Peptalkr automatically creates two separate databases for you:
Your entire Cliniko database (absolutely everyone in Cliniko) - when you need to send important non-marketing email (👀 see: Transactional email)
Your Cliniko email marketing list - a list of people from your Cliniko database that can be opted out of - used for Campaigns and other Marketing emails.
In this article we are talking about your entire Cliniko database - this is the database we use when you send Transactional (smart) email for non-marketing purposes.
Both of the above databases above are kept up to date in 5 minute intervals. So if something changes in Cliniko - it will be reflected in both your marketing list, and your entire patient database within 5 minutes.
The number of patients/clients in your list
Your entire Cliniko database is exactly that - your entire database. Every single person in Cliniko, is in your entire database with Peptalkr.
This database is what powers the Transactional emails and trigger builder. It's how you can schedule highly-targeted non-marketing email with a great deal of specificity - because we use the data from your entire Cliniko database to identify the correct recipients at the exact moments they need to be contacted.
Unlike the email marketing list, you can't 'see' your entire Cliniko database in Peptalkr. There's no need - you can simply view Cliniko for this.
Instead, your database is only accessed by Peptalkr's automation system invisibly when a trigger you create needs to send something.
For example - if you create a new patient welcome email using the transactional builder, we'll identify new patients by looking at your entire Cliniko database and locating those attending their first appointment to send them an email. It's highly accurate. Though keep in mind we sync with Cliniko every 5 minutes - so there can be a delay of 5-10 minutes when an email has been scheduled to send as we must first wait for our syncing system to run before we send the email.
How the database affects pricing
It doesn't 🙃
You are only billed in relation to list size when it comes to the size of marketing list (which you can control), not your entire database.
However, the total volume of email you send each month can impact your plan cost. These limits are very generous. Refer to our pricing page for more info.
Does my entire Cliniko database impact my marketing list?
Yes. Your entire Cliniko database feeds the marketing list with new patients. This chart might help you better visualise how it all works:
Basically we:
Sync your Cliniko database into Peptalkr. This is essential, because this is what powers all of Peptalkr! We run some magic processes to enable you to target the right clients at the right moments.
Sync *some* of that database into your marketing list. This too, is essential. Marketing emails require a way for your recipients to 'opt out'. All of that happens here. Plus, you can actually control who gets added to the marketing list - this means you easily control your costs, and who you contact for marketing purposes.
How do I contact my database for non-marketing emails?
Simple - check out our next recommended reading - Transactional emails! These are the most powerful part of Peptalkr. If you can imagine it, you can *probably* do it.
How do I segment my database list into groups?
Every time you create a trigger you are choosing exactly who receives the email by using a combination of:
Triggering events (appointment booked, appointment cancelled, appointment attended... etc.)
Timing (1 hour after, 24 hours before, 30 days after... etc.)
Filters (appointment type, appointment category, appointment count, practitioner seen... etc)
So you actually are creating a segment every time you create a trigger.
Unlike the marketing list, your 'segments' are not reusable/stored lists you can actually see. Instead, they are inextricably linked to the trigger. This ensures that every time you create a trigger, you are specifying exactly who should receive it. This reduces the margin for accidental errors in who you target significantly.
To target the same group of people - just create another trigger with the same targeting settings. But it's well and truly worth creating a new trigger each time - our users almost never make mistakes and it only takes 60 seconds to create a trigger (really).
You can create segments which are saved/reusable for your marketing list. But check out the article about our marketing lists for more info on that 😊
⭐️ Peptalkr's entire goal is to make things as easy as can. While we understand some of this may seem confusing, there is logic behind every thing we do. It's all about keeping your database safe from accidents and exposure, while enabling you to create truly amazing automations. Automation is complicated! We make it 99% easier 😉