Real-time marketing transition playbook

Complete a move across marketing engines

Last updated on: July 24, 2023

Classified as Microsoft Confidential

Kindly note

Investment Transition Think real time Change management

All future Our During transition Strong change

investments of recommendation is THINK REAL TIME management to
D365 Marketing to do incremental to improve in the support the team
are already going transition without processes when to adopt new way
into Real-time of doing marketing
Marketing only. interrupting the targeting moments smoothly is needed
ongoing outbound that matter over for already
marketing rather batch deployed
clear-cut transition. communications. Outbound
Marketing
implementations.

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 Purpose and scope
THE SITUATION PURPOSE
The Real-time marketing module This guide aims to provide a brief understanding of the main features available inside Dynamics 365 Real-time
in Dynamics 365 was launched in marketing and guide the customers in their transition from Outbound to Real-time marketing.
2021, and features supporting it Content in this guide requires a basic understanding of Dynamics 365 Marketing solution and expertise in
have been in rapid development marketing practices
ever since.
We have now reached a point Audiences: In summary, this guide will help you:
where the majority of the widely Customer Solution Architects Understand the benefits of the Real-time marketing
used scenarios of Outbound
Partner Solution Architects Get a functional comparison between Outbound and Real-time
marketing can be achieved in the
FastTrack Solution Architects marketing
Real-time marketing module.
Develop a strategy for transition
Customers who are currently using
Understand the items and techniques needed for transitioning
Outbound marketing now have
the opportunity to transition these
scenarios to the D365 Real-time INSIDE THIS PLAYBOOK:
marketing module.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3
This guide provides information Introduction Explore Transition
on the transition path from
Outbound to Real-time marketing Ensure functional Detail the Plan and execute
cover for the transition for
and highlights important transition each feature in
considerations that should be the scope
made.

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 Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3
Introduction Explore Transition
Understand functionality Detail the transition for Plan and execute
cover of Real-time each feature
marketing(RTM)
Understand the functional Approach
Design • Determine transition approach for
What Dynamics 365 Real-time your organization.
• Identify the existing Outbound
marketing offers? • Establish a plan
Marketing(OBM) functional
• Dynamics 365 Real-time marketing components in use and equivalent
enables organizations to manage Transition marketing artifacts
Real-time Marketing features
outgoing communications to their • Build your library
• Understand the similarities and
customers both as a group or • Transfer customer touchpoints and
differences between modules
individually, reacting to customers’ related components
actions in real-time or in batch. Opportunities for improvements
• Which additional features will be • Forms
Why transition to Dynamics 365 available in Real-time Marketing and • Emails & Content Block
Real-time marketing? how to best utilize these features • SMS and Push Notifications
• Can start journeys both out of • Triggers
Analyze components to be
segments and on triggering events
transitioned • Subscription lists to Consent
• Additional first party channels with Centre
SMS and Push notifications • Define your communication
channels Transition marketing
• Richer email editing experience
• Larger scale of communications
• List the marketing artefacts needed automation process
in the transition • Create segment/trigger journeys
supported
Train users, super users and • Test your journeys
What is new and different?
administrators on new processes
• New and enhanced features in RTM

Classified as Microsoft Confidential Resources Resources Resources

 Chapter 1: Introduction

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Chapter 1: Introduction Why Transition to the Real-time marketing?

Leveraging a data driven approach requires new tools…

Marketer shift in strategy

Yesterday Tomorrow
Gut decisions
Audience of one

Big bang campaigns Moments-based marketing

Message bombarding Channel optimizations

One-size-fits-all Audience of 1

Siloed experiences Seamless experience

Demand generation Build loyalty and lifetime value

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Chapter 1: Introduction What Dynamics 365 Real-time marketing offers?
Real-time marketing empowers marketers to create engaging experiences
Understand customers & personalize
experiences
Analyze large amount of data to get a 360 profile
of your customer and personalize every interaction

Segment-based journeys
Trigger-based journey Target the right audience for each campaign with the
React to customers’ actions in real time, start journey
easy-to-use segment builder
based on custom triggers or Dataverse change.

AI-powered content idea & segment Email Marketing

Leverage Copilot and AI innovation to deliver compelling Send personalized and engaging emails to reach
and personalized experiences within minutes your audience

SMS, Push Notifications & Custom Marketing Forms

channels Easily create and publish forms to collect data
Leverage out of the box text messages, push about your customers and capture leads
notifications, and custom channels

Lead generation & Management

Channel optimization Identify, nurture and handoff leads to the sales
Leverage AI to pick the best channel for each team to accelerate your pipeline
customer at every step in their customer journey

Events organization
Analytics & Insights Organize compelling physical and digital live
Understand and optimize how marketing mix efforts are event worldwide to reach your customers
contributing towards key business outcomes

Business Units, Consent & Brand

profiles
Organize digital assets, set preference centers 8
and create brand profile to match your business
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Chapter 1: Introduction Outbound vs Real-time marketing

Key capabilities
Real-time marketing only:
• Real-time journey orchestration Real-time marketing
• 300M interactions/month
• Continuous and seamless integration with Customer Insights
• Custom triggers
• Trigger on change to Dataverse
• Orchestrate to leads
• Power Automate integration
• New segmentation editor Outbound marketing
• No limits on # of segments
• Conditional content UI (no code)
• AI-powered channel optimization & content ideas
• Modern Business Units, Brand profiles
• Text (SMS) messaging
• Push messaging
• Full fidelity custom channels
• Modern forms editor
• Copy of email on unified Dynamics timeline
• Frequency caps
• UTM Tagging
• Forms
• Enhanced consent and preference centers
Outbound marketing features coming to RTM:
• B2B capabilities, e.g., Lead Scoring*, Pages

