups are used to link data sources in Contact Builder, not for segmentation. Publication lists are used to manage opt-in preferences, not for segmentation. Query activities require SQL knowledge and coding skills, which the marketing team lacks. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_data_filters.htm &type=5

Data views are system-generated tables that store information about subscriber actions, such as sends, opens, clicks, bounces, etc. Data views can be queried using SQL statements in automation studio or query studio to retrieve email metrics for analysis and reporting purposes. Data views store data for up to six months (or longer for some tables), and can be queried as frequently as needed, such as hourly or daily. References: https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_data_views.htm &type=5

Two actions that would successfully write send time variables to their Send Log are:

• Match an AMPscript variable name to a Send Log field. This action will allow the customer to write the value of an AMPscript variable to a corresponding field in the Send Log data extension. For example, if the customer has a Send Log field named ProductName and an AMPscript variable named @ProductName, then the value of @ProductName will be written to the ProductName field in the Send Log.
• Use the WriteToLog() AMPscript function in the content. This action will allow the customer to write one or more values to a specified field in the Send Log data extension using an AMPscript function. For example, if the customer wants to write the value of @ProductName and @ProductPrice to the ProductInfo field in the Send Log, they can use WriteToLog(“ProductInfo”,@ProductName,@ProductPrice) in their content.

Ensuring the send log is linked in an attribute group is not necessary for writing send time variables to their Send Log, as it is only used for creating relationships between data sources in Contact Builder. Enabling send logging to a data extension during send process is not an action that would write send time variables to their Send Log, as it is only a setting that enables or disables send logging for a specific email send. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_create_a_sendlog_data_extension.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_write_to_the_send_log.htm &type=5

To select an audience of subscribers who have made purchases in the last 6 months, but are yet to be loyalty members, Northern Trail Outfitters should use Contact Builder Attribute Groups. Attribute Groups are collections of data extensions and data sources that are linked by common fields or attributes. Attribute Groups allow marketers to create segments and filters based on data from multiple sources, such as purchase data and loyalty data. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_cab_attribute_groups.htm &type=5

To import the data, segment the data, and execute the daily sends as soon as the file is generated by the data lake instance, Northern Trail Outfitters should use a triggered automation that contains an import activity, a series of query activities, and a series of sends. A triggered automation can start when a file is dropped in a specified location, such as an FTP folder. An import activity can import the file into a data extension. A series of query activities can segment the data based on the criteria for different campaigns. A series of sends can send the emails to the segmented data extensions. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_automation_studio_triggers.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_import_activity.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_query_activity.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_create_a_user_initiated_email_interaction.htm &type=5

To pull data from the SendLog for troubleshooting based on email address without coding experience, Northern Trail Outfitters should filter data using a Filter Activity on SendLog Data Extension. A Filter Activity is an activity that allows marketers to create filtered data extensions based on criteria and conditions without coding. A SendLog Data Extension is a custom data extension that captures send-time values for each subscriber in an email send. References: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_filter_activity.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_create_a_sendlog_data_extension.htm &type=5

Keyword opt in and SMS Messaging can be used to allow attendees to request event-specific notifications by texting a keyword to a short or long code. The keyword can trigger an SMS message with the requested information or a link to a CloudPage with more details. References: https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=sf.mc_moc_keyword_opt_in.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=sf.mc_moc_sms_messaging.htm &type=5

 Import File activity can be used to import the unsub file from the SFTP to a data extension. Query activity can be used to query the data extension and update the status of the subscribers in All Subscribers list to Unsubscribed. Data Extract and File Transfer activities are not needed for this process. References: https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_import_file_activity.htm &type=5 https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=sf.mc_as_query_activity.htm &type=5