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SendGrid Mass Email Setup Guide 

Connect SendGrid to Sierra Interactive to send mass emails, listing alerts, and action plans with performance tracking and domain control.

Table of Contents 

  1. Why This Feature Matters
  2. Before You Begin
  3. Step-by-Step Instructions
    1. Create a SendGrid Account
    2. Generate Your API Key
    3. Access the Integrations Manager
    4. Verify Your Sender Domain
    5. Select Your Sending Domain and Handle
    6. Understand Sending Rules
    7. Review Email Performance
    8. Edit or Disconnect the Integration
  4. Best PracticesFAQs
  5. Troubleshooting Common Issues
  6. FAQs

Why This Feature Matters

Without a connected email service, Sierra's mass email features such as listing alerts, drip campaigns, and action plans can't send at volume from a professional, verified domain. Connecting SendGrid gives you:

  • Deliverability at scale: Send to your full lead database without hitting provider limits.
  • Professional sender identity: Emails go out from your verified domain, not a generic address.
  • Performance visibility: Track opens, clicks, and unsubscribes from Sierra's Mass Email Dashboard.
  • Centralized control: One integration governs outbound mass email across your whole account, with flexibility for individual users on the same domain.

Before You Begin

Before starting setup, confirm the following:

  • You must be an admin user in Sierra (Primary Manager or Manager) to access the Integrations Manager.
  • You have (or will create) a SendGrid account. The free trial allows up to 100 emails/day for 60 days, after which a paid plan is required. For most active real estate teams, starting on a paid plan (Essentials or higher) is recommended. 
  • You own or manage the domain you plan to send from. You'll need access to your DNS settings to complete sender verification.
  • If Sierra hosts your domain via Cloudflare, note that the domain verification step requires assistance from Sierra Support.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Create a SendGrid Account

2. Generate and Copy Your API Key

3. Access the Sierra Integrations Manager

  • In Sierra, navigate to Integrations Manager.

  • Select SendGrid under “Mass Email Integrations”.

4. Paste API Key and Validate

  • Enter the API key from your SendGrid account.

  • After validation, input your preferred username and sending domain.

5. Verify Sender Identity in SendGrid

  • Follow this guide to verify your domain.

  • If Sierra hosts your domain via Cloudflare, contact support@sierrainteractive.com for help completing verification.

6. Choose Sending Domain and Handle

  • After verifying, select your sending domain from the dropdown in Sierra.

  • Add a handle (username) for that domain.

7. Understand the Sending Rules

  • By default, emails will be sent from the selected handle/domain unless a user has an individually connected email with the same domain.

  • Listing alerts always use the domain/handle from the integration, regardless of user-level settings.

8. Review Email Performance

  • From the Gear Icon, access the Mass Email Dashboard in Sierra:

    • View all sent emails

    • Filter by sender

    • Track open rate, click rate, and unsubscribes

     

9. Edit or Disconnect Integration

  • To manage the connection:

    • Return to Integrations Manager

    • You can disable, validate, or disconnect the integration at any time

     

Best Practices

  • Choose Professional Branding: Use a consistent and professional domain for your emails to enhance trust and recognition.
  • Verify Before Launch: Always ensure sender identity verification is complete before launching campaigns to avoid delivery issues.
  • Monitor and Optimize: Regularly check performance metrics to refine your email strategies for better engagement.
  • Educate Your Team: Train your team on how individual email settings can impact email delivery for better consistency.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue: SendGrid daily limit of 100 emails

Solution: Ensure your domain has been verified for more than 30 days to remove the trial limit.

 

Issue: Domain not appearing in dropdown

Solution: Double-check that sender identity verification is complete in SendGrid. If hosted by Sierra, reach out to Support for help.

FAQs

  • What happens if my domain is still on SendGrid’s free trial?
    • You can only send up to 100 emails/day until the domain has been verified for 30+ days.
  • Will my existing action plans and listing alerts use the new sending domain automatically?
    • Yes. Once integration is active, all emails of those types will use the verified domain.
  • Can I use different email addresses per user for mass emails?
    • Yes, if the user has connected an email with the same domain. Otherwise, emails are sent from the account-level domain/handle.