*This capability will be in public preview and/or generally available in Real-time marketing
within the 2023 release wave 2, October 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024.
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Chapter 1: Introduction Outbound vs Real-time marketing
Outbound marketing Real-time marketing

Natural Language segment creation Enhanced natural language segment creation

Segment Based
Journeys Integration with Dynamics 365 Customer Insights ✓ Native integration with Dynamics 365 Customer Insights
Market to Contacts ✓ Market to Leads, Contacts, Customer Insight Profiles
X ✓ Custom triggers
Trigger Based X ✓ Trigger on Dataverse record change
Journeys X ✓ Branching journeys
X ✓ Journey reminders
Email designer Enhanced email designer (Content Block, AI-powered Content idea, Send Now ……)
Marketing pages Integrated via Power pages

Channels Web forms Enhanced web form experience (create forms within minutes)
X ✓ OOB - SMS & Push notification OOB channels
Custom tile ✓ Custom channels with OOB functionalities
Social posts X
X ✓ AI-powered channel optimization
Dynamic text Dynamic text
Personalization
Code-based personalization ✓ Enhanced Code-free personalization
X ✓ Conditional Content
Contact-Based ✓ Contact Point based, granular per touchpoint
Consent Subscription List ✓ Opt-in topics
Support BU scoping in Segment and Journey ✓ Support BU Scoping for segments, journeys, emails, forms.
Business X ✓ Brand Profiles
organization
X ✓ Modernized Business Unit and Brand asset organization
Lead Scoring Enhanced Lead Scoring Builder
Connected
Shared Customer Timeline Shared Customer Timeline
Sales &
Marketing X ✓ Assign a task to sales directly within journeys
Classified as Microsoft Confidential X ROADMAP - Shared OOB B2B Dashboards
Chapter 1: Introduction Outbound vs Real-time marketing

Understand the equivalent feature areas

Customer Journey
Journey

Contact-based Contact Point

Consent Consent

Contacts Contacts, Leads

& Profiles

Segments Segments
Segments

Marketing
Content Assets
Assets
Marketing
Emails
Emails

OBM RTM
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Chapter 1: Introduction What is new and different in RTM?
Many new features combined to allow you to engage with customer at specific moments.

Key Advantages of RTM

Triggered based customer journeys
• Support engagement during moments that matter through
triggered communications
• Support any type of custom trigger that journey can act upon
Two-way SMS
• Native outbound text message channel to reach customers directly
on their mobile devices
• Journey can act upon based on your customer’s response to your
text messages
Push notifications
• Support to quickly convey offers, messages, or other information
directly to users of your app
AI driven email creation and channel optimization
• Connect with customers on the channels they use the most by AI
model
• The AI-powered content ideas feature helps you kickstart email
creation
And more…
• Enhanced Email and content designer
• Enhanced segmentation engine
• Native integration with Dynamics 365 Customer Insights
• Ability to market to Leads and Customer Insight Profiles
• Higher throughput and volume support
• Journey branching supporting more than 2 branches
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Chapter 1: Introduction What is new and different in RTM?
Many new features combined to allow you to engage with customer at specific moments.
Real Time Marketing
Outbound Marketing

Native integration Personalized SMS

with Dynamics 365 through any
Customer Insights provider

Set refresh Personalized Push

frequency of a Notifications
segment

Multibranch Contacts, Leads, 360 customer view

journeys & Opportunities, and AI-powered channel BU & Brands
Marketing forms across Sales &
reminders Accounts optimization management
Marketing

Communication No limits on
Brand
frequency dynamics & static Conditional Content Sales Orchestration Opt-in topics
Custom Channels asset organization
management segments

Real-time triggers Contact Point

Advanced real-time Easy to use, code- Real Time Lead Modernized
from Dataverse or Email based, granular per
segmentation free personalization Scoring Business Units
external system touchpoint

Real-time journeys Natural language

to Contacts, Leads Event Management AI generated Lead Scoring Subscription List
segment creation Brand Profiles
or CI Profiles Content Idea

Segment-based Code-based Lead and Contact Contact-Based Approvals

Market to Contacts
journey to Contacts Social Posts personalization Capture

Journeys Segmentation Channels Email Personalization Lead management Consent Business organization

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Chapter 1: Introduction RTM Segments

Enhanced segments in RTM

• Real-time marketing can use segments directly from outbound
marketing and Customer Insights

• No limits on dynamics & static segments

• You can also build segments directly within the real-time

marketing area which has enhancements like:
• Easy-to-use logic builder that doesn’t require deep
understanding of data structure and logical operators.
• Ability to include sub-groups into your segment query
• Individually add members to segment to be included or
excluded
• Preview the estimated segment size and membership
before you mark your segment as “Ready to use” in
customer journeys.
• At any point in time, you can make your segments either
Static OR Dynamic with simple flag switch. You can also
edit the query at any point in time.

• You can use natural language to create segments*

• You can use customer interaction data to build your segments

• You can now create segments with data tables, such as

Marketing Lists, that have N:N relationships with target entities
like Leads and Contacts

* Preview:
Classified Use natural
as Microsoft language to create segments (Dynamics 365 Marketing) | Microsoft Learn
Confidential
Chapter 1: Introduction Trigger-based journey

React to customers’ action in

real time
• Trigger can be any real-world interactions like walking into
a store and connecting to Wi-Fi, virtual interaction such as
visiting a shopping website, etc.
• Application includes out of the box triggers like
“Marketing Event Registration” which ready to be used.
• Trigger can be defined for Dataverse record change
without code.
• Custom triggers can also be created for when a customer
interacts with a website/app that sends the signal to
Dynamics. This can include any source (such as a website,
an IoT device, an app, a service, etc.) using small snippets
of code.
• Journey manager can further define the journey entry/exit
criteria from the data attributes from the trigger.
• Journey manager can define the journey start date and
time.
• Journey manager can also specify whether a customer can
repeat the journey and how soon they repeat it if they
perform the trigger again.

