After selecting your template, follow this guide to edit the placeholder content to meet your specific needs and customize it for your department/sender.

Keep in mind that your selected template is a starting point - we will also review how to move, delete, and add more elements to your email template.

New Email: After initially creating your email and selecting a template, you will automatically be sent to the Email Builder.

Existing Email: You can return to the Email Builder by finding your email in Email Drafts and clicking "Edit Content".

The email header contains the JMU block logo followed by the sending department's name. Update the placeholder text "Department Name" or "Newsletter Title Here" to the appropriate department/sender name or newsletter title.

Note: Unless otherwise arranged, the JMU block logo should never be removed. Emails must be able to be easily identified as coming from a specific JMU sender.

1. Double click the placeholder graphic to open the Image Manager.
2. Navigate to your department's folder to upload or select your image.

• Upload a new image:
  1. Click the "Upload" button at the top of the Image Manager.
  2. Navigate within the Image Manager to your department folder and where you wish to upload your image.

• For images that are email-specific, you need to upload it to the "email-specific" folder of your department. (ex. "Advancement/email-specific/2020")
• For images that you may use with another email in your campaign, upload it to a campaign folder inside your department folder. (ex. "Advancement/madison-magazine")
  
  

• 3. Use the Upload window to browse for the image on your computer. You may click "Add" to upload additional photos at once.
  4. Click the "Insert" button.
     
     
• Select an existing image:
  1. Find and select your image in the Image Manager.
  2. Click the "Insert" button.

NOTE: Each placeholder graphic shows the required dimensions for your photo. 

Create Text Links

Text links can be applied to any text within an email.

Edit an Existing Text Link:

1. Double click on the existing text link to open the link editing window.
2. Make edits to the Display Text, Link Type and URL fields.
3. Click OK to apply your changes.

Create a New Text Link:

1. Select the specific word(s) or phrase(s) you wish to link. This text will become the Display Text for your link.
2. In the text editor, click the "Link" button to open the link editing window.
3. If necessary, make edits to the Display Text or Link Type.
4. Copy and paste the full URL for your link into the URL field. The Protocol field may update depending on the URL that is used.
5. Click OK to apply your changes.

Mail-to Links

A "mail-to" link is a type of link that automatically opens a new email in the reader's default email client, such as Outlook or Gmail, and pre-fills the "To" email address. Mail-to links are great when you want emails on certain topics to go to a designated email address. 

Any link can be a mail-to link:

1. In the Link editor, change the Link Type to "E-mail".
2. Add the desired mail-to email address to the E-mail Address field.
3. Click OK to apply your changes.

1. Select your button.
2. In the "Style" section of the right side panel, change the Link Type to "E-mail". Additional fields will open for you to complete. 
3. Add the desired mail-to email address to the E-mail Address field.
4. Click away from the button to apply your changes.

PRO TIP: You may also pre-populate the response email's subject line and message for the recipient. For example, if you are embedding an email address button for RSVP responses, you might choose the event's name as the subject line and "I am attending this event" as the response message.

Buttons in emails are clear Calls to Action (CTAs), directing the reader to take a specific action (ie. read more on a webpage, sign up for a mailing list, share feedback etc). Our templates include placeholder buttons that you can edit to fit your email message's call to action.

With CTAs, fewer is better. We recommend having one clear CTA. Generally, the more options you provide your reader in terms of buttons and links, the less total engagement you will have in your email. It's behavioral psychology - the more options provided, the less likely a person is to the particular action you want. You should also avoid having multiple links in your email going to the same content. Read more about email CTAs. 

The footer contains tokens surrounded by hashtags which pre-populate most of the sender's information based on what is selected in the "Email Details" section. This means the information surrounded by hashtags will be completed for you.

YOU MUST: Add or edit department/sender phone number & email address as this information may change from email to email. Simply add your phone number and email address where the placeholder text prompts you.

YOU MAY: Link the social media icons to your departments social media accounts by clicking on the icon and using the right side panel to paste the appropriate link next to the "URL" box. DO NOT add or delete any social icons. The template depends on there being 3 social icons in the footer. You may replace an icon, however. For example, if you have a LinkedIn account you may replace one of the icons with the LinkedIn icon. 

The social icon images are located in the "shared/social-icons" folder. Only use the purple icons.

Template placeholder content should meet the needs of most emails. However, you may use these features to place additional elements if necessary.

Complex Items

The Complex Item Tool (which looks like a star in the toolbar) is what you can use to place additional elements into your email template.

Complex Items are saved email elements that have been built and tested by the University and can be safely added to any email template.

 Complex Items include button, images, text boxes, and other commonly used email elements. 

NOTE: You may not customize or modify the existing email template using any other tools. The Complex Item Tool is the only one used for building emails. The others are for admin purposes only.