Knowledgebase

    Email Builder


    TRANSCRIPT

    StarChapter's Email Builder provides flexibility to pull content from various tools in your system to send out emails quickly and professionally. All StarChapter's current designs have more than 80 preloaded Email Builds, but you have the ability to create many more.

    All emails sent through current StarChapter systems are based on Email Builds. An Email Build can include multiple Content Sections pulling content and information from your StarChapter system.

    Go to Communications > Email Builder to locate all existing Email Builds. Click the Preview button next to any Email Build to see an example. If changes are needed, click the Copy button to create a second version that you can edit. This ensures that the original is always available if you need to start over.

    For this example, we're going to add a list of upcoming meetings and a sponsor logo display to a newsletter Email Build. We can use the Category filter or the search function to locate the newsletter Email Builds.

    I will start with the Email Build titled "Newsletter with Featured Section and Excerpts Only" and click Copy. Be sure to update the Name to clearly indicate that this is your edited version and a standard Subject line can be set. The Mailing Type and Category should not be changed, so we can click Next.

    The Content & Layout page will look familiar to anyone who has edited webpages on your StarChapter website. I can see that the original Email Build includes three newsletter email Content Sections, a Newsletter Header, Newsletter Featured Section 1 Column Centered Summary, and Newsletter List 2 Column Summary. To visualize the content at any time, click the Preview button at the top right of the display.

    If edits are needed to the header or footer of the Email Build, the Email View drop-down provides access to the Header and Footer. In most cases, content updates are focused on the body of the email, so we'll keep the Header and Footer hidden for today's example.

    I already know that I want to put a list of upcoming meetings vertically down the right side of the email and a horizontal display of sponsors along the bottom, so I can begin with changing the layout. Select the Layout tab and edit the current 1 Column Container and select my preferred layout from the 1 to 5 column options available. I am going with the 2-Column 60%/40% option. I also want a full-width container for the sponsors at the bottom, so I'll click Add Container and make that selection. If containers aren't in your preferred location, drag and drop them or edit to change the number or size of columns.

    Return to the Content tab and click the blue plus to add additional Content Sections. Options in the Add a Content Section pop-up will vary based on the Email Build you are editing.

    We'll add the Meeting List 1 Column Left to our new column. To ensure that we're providing current and pertinent information, we'll limit that display to the next 3 meetings from All Meeting Categories.

    Then, we'll click that blue plus in the new full-width container and add a sponsor display. Your selection will depend on your current sponsor program and the number of logos you expect to display. We'll use a Sponsor Horizontal Display limited to only our 3 sponsors.

    With all content sections added, I will use the Preview one more time to confirm that everything is where I want it. Each time this Email Build is used, current content will be pulled from the Newsletter, Meetings, and Sponsor tools to create current, professional, and fast communication. Without any adjustments to make right now, I will click Publish to save the Email Build.

    Finally, I know that I want this to be the version used each time I send a Newsletter, so I'm going to click the Make Default button on my new Email Build. All other options will still be available, but this one will be preselected each time a Newsletter email is drafted. If changes are needed in the future, the same Email Build can be edited without disrupting any Scheduled Emails as the version in place when the email is sent will always be used.

    If you would like further guidance to customize Email Builds, please submit a Support Ticket with your questions or availability for a training call. Support Services, including training, are included in all StarChapter plans.