Getting Started with DraftMerge

This guide will walk you through installing DraftMerge and sending your first mail merge campaign.

Step 1: Install the Extension

  1. Visit the Chrome Web Store
  2. Search for "DraftMerge" or use the direct link
  3. Click "Add to Chrome" and confirm the installation
  4. The DraftMerge icon will appear in your Chrome toolbar

Step 2: Sign In with Google

  1. Click the DraftMerge icon in your Chrome toolbar
  2. The extension will open in a new tab
  3. Click "Sign in with Google"
  4. Authorize DraftMerge to access your Gmail account

Note: DraftMerge requests minimal permissions: gmail.send to send emails and spreadsheets.readonly to read contact data from Google Sheets.

Step 3: Prepare Your Contact List

You have two options for importing contacts:

Option A: Google Sheets (Free)

  1. Create a Google Sheet with your contact data
  2. Use the first row as headers (e.g., first_name, last_name, email, company)
  3. Each subsequent row is a recipient
  4. Make sure the sheet is accessible (not restricted)

Option B: Excel File (Paid Plans Only)

  1. Prepare an Excel file (.xlsx) with the same structure as above
  2. The first row should contain column headers
  3. Each row represents one recipient

Step 4: Create Your Email Template

  1. In DraftMerge, navigate to the "Template" step
  2. Click "New Template" or select an existing one
  3. Write your email subject and body
  4. Use {{column_name}} syntax for personalization

Example Template

Subject: Quick question, {{first_name}}

Body:

Hi {{first_name}},

I noticed you're working at {{company}} and wanted to reach out...

Best regards,
{{sender_name}}

Step 5: Preview and Validate

  1. Click "Preview" to see how your email will look
  2. Check that all merge fields are populated correctly
  3. Review the recipient list for any errors
  4. Send a test email to yourself first

Step 6: Send Your Campaign

  1. Click "Start Campaign"
  2. DraftMerge will begin sending emails with smart pacing
  3. Monitor progress in the Dashboard
  4. You can pause or cancel the campaign at any time

Step 7: Track Results (Optional)

If you installed the optional tracking script:

  1. Open your Google Sheets dashboard
  2. View open and click events in real-time
  3. Export data for further analysis

What's Next?

Need Help?

If you run into any issues: