> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Create a campaign
> Start a planned email, text, push, or social message so your team can reach the right customers on the Marketing & Events calendar.
Use this guide when your facility needs to send the **same message to a group of customers**—not a one-off reply in [Inbox](/docs/inbox/overview).
You will choose how customers receive the message (email, text, push, or social), create a campaign record your team can recognize later, and land on the campaign page where you finish the message and audience.
**Campaigns are planned messages**
A campaign is one scheduled outreach. Use [Inbox](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/inbox) when you are talking with one customer back and forth. Use a campaign when many customers should get the same clear update.
## What you will accomplish
* Pick the right message type (email, text, push, or social).
* Create a campaign with a name your team understands.
* Optionally set a send date and time on the calendar.
* Land on the campaign page ready to write the customer-facing message and choose who receives it.
**Expected result:** The campaign appears on the [Marketing & Events calendar](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/marketing), usually with a **draft** status until you finish the next steps.
## When to use a campaign
* Many customers need the same update (open house invite, storage reminder, holiday hours).
* You are promoting a service, product, or facility news to a group.
* You want the send date visible on the team calendar so two big messages do not land on the same day.
| If you need… | Use this guide | Use something else |
| - | - | - |
| One customer texting back and forth | — | [Inbox](/docs/inbox/overview) |
| Customers RSVP to a social event | — | [Create a social event](/docs/marketing-events/create-a-social-event) (pick **Social Event** from **Create New**) |
| Ongoing posts inside the customer portal | — | [Manage community channels](/docs/marketing-events/manage-community-channels) |
| Send the message after the campaign exists | [Add campaign message, audience, and publish](/docs/marketing-events/add-campaign-message-audience-and-publish) | — |
## Before you start
* Know the goal in plain language (example: "Invite storage customers to our June open house").
* Decide who should receive the message. Review tags or customer types in [Contacts](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/contacts) if you are unsure.
* Have a rough idea of the words customers will see. Short and friendly works best.
* For **SMS Message**, confirm texting is set up in [Settings > Communications](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/communications).
* For **Social Media Post**, confirm your social connection is ready in [Settings > Communications](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/communications).
## Step 1: Open Marketing & Events
From the dashboard sidebar, click **Marketing & Events**. You can also open [Marketing & Events](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/marketing) directly.
**Why this matters:** All planned emails, texts, pushes, social posts, and linked events show on one calendar so your team can see what is already scheduled.
Make sure **Calendar** is selected at the top of the page.
**Expected result:** You see the month view and an **Upcoming schedule** list. Use this view to avoid stacking two large sends on the same day.
*The Calendar tab shows planned campaigns and events together. Check what is already scheduled before you add a new campaign.*
**Check filters before you schedule**
Use the **Email**, **Text**, **Social**, or **Events** pills above **Upcoming schedule** to see only that type. This helps you avoid stacking two emails on the same day.
**Push notifications vs email**
**Push** reaches customers who installed your facility app and allowed alerts. **Email** reaches everyone with an address on file. Many facilities send email first, then a short push reminder the day before an event.
## Step 2: Choose the message type
Click **Create New** in the top-right corner of the page. A menu opens with message types.
Choose the option that matches your goal:
* **Email Campaign** — send an email to a group of customers. Best for invitations with photos, links, and longer details.
* **SMS Message** — send a text (only when texting is enabled for your facility). Best for short reminders and same-day updates. Keep the message brief.
* **Push Notification** — send a notice to customers who use your facility's mobile app (only when push notifications are enabled and customers have allowed alerts on their phones). Best for quick alerts inside the app.
* **Social Media Post** — publish to a connected social account (finish social setup in [Settings > Communications](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/communications) first).
* **Social Event** — create an event with RSVP and check-in (not a simple email blast).
**Why this matters:** The channel controls what you write next (subject line and body for email, short text for SMS, and so on).
*Choose the message type before you name the campaign. Pick Social Event only when customers need an RSVP page.*
**Expected result:** A window titled **Create New Campaign** opens (unless you chose **Social Event**, which starts the event wizard instead).
**SMS looks grayed out or shows Setup Required?**
Your facility may still need a texting phone number. Open [Settings > Communications](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/communications) to finish setup, then return to **Create New**. The **SMS Message** option may show a **Setup Required** badge until texting is ready.
## If you chose SMS or Push instead of email
The steps above use **Email Campaign** as the example. If you picked **SMS Message** or **Push Notification**, the **Create New Campaign** window works the same way—but what you write on the next page is shorter.
After you click **Create Campaign**, open **Edit SMS** on the campaign page. Type a short message (usually under 160 characters works best). Customers see this text on their phone—not a subject line.
**Example:** "Mega Speed Storage open house July 15, 10 AM–2 PM. Tour our showroom and meet the team. Reply if you have questions."
**Expected result:** The preview shows your text exactly as it will appear on a phone screen.
After you click **Create Campaign**, open **Edit Push**. Add a short title and message. Only customers who installed your facility's mobile app and allowed notifications will receive it.
**Why this matters:** Push is great for quick reminders, but not every customer has the app—email or text may reach more people.
Whether you chose email, SMS, or push, the setup wizard steps are the same: **Design**, **Audience**, **Schedule**, and **Review**. Continue with [Add campaign message, audience, and publish](/docs/marketing-events/add-campaign-message-audience-and-publish).
