How do I set a default value for a demographic field?

When using merges in campaigns, it is important to consider the possibility that not all recipients may have a value stored in the field being merged.  You can set default values for fields to account for the lack of data when using merges.  This can be accomplished in a couple of ways, outlined below.

HOW-TO

Add data to contact records to support a merge

Export your contact list and identify contact records that have no values for a specific demographic field. Update the CSV to include generic values for those contacts and re-import the file to update the database.  

Set a default value for the demographic field in your Contacts dashboard

1. Go to Contacts
2. Click "Configuration" from left menu
3. Click "Configure Fields" to access all demographic fields
4. Locate (or search) for field name. Hover over listed field name and click "Edit" (right side of page)
5. In the Edit Field page, enter the default value in "Merge Options" and then click "Save"
   

Note

Be sure to go back to your campaign (or template) to insert the merge tag for the demographic field.  Setting a default is only one step in the process of utilizing merge tags to personalize your campaigns.

Resources

See this article for a list of common merges used.