Create an Email

The email framework allows Marketing Cloud users like you to create well-designed emails using flexible formatted options—all with the appropriate branding for your unit at Indiana University. This guide will help you get started creating emails. You can also find additional documentation on specific email framework blocks in this section. 

NOTE: You’ll need a brand configuration (you can have more than one) to create an email with the framework. If you don't have one yet, request one.

How to select an Email Framework template

1. Navigate to Email Studio within Marketing Cloud by hovering over the Email Studio “envelope” and clicking on Email.
2. Click on Content.

3. On the left side of the page, locate an existing folder to house your new email or right-click a parent folder to create a new one.

4. On the right side of the page, click Create. 
5. Select Email Message from the drop-down menu.

6. Next to Create Email, ensure Template is selected from the menu. Do not use these templates on this initial screen. Instead, continue to the next steps to find IU-branded templates.

7. Click Saved.
8. Click Folders. 
9. Click Shared.
10. Expand the Email Framework to show folders within. 
11. Click the Template folder.

12. Select the appropriate template. 
    • Choose Email Framework Template for commercial emails that will allow recipients to unsubscribe. Most messages fit into this category at IU, including newsletters, optional event invites, athletic ticket sales, scholarships, etc.
    • Choose Email Framework Template: No Unsubscribe for transactional messages that will send to recipients regardless of whether a constituent has unsubscribed. Only select messages will fit this category, such as compliance messages, employee tax information, bursar payment confirmation, etc. 
    • If you’re not sure which type of message you have, you can ask the CX Marketing Community of Practice.
13. Click the template.
14. Click Select.

15. IMPORTANT: Under Define Email Properties, name the email using the following format to incorporate the appropriate branding for your unit. You’ll need your brand configuration to complete these steps (request a brand configuration here).

16. After entering a file name, (Use SenderID-I_Informal Example or SenderID-F_Formal Example) for your email and optional description. An example of an email filename with sender ID is IUC001-F_Dean’s Announcement. Click Next.
    
17. Add a subject line and preheader.

How to add content blocks

1. Under Add Content, click the Content tab.

2. Navigate to the email framework content blocks: 
   1. Click Folders. 
   2. Click Shared.
   3. Expand the Email Framework and Content Blocks to show the folders within. 
   4. NOTE: Only content blocks designed for the email framework can be used for these templates.

3. Open a folder to view content block options, such as Text and Buttons. 
4. To add a content block, click the block to drag and drop it into the email template. The thin blue line indicates where the block will be placed.
5. Return to content block options by clicking Folders. 
6. Drag and drop content blocks for images, text, buttons, and other blocks as needed.

How to edit a content block

This will go through some of the basics of editing and previewing emails. For more help in editing different kinds of content blocks, check out the editing email documentation.

1. Edit a content block by clicking on the block. An editor will open.

2. In this example for a text block, use the editor to add and edit written content. For other block types, different editor options will appear.

3. After editing your content blocks, click Save in the right corner.

How to preview and test your email

1. Click the Preview and Test tab at any point as you create your email to view how it will appear to your subscribers.
2. Click the people icon  on the left side. 
3. Click on the folder  near the subject and preheader.

4. Navigate to the sending data extension.
5. Click on a subscriber and click Select. Note: Selecting a subscriber here will not send them the email. This selection just pulls their information to let you preview how the email will appear, including personalizations scripts or dynamic content.

6. Review the preview to see how the email will display for the subscriber.
7. If personalization scripts or dynamic content are used, click the forward or back arrows (or repeat steps 4-5) to toggle between different subscribers to see how content will appear for different attributes such as academic program or campus.

8. Click the email/test tube icon 
9. Type in up to 5 email addresses to receive the test email. Verify all email addresses, including your own, are written correctly.  
10. Select the Send Classification you’d like to use in the send.
11. Create the Subject Prefix to indicate to email recipients that the message is only a test. This prefix appears before the subject line text (e.g., [Test]: A question for you...).
12. Click Send Test.
13. Check your inbox for the test send. NOTE: Test sends usually deliver within a few minutes. Occasionally, test sends may take longer.

Note: if the trident in your preview and test is green, this means one of a few things has gone wrong:

• You've named your email incorrectly (see above for proper naming conventions)
• The brand configuration you're referencing is not correct (check to make sure you're using the right one)
• You haven't selected a subscriber