In my journey through Salesforce, I had picked a few things on SalesForce marketing Cloud which though simple were not apparent, and may help others better understand the platform. Please feel free to add to this list or share your experience.

10.ExactTarget is Marketing Cloud

ExactTarget was acquired by SalesForce in 2013 and the integrated marketing automation platform became SalesForce Marketing Cloud, That’s why a lot of the URL’s and API’s still referenced exact target in marketing cloud.

9.Not Org – enter BU

SalesForce Marketing cloud doesn’t have sandbox and production org based environment model as a service cloud and sales cloud do. Every instance behaves like a full-featured production instance, Key take away – Not an apple to apple mapping with SalesForce sales or service cloud-No change set based deployment. If testing in a separate environment is the must -multi BU enabled Enterprise 2.0 instance can be a solution.

8. I can’t find a single Object

In Marketing Cloud data is stored in Data Extension and Lists, Thumbrule more data, complex structure -use data extension-otherwise use list. Consider them as tables with data attributes, where you store records as rows.

7.Marketing Cloud Connect

Marketing Cloud can connect with sales cloud or service cloud and no coding necessary for that, Just need to install the marketing cloud connect package and some admin magic. Your email sends are now in sales or service cloud and you can send campaign emails from sales console.

6.IP needs to be warmed up

I have my marketing cloud and have the list of 30,000 users, let’s send that campaign promotion email. Surprise! You need to slowly warm up the IP meaning – ramping up email sends over a month or so-otherwise they will go to a place where no marketers want there email to go to -Junk.

5. Send SMS-But to hold on!

Sending SMS is fun and easy, but is your shortcode and long code set up, They may take some time to set up. Also, SMS sends are dependant on the aggregators which in turn talk with the telephone service providers, so be careful if you are expecting a specific SLA when you are sending out SMS.

4.Enhanced FTP

With Marketing cloud we can set up a set of import and export folders and can use them for inbound files and exports, really handy for bulk loads or quick data population.

3. It’s not  JavaScript-enter AmpScript

<% %> Marketing Cloud uses a scripting language very similar to JavaScript known as Ampscript, If you want to use email personalization, SMS manipulation, that’s the way to go.

2. Write SQL

I have my data in multiple data extension -or need to do a complex filter-All standard SQL will work with a bit of syntax check.

1.Beautiful API

Create a Journey-populate a data extension-update a Journey – pretty much all activities are supported through REST and SOAP. Not everyone needs to login to Marketing Cloud and go through the browser, You can have a light client and accomplish a lot.