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Chapter 1: Introduction Segment-based journey

Enhanced segment-based journey

• Journey builder can set the frequency to run either one-time
or audience can repeat the journey based on the frequency
you have set
• Journey manager can exclude the audience from another
segment
• Journey manager can use segment to a condition to branch
the journey
• Marketers can use suppression segment into exist criteria for
the people who they wishes to not continue the journey
• Another additional and very powerful feature that comes with
RTM is the ability to integrate with Dynamics 365 Customer
Insights for segmentation. You can directly use segments
created in CI into RTM journey.

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Chapter 1: Introduction Enhance real-time journey

Enhanced features in RTM

journey designer
• Push Notifications, SMS and Custom as an additional
channels for engagement
• Now, you can create more than two branches at any given
step in the journey, creating more fine-grained
personalization and engaging each customer differently
based on their unique profile and behavioral signals.
• You can edit a live journey and do major or minor changes.
Major changes will be tracked as version of the journey
• You can trigger another journey, or a power automate
from your journey using Activate a custom trigger tile
• Channel Optimization can be used to determine by AI
which channel is most likely to achieve the journey
outcome branch out randomly. This is useful to personalize
the journey based on each customer's channel preference.
• You can now create journeys that nudge and remind a
customer to take a required action.
• you can now create sales activities such as tasks and phone
calls directly from journeys

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Chapter 1: Features Real-time marketing email

Key differences in functionality

• AI-driven content ideas to kickstart email creation*
• Dynamic links to emails to directly linking to documents
stored in the asset library
• Link to surveys, events, marketing pages, Microsoft Teams
events, or calendar items
• You can communicate dates and times in a variety of formats
that is readable and consistent with the local language and
region in your email.
• Enable rich Content blocks with layouts to support content
reuse, consistency, and efficiency.
• You can now add up to five additional recipients to emails in
the cc field
• You can now easily reference a copy of previously sent emails
in the interaction timeline
• Enhanced “Send now” - send to entire segment & create
reusable journeys
• Easily setup conditions using simple to use condition builder
to test segment membership, attributes, and related
tables without any scripting
• Brand Profile support

* Preview: Use AI to kickstart email creation with content ideas (Dynamics 365 Marketing) | Microsoft Learn
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Chapter 1: Features Real-time marketing personalization

Key difference in
functionality
• You can now set the Default values to ensure
your message always has appropriate content,
even if the data is missing or blank. You can set
default value either globally or for the current
message
• You can preview your default personalized
content or can add your won sample data in the
Preview and test view.
• You can use relative and partial dates when
defining a condition that uses dates, allowing
you to create more flexible personalized content.
• Any user can create new pre-defined dynamic
text fragments and share them with their team
by adding them to the pre-defined dynamic text
list.
• Personalization content can be several
relationship “hops” away
• You can further filter down your list in your email.
• You can now personalized content using data
with one-to-many relationships.

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Chapter 1: Features Real-time marketing conditional content

Key difference in
functionality
• Conditional content is an easy way to deliver
effective and engaging personalize content
by including different images, link or content
that match the recipient’s interest or their
demographic information.
• Author highly personalized messages that
automatically include the right content for
each customer. ​
• Create dynamic content with any mix of
personalized text, images, and layout​
without scripting
• Create rules for selecting right content using
segment membership, attribute, or triggers. ​
• Preview content variations in the email
designer to see who will receive each
variation​

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Chapter 1: Introduction Push notifications

Key functionality
• Push messages allow you to quickly convey offers,
messages, or other information directly to users of
your app
• You can send push messages as part of real-time
journeys, similar to other outbound messages like
SMS
• Push notification supports both iOS and Android
applications
• You can personalize your push notification
messages using the editor similar to email editor
• You can orchestrate beautiful, personalized push
notifications with images to increase customer
engagement
• You can add Customer Voice survey to a push
notification
• You can track push notification messaging matrices
from channel insights
• You can add images to notifications, making them
more engaging.
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Chapter 1: Introduction SMS & Custom channel

Key functionality
• RTM support two-way text messages natively.
• Native SMS supports(Infobip, LINK Mobility, Twilio,
TeleSign, Azure Communication Services preview)
• Any additional SMS provider can be supported
through custom channels and benefit from the
native built-in functionality (SMS editor, analytics,
inbound SMS)
• Custom channel to connect through the specific
communication channels you are familiar with

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Chapter 1: Introduction Forms

Key functionality
3 Clicks 50% Less time to create & publish a form

• Easy build & publish experience

• Native part of Real-time journeys
• Leverage the new Real-time marketing consent
model
• All entity attributes, including custom, are available
as fields to be used in a form without further
configuration
• Improved end user experience for live forms
• Easily publish your form as a standalone page
• Generate the form embedding code snippet with
one action which can be used in CMS or Power
Pages
• Form load time is significantly reduced for the page
visitor thanks to Content Delivery Network (CDN)
• You can easily customize form entity to suite your
own needs

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Chapter 1: Introduction Lead Scoring

