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Troubleshooting: Why a Campaign Is Paused or Won't Send

What to do when a campaign won't send, is stuck sending, or has been paused, including sending holds.

Written by Brad Turner

This article covers the most common sending problems and how to resolve them.

My Campaign Won't Send

When you review a campaign, Tern lists anything blocking the send. You must resolve every blocker before you can send. Common blockers:

  • A missing subject line.

  • No Segment selected.

  • An empty email with no blocks.

  • A missing business name or business address in your settings.

  • No paid subscription (free trials can't send to contacts).

  • An active sending hold on your account.

Fix the listed items, then review and send again. If your campaign has fewer recipients than your Segment, the missing contacts aren't marked Subscribed. Only Subscribed contacts receive campaigns. See "Managing Subscribers and Unsubscribes."

My Campaign Is Sending Over Several Days

This is expected. Tern sends campaigns gradually, within a daily allowance, to protect deliverability. A campaign with more recipients than your daily allowance sends over multiple days and continues automatically. See "Reviewing, Testing, and Sending" for details.

My Campaign Was Paused

Tern automatically pauses a campaign if too many recipients bounce, mark it as spam, or unsubscribe. This is a sending hold. It protects the sending reputation that all Tern advisors share.

When this happens:

  • The paused campaign cannot be resumed.

  • A banner shows that your sending is on hold.

  • Your other campaigns stop sending until the hold is resolved.

Note: A sending hold can only be resolved by Tern support. If your campaigns are paused or on hold, contact Tern support.

Once your hold is resolved and your contact list is cleaned up, you can duplicate the paused campaign to send to the remaining contacts.

I Can't Edit My Campaign

A campaign is locked once it's scheduled, sending, or sent. To make changes, duplicate it and edit the copy.

When to Contact Support

Contact Tern support if:

  • Your campaigns are paused or your account has a sending hold.

  • A campaign's recipients report they didn't receive an email that shows as delivered.

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