Recipient targeting

Recipient targeting is where you define who receives your mailing. Aeromail provides several methods for building your audience, from broad group selection to individual picks. Getting the audience right is just as important as getting the content right -- a well-written message sent to the wrong group wastes time and erodes trust in your communications.

Targeting methods

Aeromail supports four ways to build your recipient list. You can use them individually or combine them.

Combining targeting methods

For example:

• If you select subscription type "Active Pilot" and label "Fleet A," only active pilots who also have the Fleet A label will receive the mailing.
• If you select role "Instructor" and label "Base London," only flight instructors based in London will be included.

This combination logic is powerful for precise targeting. It lets you narrow your audience step by step rather than sending to a broad group and hoping the message is relevant to everyone.

Reviewing the recipient count

Before sending, always check the recipient count. This number tells you how many relations match your targeting criteria. It is displayed in the targeting area so you can verify the audience size before proceeding.

If the count is higher or lower than you expect:

• Higher than expected -- review your targeting criteria. You may have selected a broader subscription type or label than intended. Consider adding an additional filter to narrow the audience.
• Lower than expected -- check whether the relations you want to reach actually have the subscription, label, or role you selected. They may need to be updated in the Relations module first.
• Zero -- no relations match your criteria. Verify that your targeting filters are correct and that the relevant relations exist in the system with the appropriate attributes.

Step-by-step targeting

1. Open your mailing and navigate to the targeting area.
2. Choose your first targeting method: subscription type, label, role, or individual relation.
3. Make your selection. The recipient count updates to reflect your choice.
4. If needed, add additional targeting criteria to narrow the audience further.
5. Review the final recipient count to confirm it matches your expectations.
6. Proceed to preview and delivery when you are satisfied with the audience.

Common tasks

• Send to all active pilots -- select the "Active Pilot" subscription type (or your equivalent). Check the recipient count to verify it includes everyone you expect.
• Send to flight instructors at a specific base -- select role "Instructor" and add the appropriate base label. The AND logic ensures only flight instructors at that base are included.
• Send to a small group of specific people -- use individual relation selection to add each person by name. This is the most precise method and works well for small, targeted communications.
• Notify a specific training cohort -- select the label that identifies the cohort. If the cohort does not have a label yet, consider creating one in Relations first to make future targeting easier.

Good practice

• Prefer precise targeting over broad mailings. Sending relevant messages to the right people is more effective than sending everything to everyone.
• Always review the recipient count before sending. An unexpected number is a signal that something in your targeting criteria may be wrong.
• Use combination targeting (AND logic) to your advantage when you need to reach a specific intersection of groups.
• If you frequently target the same group, consider whether a dedicated label would make future targeting faster and more reliable.
• Before sending an important mailing, take a moment to think about whether anyone is missing from the audience or whether anyone is included who should not be. Adjust your criteria accordingly.
• Keep your relation data up to date in the Relations module. Targeting is only as accurate as the subscriptions, labels, and roles assigned to your relations.