Key functionality
• More sophisticated qualification criteria by mixing
scoring models - soon even directly qualifying by
adding high value actions or attributes (example:
requested a demo -> qualify) *
• Create scoring models based on demographic and
behavioral conditions
• Target an audience
• Consistent experience with other features (e.g.,
Segmentation)
• Fundamental insights provided OOB
• Handoff qualified leads to the sales team at the right
time
• Flexible separated feature for qualification that allows
more sophisticated methods (and just the starting
point!)
• Cannot target accounts
• Not consent aware
* Lead scoring is planned for Augst 2023
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Chapter 1: Introduction Consent center and Subscription list

Key differences in
functionality
• Consent is managed at the contact point, allowing
customers to decide how they want to receive
communications. For example, send Daily Deals to
[email protected]​, but Product Updates to +1-412-555-
1212.
• Support for all entity types: contact, leads, Customer
Insights profiles.
• Multiple, brand-specific preference centers gather consent
independently and set enforcement for each brand, line of
business or geography.
• Tailor communication to the specific topics your customers
want to receive, reducing full unsubscribes.
• Customers who already have gathered consent data in
outbound marketing don't need to take any actions in the
RTM consent center. RTM journey for contacts will continue
to run.
• Load Consent now support loading OBM subscription list to
RTM contact point consent.

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 Chapter 2: Explore

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Chapter 2: Explore Before planning

Adopting Real-time is easy

Adopt over time → gain confidence, no surprises Real-time

Outbound
Start to set new journeys in Real- Upgrade your running outbound
time journeys in real-time

Consider the benefit to reach customers in moments that matters

Create deeply Leverage the OOB Set consent

Generate pipeline
Market to leads, Rethink your engaging emails text messages and centers, brand
Leverage the new by handing over
contacts, and segment journey with push notifications, profiles, and
and easy send now leads to the sales
customer insights into trigger personalization to send organize assets to
feature team at the right
profiles Journeys features and AI- personalized meet your business
moment
driven content messages needs
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Chapter 2: Explore Before planning

Consider the evolution of your journeys

• Early in the planning stage, it is recommended to think about how Real-Time Marketing will impact the traditional way you
reach your customers

• Beyond the features, consider the benefits of reaching out customers in a moments that matter than in batch or bulk as this
can impact what will be required and what needs configuring

• For example, in OBM a dynamic segment to identify contacts that have created new subscriptions in the last X days could be
the start of a journey but, with RTM what is possible is for the start to be the subscription event(from Form submission
event) itself not the result of a query, making the interaction more timely and personal.

• As journeys transition to RTM, consider which segment-based communications are better served as triggered based
communications.

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Chapter 2: Explore Pilot the transition

It is recommended that Identify the journeys that has an

transitioning from outbound to equivalent or better way in Real-
real-time marketing is done time Marketing.
through a phased transition to
RTM. This allows the execution of a Finalize Real-time Marketing
pilot of the Real-time Marketing implementation scope and
features and gather feedback from implement into Production
end users without interrupting the environment.
ongoing outbound marketing
journeys. The result will be more
fine-tuned experience as users'
transition.

Train Marketing Team and have

pilot team to support them in the
transitioning period. They might
Create a feedback gathering require assistance on certain
process and encourage users to occasions as the 2 features have
provide feedback. distinct ways of handling certain
functions.
Set up a cadence to capture user
insights and discuss recent
improvements.

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Chapter 2: Explore Change management

User adoption depends on successful change management and end-user training. Planning
the cut-over process and supporting end users throughout the go-live period and initial
adoption phase will increase the realized value of your implementation drastically.

Provide detailed Consider the Make IT helpdesk Monitor Assign champion Introduce
training materials background of aware and upskill application usage users who have feedback
based on your the end users, the team to and identify areas more hands-on gathering
training on real- who might be resolve Level 1 which are experience with channels and
life marketing used to tickets primarily used. the RTM to continue building
scenarios for your “megaphone” Highlight core support other your backlog
organization type journeys and features that are users to start
will need to learn under-utilised using the RTM
about trigger- and explain the
based potential value
communications

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Chapter 2: Explore Pre-planning

Map desired functionality to new capabilities

Review your existing OBM journeys to document functionality which is critical to your marketing activities.

Understand and document configuration which was done in the OBM and begin to visualize how it translates to RTM.

Review enhancement requests, technician feedback and suggestions – now is a great time to make a change or address long-
standing pain points!

Below is the sample sheet you can use to plan your transition.

Area OBM RTM

Journeys Segment based journey Segment and Trigger based journey

Scenario 1 – Contoso Banking gathers data through a form for credit Transition Scenario 1 – Trigger a journey on form submission event to
card launch event and then starting a journey based on Dynamics engage contacts who just populated the details to do further marketing.
segment of contacts who populated the form.
Scenario 2 – Contoso Insurance runs Claim Journey for the customers Transition Scenario 2 – Contoso Insurance doesn’t have to wait for 30
who submitted a claim in last 30 days will be considered as Leads for days to collect all the data. They can trigger a journey on Claim Submit
this Campaign. Leads will receive communications to promote Privilege event to send communication to promote Privilege Offer or Product
Offer or Product recommendation via Emails. recommendations.

Scenario 3 – Contoso Inc is a relief management company, creating a Transition Scenario 3 – Contoso Inc can create a single journey in
new segments and journeys for every disaster relief deployment to direct which the triggering event of confirmation for relief to a contact starts
individuals to a registration process for the relief. communications

33
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Chapter 2: Explore Pre-planning

Segments
Segments let you create groups of contacts based on certain characteristics such as demographic information, purchasing behavior or
interactions with digital channels. You can use segments to group of your customers and target those for your marketing activities. As segments
define the characteristics of the audience, you can differentiate your communication language or marketing channels based on targeted segment.

