Salesforce Marketing-Cloud-Consultant - Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud ConsultantSFMCExam (SP25)

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The correct answer is B — Journey Builder.

Journey Builder is ideal for multi-step campaigns like sending a follow-up or reminder after the original message.

To send at the subscriber's optimized send time (OST), Journey Builder supports Einstein Send Time Optimization (STO).

A reminder email can be scheduled exactly 3 days after the initial send with dynamic optimization for each subscriber.

❌Why others are wrong:

A: Interaction Builder is not used for sending emails; it's part of Interaction Studio (Personalization).

C: Automation Studio can schedule emails but does not support STO or simple "wait 3 days then send" logic easily.

D: Combining Automation Studio and Journey Builder unnecessarily complicates the setup.

Exact Extract from Salesforce Official Documentation:

Salesforce Help — Journey Builder Overview:

"Journey Builder is designed for sending messages based on time-based or behavioral events, including sending follow-ups at optimized times using Einstein Send Time Optimization."

(Source:https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_jb_einstein_send_time_optimization.htm )

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Synchronized Data Extensions via Marketing Cloud Connect allow syncing Salesforce objects (such as Leads, Contacts) into Marketing Cloud at near real-time speeds (approximately every 15–30 minutes). To filter only customers with consent selected, they can configure a Filtered Data Extension based on the synchronized object.

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Exact Extract from Salesforce Documentation:

Source: Salesforce Help – Synchronized Data Sources Overview→ "Synchronized Data Sources allow you to automatically sync Salesforce object data into Marketing Cloud. The sync interval can be configured up to every 15 minutes."

Source: Marketing Cloud Connect Implementation Guide→ "To target a subset of synchronized records, configure Filtered Data Extensions based on specific criteria, such as opt-in status or custom fields."

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Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The correct answer is C — Query Activity > Data Extension Entry Source > Journey Activities.

A Query Activity can select subscribers who haven't purchased in six months based on date logic.

The results are saved into a Data Extension.

This Data Extension is then used as the entry source into a Journey, which can orchestrate sending across multiple channels (email, SMS, push).

❌Why others are wrong:

A: API Event is not necessary; you already have the data internally.

B: Import Activity is for external file imports; no external file mentioned.

D: Salesforce Entry Event relates to CRM records, not Data Extension queries.

Exact Extract from Salesforce Official Documentation:

Salesforce Help — Data Extension Entry Source:

"Use the Data Extension Entry Source to inject contacts into a journey based on criteria from a query or automation. This supports orchestrating communications across multiple channels."

(Source:https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_jb_data_extension_entry_source.htm )

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✅Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation: The Blockout Window in MobileConnect prevents SMS messages from being sent during specified hours, automatically holding messages for delivery until after the blockout period or discarding them based on configuration. It directly addresses the need to prevent delivery during nighttime hours.

❌Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A and B: These are manual data management activities, not real-time or dynamic enough for Journey-based sends.

C: Journey Goals relate to achieving a Journey outcome, not message send timing.

Exact Extract: Salesforce Help:MobileConnect Blockout Windows

"Use Blockout Windows to prevent SMS message delivery during certain times. Blocked messages can be discarded or queued for later delivery."

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In Marketing Cloud's Automation Studio, when configuring a File Drop Automation, the system automatically detects and uses the file that triggers the automation.The Import File Activity within this automation doesn't require a specific filename; instead, it processes the file that initiated the automation.Therefore, there's no need to set a dynamic file naming pattern or check additional options.​

✅Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

This is a classic transactional use case involving multiple channels: if the password reset email fails to send, the system must fallback to SMS delivery.

The best-practice solution is to:

Use a Transactional Send API for password reset emails.

Use the Event Notification Service (ENS) to monitor delivery or bounce events in near real-time.

Based on failure status, trigger an API call to initiate an SMS message.

D is the only option that uses Salesforce’s native ENS and API infrastructure for near real-time failure handling, which meets the requirement for “timely delivery.”

❌Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. The Not Sent data extract is not real-time and is typically processed in batch — not suited for password resets that require instant fallback.

B. Engagement Splits (e.g., link clicked) are not ideal for determining whether an email was delivered or not. Plus, password resets don’t rely on email clicks — they’re more about deliverability.

C. API responses for triggered email sends do not reflect actual delivery success or failure — they only reflect submission status. You need ENS to monitor actual send results.

Exact Extracts from Salesforce Documentation:

Salesforce Event Notification Service (ENS): "ENS sends near-real-time email delivery, bounce, or click events to external systems so you can monitor transactional sends and take automated actions (e.g.,triggering an SMS)."

— Source:https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/ens-overview.html

Transactional Email via API: "Use the Transactional Messaging API to send password resets or other 1-to-1 emails. Integrate with Event Notification Service to determine the outcome of each message."

— Source:https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/sendTransactionalEmail.html

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Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The correct answers are B and D.

B — The Mobile Number field must be Text type in MobileConnect and include country code (e.g., +1 555-555-5555).

D — A Phone type field is necessary to validate and standardize mobile number formats inside MobileConnect.

Both fields are used for identifying recipients during MobileConnect sends.

❌Why others are wrong:

A and C: Locale fields are used for language/country preferences, not required for MobileConnect message sending.

Exact Extract from Salesforce Official Documentation:

Salesforce Help — MobileConnect Data Extension Requirements:

"When sending SMS using MobileConnect, data extensions must include a Mobile Number field (Phone or Text type, with international country code)."

(Source:https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_ms_send_data_extensions.htm )

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Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The correct answer is B — Request SSH key authentication to be enabled for the FTP user and create an SSH Key in Key Management.

SSH Key authentication allows secure, passwordless connection to the Enhanced FTP server.

It eliminates the need for password rotation, thus avoiding manual updates every 90 days while still maintaining security.

SSH keys are managed within Marketing Cloud’s Key Management.

❌Why others are wrong:

A: SAML SSO is for user login to Salesforce/Marketing Cloud apps, not for FTP authentication.

C: ‘Exclude FTP Users from Password Expiration’ is not available for standard Enhanced FTP users (it’s only for system user accounts under certain conditions).

D: SFTP is already in place through Enhanced FTP; the issue is not switching protocols but eliminating password dependency.

Exact Extract from Salesforce Official Documentation:

Salesforce Help — Enhanced FTP Authentication:

"To avoid password expiration impacting file transfers, request SSH Key Authentication to be enabled for the Enhanced FTP user. SSH keys allow passwordless authentication for secure automation."

(Source:https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_enhanced_ftp.htm )

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Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The correct answer is D — Contact Builder Attribute Groups.

Contact Builder Attribute Groups allow you to combine multiple Data Extensions (e.g., purchases and loyalty membership) into one relational view.

Then you can easily query and filter based on conditions like "purchase date in last 6 months AND not a loyalty member."

❌Why others are wrong:

A: Behavioral Triggers are related to real-time actions like website behavior, not cross-data queries.

B: Advertising Studio is for paid advertising, not internal audience segmentation.

C: Customer Data Platform (CDP) would be overkill unless NTO had an enterprise-wide CDP already (which isn’t mentioned).

Exact Extract from Salesforce Official Documentation:

Salesforce Help — Contact Builder Attribute Groups Overview:

"Use Attribute Groups to define and model relationships between data extensions and organize contact attributes to create targeted audiences."

(Source:https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_cb_attribute_groups.htm )

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A File Drop Automation triggers automatically when a file is placed in a specified SFTP folder, allowing immediate processing.After importing the data, a SQL Query can segment the data based on specific criteria, preparing it for entry into a journey.​