## Step 3: Name the campaign and set an optional send time
Near the top of the window, **Channel** shows the type you picked (for example **Email**). If it is wrong, close the window and choose again from **Create New**.
In **Name**, type a label **your team** will recognize later. Customers usually do not see this exact name.
Good examples:
* **June Open House Invitation**
* **Winter Storage Reminder**
* **Cars and Coffee Instagram Post**
Avoid vague names like **Email 1** or **Blast**—they are hard to find on the calendar later.
Click **Select date/time** if you already know when the message should go out. You can leave this blank and set the time on the campaign page later.
**Why this matters:** A send time helps your team plan around other messages and gives the calendar a clear date to display.
Click **Create Campaign** at the bottom of the window.
**Expected result:** The window closes and you land on the campaign detail page for the record you just created.
*Use a clear internal name. You will write what customers actually read on the next page.*
## Step 4: Confirm the setup wizard opens
After **Create Campaign**, the app opens the **setup wizard**—not the old single-page layout with separate **Publish Campaign** buttons.
*A new campaign opens the setup wizard on **Design**. Finish **Design**, **Audience**, **Schedule**, and **Review** before customers receive anything.*
You should see:
* Step pills across the top: **Design**, **Audience**, **Schedule**, **Review**
* A **draft** status on the calendar until you click **Start campaign** on the Review step
* A large **Design Email** (or **Design SMS** / **Design Push**) button on the first step
**Creating the record is not the same as sending**
Customers do not receive anything until you finish all four wizard steps and click **Start campaign** on **Review**. That work is covered in [Add campaign message, audience, and publish](/docs/marketing-events/add-campaign-message-audience-and-publish).
## What happens next in the setup wizard
You will complete four steps before anyone receives the message. This guide stops after the campaign record exists; use the follow-up guide for each step.
On the **Design** step, click **Design Email** (or **Design SMS** / **Design Push**). Add a subject line and body for email, or the short text for SMS or push.
*The internal campaign name is for staff. The subject and body are what customers see in their inbox.*
**Expected result:** The **Design** step preview shows your subject and message with a green checkmark on the step pill.
On the **Audience** step, check the customers who should receive the campaign. Read the **selected of** counter before you click **Continue**.
*Check only the customers who should receive this message. You can adjust the list before you start the campaign.*
**Expected result:** The counter matches the group you intend to reach.
On **Schedule**, pick the send date and time. On **Review**, read the summary and click **Start campaign**.
**Expected result:** The campaign moves from **draft** to scheduled or active, and it appears on the [Marketing & Events calendar](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/marketing) on the send date.
For field-by-field help on message, audience, and publish, continue with [Add campaign message, audience, and publish](/docs/marketing-events/add-campaign-message-audience-and-publish).
**SMS or push not in the menu?**
**SMS** appears only after your facility has a texting number in [Settings > Communications](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/communications). **Push** appears when your customer mobile app and push notifications are enabled. If you do not see either option, finish setup there first—or use **Email Campaign** instead.
## Common mistakes to avoid
* Do not pick **Social Event** when you only need a simple email—use **Email Campaign** instead.
* Do not use a vague campaign name your team cannot search for later.
* Do not assume **Create Campaign** sent anything—always finish message, audience, and publish.
* Do not send storage news to your entire contact list if only storage customers need it.
## Troubleshooting
**I do not see Marketing & Events in the sidebar**
Your account may not have permission for marketing. Ask a facility owner or manager to review your role in [Settings > Team](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/team).
**I clicked Create Campaign but nothing changed**
Check that **Name** is filled in. Required fields must be complete before the campaign can be created. If the page still looks blank, refresh the browser and open [Marketing & Events](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/marketing) again.
**I chose the wrong message type**
Open the campaign only if it is still a **draft** and your team allows edits. Otherwise create a new campaign with the correct type from **Create New** and archive or ignore the mistaken record.
**I am not sure who should receive the campaign**
Open [Contacts](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/contacts), filter by tag or customer type, and write down who fits. Then add those customers in **Manage Audience**—or follow [Manage contact tags](/docs/contacts/manage-contact-tags) if your team needs better labels first.
## What to do next
1. [Add campaign message, audience, and publish](/docs/marketing-events/add-campaign-message-audience-and-publish) — finish and send the campaign.
2. [Create a text, push, or social campaign](/docs/marketing-events/create-a-text-push-or-social-campaign) — extra tips when you did **not** choose email.
3. [Organize your marketing photos and files](/docs/marketing-events/organize-your-marketing-assets) — add a logo and facility photos before you design the email.
4. [Marketing & Events overview](/docs/marketing-events/overview) — see how campaigns fit with community, reviews, and website traffic.
5. If the message promotes an event with RSVP, read [Create a social event](/docs/marketing-events/create-a-social-event) and [Review social event RSVPs and attendees](/docs/marketing-events/review-social-event-rsvps-and-attendees).
## Related topics
- [Create campaign](/docs/api-reference/marketing/create-campaign.md)
- [Create campaign content step](/docs/api-reference/marketing/create-campaign-content-step.md)
- [Create a text, push, or social campaign](/docs/marketing-events/create-a-text-push-or-social-campaign.md)
- [Add campaign message, audience, and publish](/docs/marketing-events/add-campaign-message-audience-and-publish.md)
- [Create a social event](/docs/marketing-events/create-a-social-event.md)
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