How it works in OBM: How it works in RTM:

OBM Segments allows to build dynamic or static segments which can be Segments created in OBM can still be used.
accessed by navigating to OBM → Customers → Segments inside the D365
Marketing app.
Enhanced segments in RTM is allows to build static and dynamic
OBM supports query, behavior and segment blocks to query data within segments which can be accessed by navigating to RTM → Audience →
Dynamics and build dynamic segments. Segments inside the D365 Marketing app. RTM segment supports to
build multiple groups, query and behavior data to build segments.

Can also consume Customer Insights segments within Journeys

Migration Path:

1. As Real-time marketing uses segments directly from outbound marketing, there is no immediate need to re-build the OBM segment to RTM. However, for transition
completeness perspective we recommend you move OBM Segment to RTM for journeys you are planning to transition to RTM.

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Chapter 2: Explore Pre-planning

Triggers
Triggers control the flow of trigger-based journeys. They represent customer actions such as a whitepaper download, a form submitted, or a Wi-Fi
sign-up. Triggers can also represent significant business events, such as a purchase that has shipped or completion of an enrollment process.
Triggers can be used to start, continue, or stop a journey.

How it works in OBM: How it works in RTM:

N/A Real-time marketing offers three types of triggers in the triggers
catalog: custom triggers, interaction triggers, and business triggers. You
can create custom and business trigger by navigating to Marketing →
RTM → Engagement → Triggers inside the D365 Marketing app
Please follow this link to move custom triggers between environments.

Migration Path:
N/A

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Chapter 2: Explore Pre-planning

Journey Automation
Marketing automation allows marketers to optimize repetitive marketing tasks. It provides the ability to be relevant in their communications by
providing the ability to personalize, messages, and channels. Marketing platforms typically offer a marketing canvas to be used as a designer for
the end to end customer experience. Designer canvas include branches to apply different marketing strategies based on customer interactions.

How it works in OBM: How it works in RTM:

Customer Journeys feature is can be broken down to 5 areas; Journeys is the equivalent of this feature. Journey tiles can be broken down to 8
areas;
Target: Segment or Record updated
Target: Segment / Event Triggers
Content: Marketing communication via email only
Content: Marketing communication via email, text, push notification and custom
Actions: Run workflows, create leads or activities channel
Flow Control: Wait for / Wait Until – This tile can be used both as a wait timer and Actions: Run power automate by activating custom trigger
also a date timer
Flow Control: Wait for / Wait until: This tile can be used both as a wait timer and a
If/Else: Splits the journey into branches based on customer interaction. (Important to date timer
note that this feature is limited to insights data and cannot use advanced find
filtering) If/Else: Splits the journey into branches based on customer interaction.

Splitter: Can be used to branch out randomly. This is useful for A/B testing at the Branch: Splits the journey into multiple branches based on customer interactions,
journey level or to spare a control group. triggers, segments and attributes filtering.
A/B test: A/B tests allow you to measure which channel or content messaging
strategy leads to higher success.
Channel Optimization: Can be used to determine by AI which channel is most likely
to achieve the journey outcome branch out randomly. This is useful to personalize
the journey based on each customer's channel preference.

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Chapter 2: Explore Pre-planning

Journey Automation
Migration Path:
Preferred approach will be to let journeys complete in OBM and over time transition to RTM. If migration is needed, Journey Automation records need to be recreated manually.

1. Consider transition to trigger-based journeys

2. Create journeys with the same journey automation name
3. Build the journey while taking into account differences in functionality and design based on comparison slide
4. Check and fix all warnings that show up in this stage
5. Run a test on the newly created Customer Journey and make sure you test every branch of the journey
6. Go-live
Important: Be mindful that once the journey’s start date and time is reached, the journey will start running for every customer in the target audience.

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Chapter 2: Explore Pre-planning

Emails
Email is one of the most popular channels being used in today’s marketing communications. Marketing platforms provide marketers with tools to
design the email content. Typically, email designers will have one drag & drop type editor and also allow custom coding via HTML.
Email communications usually aim to start an interaction with the customer by either inviting the customer to visit a webpage or fill out a certain
form to register their interest. So, it’s a common practice to include links to other marketing components in a marketing email.
How it works in OBM: How it works in RTM:
In addition to the standard email editor features, the RTM email editor includes
The designer features a drag-and-drop interface for building and working unique personalization capabilities and AI-driven content idea and image
with the design, plus an optional HTML editor for working directly with code suggestions.
and a preview tool that can show how your design will look on various form
factors and orientations. Step by step on how to create emails in OBM. Please see here and here the powerful email personalization and content idea
In OOB to create or review emails go to OBM → Marketing Execution → generation available in RTM.
Marketing Emails → New Email.
In RTM to create or review emails go to RTM → Channels → Emails → New Email.
Personalization limited to use of entities one-hop away from contact
Can include personalization using entities several hops away from contact or lead.

