Mail Merge: How to use with Google Sheets

How to Send a Mail Merge Using Mailsuite’s Campaigns

Mailsuite Campaigns allow you to personalize bulk emails, making each recipient feel like the message was crafted specifically for them. This is particularly useful for newsletters, marketing campaigns, or any scenario where you need to communicate with multiple people at once but still want a personal touch. And the best part? You can manage this personalization directly through Google Sheets.

Here’s how:

1) Begin by composing a new message in Gmail. Once your message window is open, click on the Campaign option to start setting up your mail merge.

2) Click on Import recipients.

 

 

3) A pop-up window will appear, prompting you to select the tab labeled "From Google Sheets." Here, you can choose the Google Sheet that contains your contact data. If you don’t have one ready, Mailsuite will guide you in creating a new sheet.

4) In the pop-up that appears, select the tab From Google Sheets. Then choose the Google Sheet from which you want to import data. If you don't have any Google Sheets to import, you need to create one with your contact data before continuing to the following steps.

Make sure your Google Sheet has: 

• Column Headers: Make sure your Google Sheet has column headers. One of the headers must be labeled "Email."
• No Blank Cells: Ensure there are no blank rows or columns between your data.
• Complete Email Addresses: Every cell in the Email column should contain a correctly formatted email address (e.g., john@example.com). Mailsuite will alert you if any addresses are invalid.
• Add a "Name" column to help identify the recipients: If you don't include a "Name" column, only the email address will be used. FYI, the recipient will also see the name you give them in the "Name" column.
• All Data on the First Tab Only: If your sheet has multiple tabs, Mailsuite will only import data from the first tab.

Good and Bad Examples of Google Sheets to Import 

Here are examples of a good and bad Google spreadsheet for importing contacts to your campaign.

<👍Good example>

<👎Bad example>

Screenshot

If there are any issues with the email addresses, Mailsuite will notify you of the specific cells that need correction before you can proceed.

5) Once your Google Sheet is ready, click Import data to add the contacts to your campaign as recipients.

 Keep in mind that:

• You cannot manually add or delete recipients after importing.
• Any extra rows you add to the Google sheet after you import it into Gmail won't be included in the current campaign.
• Only the data in the first 26 columns of the sheet will be imported.
• Any new variables that weren't there when you imported your Google Sheet won't be included in the current campaign.
• Any changes to the email addresses in the sheet won’t be reflected unless you redo the import.

In the Recipients field, Mailsuite will show a summary like "X recipients (from Spreadsheet/List)." You can click on this summary to view the specific spreadsheet or list being used.

 

6) Click Add field and select the appropriate column from your Google Sheet to personalize your email. This will insert a tag where the personalized content will appear. You can adjust the placement of this tag within your email, including adding it to the subject line.

If there's no data in the Google Sheet for a particular field, Mailsuite will either leave a blank space or insert fallback text.

You can also use links as values, allowing for personalized tracked links within your emails.

7) Once your email is prepared, click Continue to proceed to the next step. If any data is missing for certain contacts, Mailsuite will notify you so you can make adjustments. In addition, you have the option to include an unsubscribe link in your emails and configure the campaign’s notification settings. Before sending the campaign, you can send a preview email to yourself, schedule when you would like the campaign to send, or send it now.

 

Important Notes

• Enabling Mail Merge: If this is your first time using mail merge with Google Sheets, Mailsuite may prompt you to enable the feature and request additional permissions.
   
• Changing Data on Your Google Sheet: Any changes to the email addresses or other data of the Google Sheet requires you to start from the beginning and re-import the Google Sheet into your Mailsuite Campaign in Gmail.
   
• List Access: When you check the 'Include shared documents' option on the importing contacts screen, you can access lists shared by others in your Google Drive.

• You also have the option to import contacts from Mailsuite's contact lists by selecting 'From Lists” on the importing contacts screen.
   

Related reads: Learn more about Mailsuite’s Mail Merge

1. [ADVANCED] Mail Merge: How to use with Mailtrack Lists
   Learn how to use Mailtrack Lists to send personalized email campaigns.
2. Mail merge errors and solutions
   Learn about common mail merge errors and how to troubleshoot them for a smooth emailing experience.
3. [ADVANCED] Mail merge fallback text
   Understand how to set up fallback text for mail merges. This text is automatically added to your email when a value is missing for a recipient in the Google Sheet.