Summary:
This article outlines the process of creating an email within the Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC) interface. We will discuss the creation, formatting, content, subject and preview of an email created from a template.
Note: Users should always create emails from a predefined UNH template.
Task: To create an email within the Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC) interface.
Instructions:
Step 1 - Once logged into the Salesforce Communication (SFMC), locate the Email Studio icon in the upper left of the page in the row of icons.
Step 2 - Click on Email Studio and then Email in the fly out menu that appears, this will navigate the user to the Overview page.
Step 3 - Once at the Overview page the user will be able to see a list of Emails that they created or modified and select from this page to use again if needed.
a. The left side of the page will display any emails that the user has created or modified recently.
b. The right side of the page will display a list of emails that this user has sent recently
Step 4 - Creating a new email; at the top of the screen click on Content
Step 5 - On the Content Page the user will notice a Create icon in the upper right corner of the page. Clicking this icon will prompt a flyout menu where the user can choose to create an Email Message
Step 6 - When the system navigates the user to the new email page they will be able to define what type of email they are looking to create using the Drop Down menu, Select Template.
Note: If users need school or department-specific templates set up, please send a request by filling out the following form: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Webform
Step 7 - Just below the drop-down select the Saved tab, now the user will be able to select the template format they want specific to this email. Choose a template from the choices presented on the screen and choose Select in the lower right.
Step 8 - If the user does not see any templates listed, click on the Folders Icon and Shared
Step 9 - Once the template has been selected the user will need to define several properties.
- Name: Type an appropriate email name, these need to be unique. This is naming the email content and not the subject of the email. Adhere to the following naming convention:
Initials -- Date -- Unique Name
Example: PLB -- 111217 -- Test email1
- Description: Enter a brief description that describes the basis or content for this email
- Location: Leave as default
- Campaign: Not used at this time
Step 10 - Once the above properties are complete, click NEXT in the upper right.
- Start to customize the content by clicking on an area to change in the email template. Each element is editable, but for consistency just change the content itself and avoid trying to change the style. Images and text can be selected and edited from the Content tab on the left side. (More on Personalization of Email content)
- Images should be large enough for the area, but not too large as it will take time for the user to download the image. (More on Images)
i. Check "Scale to Fit" if the image is a little too large for the space.
ii. Alt Text is good for accessibility and recommended. Brief, descriptive text will display when an image does not load, common in Outlook.
iii. A link may be added to images, but buttons and text links are more obvious to the user.
- Text may be styled using the editor, but it is best to keep the style as simple as possible for maximum readability.
i. Copying & Pasting from Word or other word processing programs often copies undesired characters that may show when viewed on different devices. Best practice is to copy & paste text into an unformatted text editor (such as Notepad) and then copy & paste into the SFMC email content. TIP: To remove formatting during the paste process use Ctrl+Shift+V
ii. Keep consistency between each text block with the same font and size.
Example:
Arial Font Header (Bold, 20px, Dark Blue)
Paragraph text, Arial font (Normal, 16px, Gray)
- Buttons are more readable and look better than long URLs or text links. Text links are fine to use, but a button will improve click-through rates when used appropriately.
i. Use a button at the end of a short paragraph to urge the user to continue to a webpage and complete an action.
ii. The wording on a button should be short and specific to what you want the user to do. "Read more" is appropriate when you want a user to go to a page with more information about that topic. However, "Register Today" or "View Graduate Programs" urge an action that can be timely and let the user know what to expect when clicking through to a landing page. Keep in mind the goals you have for this email campaign.
iii. Color matters. The most important topic should have the most noticeable button. Other buttons, if any, should be all the same size and neutral color. The user will notice that these are links to sub-level topics of the email and give a sense of weight and importance.
Step 11 - Within the Email Content Editor, click on each content section to edit the content inside or you can duplicate content blocks to add more sections. After clicking on the block of content, the block will get darker and an arrow will appear on the top-right. This menu will give you the option to delete, duplicate, or edit the content in this block. Duplicating sections and editing the content is the best way to ensure consistency with the design’s look and feel.
Step 12 - The Mobile view can be toggled in the top-right of the email editor screen and is your best tool while editing content to see if your email will look good on mobile devices. Ensuring mobile compatibility will improve your open and click-through rates. Emails that are hard to read often are deleted by users.
Step 13 - Subject: The title of the email that they user will see when it arrives in their inbox. once entered, the subject must be SAVED by using the Done icon on the right inside the dialog.
Step 14 - Preheader: This allows the user to define their own content that an email recipient will see if they have a preview pane enabled within their email. once entered, the preheader must be SAVED by using the Done icon on the right inside the dialog.
Step 15 - Once your email has been formatted and the content created you can choose Next in the upper right of the page. This will navigate the user to the Preview and Test Page.
Preview and Test Screen has are 2 areas on it:
Step 16 - Using the Envelope icon Users can address the email to other Test Recipients. This is for testing purposes only.
- Enter the email address(es) of the test recipients.
- Select a Saved Send Classification in the From Option to designate the sender name and sending email address.
- Click on ‘Send Test’ - the communication will ONLY be sent to those listed in the Test block.
Step 17 - Once the users email content has been tested internally it must be submitted for approval.
Outcome:
Your email within the Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC) interface is ready to be sent.
Further reading:
Salesforce Marketing Cloud: Personalization of Email Content
Salesforce Marketing Cloud: WYSIWYG Editor
Salesforce Marketing Cloud: Uploading New Images for Content
SFMC - Image Size
Salesforce Marketing Cloud: Testing Email Content
Salesforce Marketing Cloud: Submitting Email Content for Approval
Need additional help?
Please fill out the Salesforce Marketing Cloud Webform with as much information as possible, or contact the Technology Help Desk.
For additional Training please visit the TLT Docs & Training site