Migration Path:
Emails created in Outbound Marketing can be imported easily to RTM using the Import Email feature available in RTM Email section.
1. Step by step instruction on how to transition OBM Emails and Templates.
Please Note: The import email feature will require user review of some dynamic content like:
• Code element content
• QR code
• Survey references
• Content settings
Currently there is no way of identifying which OBM Emails and Templets are imported into RTM. If you import OBM Emails and Templates again then Import Tool will create new Emails
and Templates records in RTM with same name.
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Chapter 2: Explore Pre-planning

Bypassing Email Deduplication

• Since OBM was designed for communications in bulk, the default behavior includes a deduplication of outgoing email messages to each unique email address. This
can be disabled as a part of the marketing settings (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/marketing/mkt-settings-default-marketing#the-bypass-email-
deduplication-tab)

• Real-Time Marketing allows reaching out to customers in the moments that matter rather than waiting for the customer to become part of a target group. This change
in thought process leads to a focus of the communications based on the triggering event and through multiple channels, therefore:
• Deduplication is no longer required and therefore has not been implemented
• It now supports scenarios that allow customers to go through the journey multiple times.

• In the planning stage of the transition to RTM handling of the above difference should be accounted for. You can consider using the frequency cap feature in this kind
of scenario, which will let you set a limit on the number of messages your customers receive in a given amount of time through a particular channel.

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Chapter 2: Explore Pre-planning

Content Blocks
Content blocks are premade pieces of content that you can insert into emails. They can contain text, images, links, buttons, and more – anything
that can be used as content in an email. They also can include formatting and layout. When inserted, all of the content (including the layout, if
present) contained within the content block becomes part of the email.

How it works in OBM: How it works in RTM:

In OBM we can have Element and Section content blocks. Element content blocks A more robust Personalization engine is available in RTM. Allows you to include
only contains elements and Section content blocks retain sections and its layout. Compliance and Preference Centre information in an easy way. Then you just drag
and drop content blocks into the email canvas area.
Content blocks can be created directly from the email designer (select the Content
block context menu item) or from the Content Block editor (Navigate to the Content In RTM to create or review content blocks go to OBM → Assets → Content blocks →
blocks menu item in the left navigation menu) New Block.

Here you can read more about this feature.

Migration Path:
Content block created in Outbound Marketing can now be imported easily to RTM using the Import content blocks feature available in RTM Content blocks section.
1. Step by step instruction on how to transition OBM Content blocks.
Please Note: The Import content blocks feature now is not importing some dynamics text like:
• Code element content
• QR code
• Survey references
• Content settings
Currently there is no way of identifying which OBM Content blocks are imported into RTM. If you import OBM content blocks again then Import Tool will create new Content blocks
Classified records in RTM
as Microsoft with same name.
Confidential
Chapter 2: Explore Pre-planning

Build Your Asset Library

Assets are an important part of most marketing-page and marketing-email designs. The asset you use must be available publicly on the internet
so your emails and pages can access and display them. Keeping images, videos, documents inside your marketing tool’s Asset library allows you
to host them publicly and provides the ability to use them within the designer canvas.

How it works in OBM: How it works in RTM:

RTM provides the same functionality by providing an asset library to keep images,
OBM include an image and videos library feature which can be accessed by
videos and documents. The assets can be uploaded by navigating to Marketing >
navigating to OBM → Marketing Content inside the D365 Marketing app.
RTM >Assets >Library inside the D365 Marketing app.
RTM uses the same unified asset library as OBM.

Migration Path:
1. As OBM and RTM use the same asset library, there isn’t anything you have to action for migration.

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Chapter 2: Explore Pre-planning

Text Messages
Text messages is one of the most popular channels to quickly communicate with mobile users. Marketing platforms provide marketers with tools
to design the text message content. Typically, text message designers will have editor which allows text, emoji and personalize the content. Text
message communications usually aim to send fast, transactional communications and marketing messages. Text message allow marketers to act
on when customer respond back to text message marketer have sent only for the predefined keywords.

How it works in OBM: How it works in RTM:

Outbound text messages is native channel in RTM. RTM natively supports Azure
OBM required custom channel to configured to send out text messages. You
Communication Services preview, Infobip, LINK Mobility, Twilio, or TeleSign SMS providers.
can find step by step instruction mentioned here to create custom channel in
RTM. Customer can setup custom channel to configure third party SMS provider or any type of
communication channel.
Implementation details will vary based on provider of custom tile SMS provider can be configured by navigating to Marketing →Settings →Customer
engagement →SMS providers inside the D365 Marketing app
Custom channel can be configured by navigating to Marketing →Settings →Customer
engagement →Custom channels inside the D365 Marketing app
Text messages can be configured by navigating to Marketing →RTM →Channels →Text
messages inside the D365 Marketing app.
Custom messages can be configured by navigating to Marketing →RTM →Channels →More
as

channels inside the D365 Marketing app.

Migration Path:
Text message records are not migrated and need to be recreated in the RTM.
1. Select the text message
2. Design your text message as per the original text content
3. Once ready to go live by clicking on “Ready to send” button on the top
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as Microsoft type of custom channel should be recreated in the RTM along with its message templates.
Chapter 2: Explore Pre-planning

Push Notifications
Push notification is to quickly convey offers, messages, or other information directly to users of your app. Marketing platforms provide marketers
with tools to design the push notification content. In the push notification message editor, you can enter a title, a subtitle, a message, and preview
how your message will appear in iOS and Android. Push notification communications usually aim to send fast, transactional communications and
marketing messages.

How it works in OBM: How it works in RTM:

N/A Push notification is a new channel in RTM to send notification messages to
customers who have installed your mobile app*.
Mobile app configuration for push notification can be configured by
navigating to Marketing →Settings →Customer engagement →Push
notifications inside the D365 Marketing app
Push notification can be configured by navigating to Marketing →RTM
→Channels →Push notifications inside the D365 Marketing app.

Migration Path:
N/A

* Push notification currently doesn’t support the sending of notifications to customer portals.

