If you want to use SugarCRM’s email marketing features, the first step is to create Target Lists containing all of the people you would like to receive your email. You can use the built-in querying tools of SugarCRM – search and reports – to identify your recipients by any characteristics stored in your database.

First, take a few moments to decide who you would like to target with your next email message(s). Then, think about how you could identify these targets using characteristics stored in your database. For example, we recently invited all of our SugarCRM customers to attend a webinar about the release of SugarCRM version 7.0. We identified these recipients because they are attached to Account records classified with a type of customer and a sub-type of SugarCRM. As you think about identifying your targets, feel free to consider standard and custom fields, as well as fields stored in related modules.

Once you have identified the characteristics of your targets, determine whether you should use search or reports to make your list. Are all of the characteristics available on a single advanced search screen? Great, use search! Otherwise, use report filters to search by any field in your database.

If you are using search, select your desired characteristics and click Search. Then, use the checkbox tool to select all of the results. (Be careful to select all, and not just the first page.) Then, use the action button to add the selected records to a Target List. In the pop-up window, create a new target list and then select your new list.

If you need more advanced searching capabilities, create a Rows and Columns report instead. Use the filtering capabilities to search by any criteria needed, including fields in related modules, custom fields, and combinations of and/or logic. Once your report is ready, go to the Target Lists module and create a new Target List. On the appropriate subpanel, i.e. Contacts or Leads, select the option to “Select from Reports”. Choose your report, and everyone listed in the report will be added to your Target List.

SugarCRM makes it easy to create target lists and target segments of your database using the available querying tools that you already use throughout the system. One caveat: target lists in SugarCRM are not dynamic. That “SugarCRM Customers” target list you made 2 months ago is not going to include any of your new customers. You’ll have to manually update your list using search or reports, or create a new list, when you want to use it again.