Groups vs Preferences

In e-shot there is two ways to organise contacts in your account. Them being Groups and Preferences. While both function as mailing lists, they differ in the way they should be used and how contacts are managed. 

Groups 

Definition: 

A Group is a mailing list that is fully controlled by e-shot users and contacts cannot opt in out of. They can only unsubscribe from the whole account. 

Key points: 

• You (e-shot user) add or remove contacts manually 

• Contacts cannot manage their own memberships 

• Typically used for internal comms or one-off communications 

When to use: 

• Internal staff lists 

• Event follow-ups 

• Imported contact lists 

• Campaign-specific segments 

Example: 

Sending a one-time update to a list of event attendees who have not opted into ongoing communications. 

Preferences 

Definition: 

A Preference is a mailing list that contacts control themselves by opting in or out based on their interests. 

Key points: 

• Contacts choose what they want to receive 

• Managed via the e-shot Preference Centre 

• Linked in the footer of all e-shot emails 

When to use: 

• Re-occurring newsletters e.g. A monthly council newsletter updates or a Libraries newsletter. 

• Topic-based updates 

• Ongoing external communications 

Example: 

A contact subscribes to a monthly newsletter but opts out of promotional emails. 

Key Difference 

• Groups: Controlled by you and managed by you the e-shot user. 

• Preferences: Managed by the contact themselves through sign-up forms and the preference centre. 

Benefits of Using Preferences 

Using Preferences for external communications provides: 

• More targeted messaging 

• Improved engagement and deliverability 

• Fewer full unsubscribes (contacts can opt out of specific topics only) 

• Greater transparency and user control 

Preference Centre 

The Preference Centre allows contacts to manage their subscriptions. 

• Accessible via the footer of all emails 

• Enables opt-in and opt-out of specific topics 

• Helps maintain accurate and compliant contact data 

For setup guidance, see the Preference Centre Help Guide.  

Further Support 

To learn more about using Groups and Preferences effectively: 

• CRM Training: Focuses on contact management, segmentation, and best practices  

• Our upcoming training: e-shot™ | Customer Training