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Chapter 2: Explore Pre-planning

Marketing Forms
A marketing form is an inbound communication channel that allows your customers to register for newsletters, ask for quotations, etc.
Marketing forms aim to effortlessly create smart forms to place on your websites and capture your customers’ attention while allowing them to
input their details to easily generate leads or tern leads into valuable customers.

How it works in OBM: How it works in RTM:

Step by step instruction on how to create Marketing forms and template. In RTM Marketing form is currently used for landing page and preference center
forms.*
The main difference between real-time and outbound marketing forms is that real-
time marketing forms now combine marketing forms and marketing pages, making
the output available to publish as stand alone.
One consideration in the transition is that today, RTM forms can update only one
entity (typically a Lead or Contact). Refer this link for more comparison of RTM and
OBM form.
In RTM to create or review Marketing form go to RTM → Channels → Forms → New
Form. Step-by-step instruction on how to create RTM form

Migration Path:
Marketing forms created in outbound marketing need to be recreated in the real-time marketing form designer to be used in real-time marketing.
1. Identify existing Form Templates or Forms you wish to migrate from OBM to RTM
2. Go to RTM and redesign your Forms as per the original OBM Form Templates or Forms
3. Publish the form by clicking Publish button

* Please refer this page to look for further form type support in RTM Forms.
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Chapter 2: Explore Pre-planning

Subscription and Consent Lists

Subscription list lets you create groups of contacts based on their preference what type of bulk email they wanted to receive. Each subscription list
exists as a static marketing list in Dynamics 365, while do not bulk email is an explicit attribute of the contact entity. That means that do not bulk
email overrules subscription list memberships, but it also means that list memberships will be reactivated if a contact later clears do not bulk
email.
How it works in OBM: How it works in RTM:
RTM consent profile allows you to manage subscription list at different profile level. You can
Step by step instruction on how to create subscription list and maintain consent for bulk
add multiple topics under each compliance profile. Step by step instruction on how to setup
email in OBM.
topics in RTM.
RTM consent center allows you to manage consent given by your customers for email and
text messages. Step by step instruction and blog on how to setup consent center in RTM.

Migration Path:
1. If you wish to run a real-time customer journey for contacts for which you have already gathered consent data in outbound marketing, you don't need to take any
actions in the consent center (you are not required to select the Load consent button or create new consent records) under one condition. Consent for sending
commercial emails should be stored in the Allow Bulk Email field of a contact record. Consent for sending transactional email should be stored in Allow Email field of
the contact record. Even with the consent center empty, the app will check the Allow Bulk Email and Allow Email fields of each contact record and send a commercial
or transactional email based on this data. If you are capturing the consent in custom fields, then you have to manually migrate to consent point contact records.
Please Note: RTM Preference center doesn’t update Allow Bulk Email or Allow Email fields. It only update consent point record.
2. In RTM if your sending commercial text messages then it requires that a mobile number opted in before it can receive a message. Follow this link on how to setup
text message consent.
3. Migrate Content Settings to Brand Profiles for Address and social media links.
4. If emailing a subscription list, migrate Subscription list to relevant Compliance Profile’s Topic AND Subscription List Members to Consent Point Contacts. Refer this
blog to move OBM Subscription list to RTM Topics.
5. RTM today doesn’t allow you to create segments for Topics and Purposes. If you required to create segment, then please continue using OBM subscription list.
6. RTM today doesn’t include a double opt-in process, if you are using today in OBM then continue using OBM consent. Blog post for you to refer Double Opt-In in
* Real-Time Marketing - Microsoft Dynamics Blog
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Chapter 2: Explore Pre-planning

Event Management
Event management features allows marketers to execute marketing events, connecting event planning with landing page and registration forms
for invitees. Attendance tracking and webinar provider integration is also available. Details can be found in the documentation.
Communication engines can be used to communicate to an event’s target and registered audience. Event Management was built with OBM but
can still use RTM features to engage with audience and new features in the roadmap will extend it using RTM Forms in Event Planner and Power
Pages to improve the registration management.
How it works in OBM: How it works today:
Event data (date, speakers, agenda, etc.) are defined and the event goes live. If using the Now you can create Event in RTM. Overall process is the same as in OBM, with event data
Event Portal, this makes registration open. and RTM event registration from setup first, then an email communication plan setup in
Event organizers will create an email to send to the target audience. Email content will customer journeys. Step by Step guide.
include links to the registration page With RTM, the registration process would be based on the OOB triggers provided which
Customer Journey is created using Email Tile, ensuring to set the Event details as Email allow branching within the journey.
Element to track registration. Additionally, with RTM, it is easier to split out the post-registration journeys and use the
Journey continues based on communication plan for the event OOB trigger. This allows to bring in the context of the event into the journey, allowing
communications to be timed around event dates, a much-requested feature of OBM.
New Features included in the Roadmap:
- Power Pages with design studio (instead of Portals website, customizable with angular
development)

Migration Path:
1. Real-time marketing contains a subset of outbound event management features plus several improvements. Until we have full feature parity, please refer this page
to know when to use OBM Vs RTM Event.
2. Identify existing/new Event Template and Event you wish to migrate from OBM to RTM
3. Recreate existing OBM Event, Event Template, Event registration form, Email content and customer journeys in RTM
4. Recommendation is to not transition any in-flight events but any new events should leverage RTM and the real-time triggered communications around registration
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 Chapter 3: Transition

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Chapter 3: Transition Where do I start?

Let’s begin!
• Determine the right transition approach for your organization
• Deployments of different sizes and complexity may take different approaches to transitioning their journeys.
• THINK REAL TIME – Transition does not imply doing things the same way. Keep in mind what can be improved
in the processes when targeting moments that matter over batch communications.
• Our recommendation to go with Incremental Transition without interrupting existing outbound marketing
journeys.
Incremental Transition – Targeted OBM Journeys Full Transition – Recreate all OBM Journeys
Benefits Benefits
• Easier to get started • Single Marketing application to support and maintain
• End-user impact is minimized as transition is done in waves • All users get new features and capabilities provided
• Areas impacted by issues or gaps can be avoided by the latest application.
• Team learns from experience Drawbacks
• Existing journeys can run undisturbed by the transition • “Big bang” approach is riskier, all issues and gaps
need to be considered
Drawbacks
• All end users are impacted (training, change
• Two marketing features to support and maintain management)
• New journeys need the extra decision of which module to • Some existing assets (journeys, forms, etc.) need to be
use rebuilt while others require import and verification, all
within single milestone
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Chapter 3: Transition Overview of Migration flow
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 7
Define Configure Migrate Migrate Create Custom
Transition Settings Marketing Segmentation Triggers and Report
Scope Artifacts Journey Analytics
What journeys are Setup Real-time Migrate visual elements Build your Build your custom Setup and build
needed? Marketing • Emails and Templates segmentation logic triggers • Identify existing
• Identify new or existing Configurations • Content Blocks • Identify OBM Segment • Identify scenario where custom report require re-
journey that would add • Feature Switch to move it to RTM you can create your own build
• Text messages
value to be implemented • SMS provider Segments for enhance custom trigger or use
• Forms • Follow this link to
in RTM capability to create OOTB trigger to create
• SMS Keywords setup RTM custom
• Try to avoid having a complex segments trigger-based journey
• Push notification reporting infrastructure
lift & shift approach Build your journey • Rebuild and enhance
• Other Communication • Build the RTM journeys
• Use this as an the custom report with
channels which you have identified
opportunity to enhance more detailed insights
journeys • Brand Profiles to move it from OBM
• Identify what channels • Compliance • Build new journeys if
are needed any
• Identify the journeys
which can’t be move to
RTM due to feature parity
and discuss with the
business to strategize
running the journey new
way

Business Decision Manual Tool/Manual* Manual Manual Manual

50
Classified as Microsoft Confidential * Emails, Templates and Content block can be migrated using OOTB tool, where Text messages and Forms require to re-build manually.
Chapter 3: Transition Transition Plan
Start by testing the transition process and new user interface in a Sandbox Environment
• Configure RTM specific settings
• Re-build the existing OBM journey to RTM • Identify OBM journeys to move to RTM
journey
Step #1: Install
• Identify journey enhancements that you
• Run the Journey RTM to existing can implement by leveraging RTM
• Review and Follow Up Dev environment* features
• Collect feedback • Quick check & identify gaps
• Improve & expand • Build a list of process changes or training
required

Step #4: Run the Step #2: Create a

journey in PROD journey in RTM

• Implement necessary changes identified in

• Deploy configurations and customizations Step #1
by following your ALM process • Include new features which you have
• Create new components Step #3: Install identified in Step#1 to enhance your
• Create new Journey RTM to Prod journey
• Run the Journey • Run through Test Cases
• Quick check & identify gaps
environment*
• Collect feedback & make it better
• Gather some initial experiences • Conduct the training for list you have built
in step #1
Classified as Microsoft Confidential * Installing RTM to your existing environment may not required if it is already enabled.
Chapter 3: Transition Configure
Configurations Required Before You Start
•The feature switches allows you to enable latest RTM features like CJO designer, new content block designer, etc.
•Refer to Feature Switches settings
Feature Switches

•Define your audience data source. RTM allows you to market to Contact, Lead and Customer Profile entities.
Audience •Refer to Audience configuration setting for more information
configuration

•We recommend that you configure compliance settings to ensuring your business processes conform with privacy laws such as the GDPR. . This will let your customers know
that you take their privacy seriously, and it might also be required in some jurisdictions. Navigate to RTM → Audience → Consent Center (Under Marketing Settings area)
Compliance •Refer to Compliance setting page for more information

•Outbound text messages required to setup phone number generated by either in Azure communication service(US only), Twilio or TeleSign.
•Refer to Outbound text messages for more information
Text message
setup
•You can follow the steps mentioned here to configure SMS Keywords to track the customer’s response to your text messages.

•Push notification configuration requires to configure mapping from D365 Marketing customers to mobile application users. This ensures that the correct person receives the
expected mobile push notification.
Push notification •Refer to Push notification setup for more information how to setup.
setup

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Chapter 3: Transition Support

Raising and tracking issues in production

When it's time to find answers to your Microsoft Dynamics 365 questions, there are
a variety of self-support and assisted support options to provide the help you
need.

The Troubleshooting Guide helps you locate the most relevant information for the
problems you’re trying to solve. TSG

Can't find a solution yourself? Send a question to the Community and receive
answers from other customers, partners, MVP's, and Microsoft employees.
https://community.dynamics.com/

Raise support requests for expedited live site support. Your support ticket will be
appropriate tracked and routed to a team of experts that will help you resolve your
problems. CRM Support
53
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 This playbook is provided “as-is.” Information and views expressed in this playbook, including URL and other Internet Web
site references, may change without notice. You bear the risk of using it.

Some examples are for illustration only and are fictitious. No real association is intended or inferred.

This playbook does not provide you with any legal rights to any intellectual property in any Microsoft product. You may copy
and use this playbook for your internal, reference purposes.

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