Virtuous Marketing includes the ability to create and store multiple email templates for your organization. We've even included a few Virtuous starter templates for inspiration. Use templates to make it easier for your whole team to send out emails using consistent "digital letterhead."
To get started working with templates, navigate to the Email page by hovering over the left sidebar, then selecting Marketing. Under Marketing, select Email.
On the email page, you'll see two tabs at the top: "Emails" and "Templates." Click on "Templates," and you'll see that there are two options there:
- Organization Templates - These are custom templates created by users in your organization. They should be branded with your logo, colors, and layout. (If you are just getting started in Virtuous, you will not have any templates stored here just yet.)
- Virtuous Templates - These default templates are included in every Virtuous instance. They are not branded with your logo or colors, but these templates can be used as a starting point for creating your own custom templates.
Creating New Templates
To create a new template from scratch, click on the Actions button in the upper right, and then select "Create a Template."
This will launch the new template wizard. On the setup tab, you'll be able to choose whether you want to use our visual builder or advanced builder. Select the visual builder option (unless you want to build the email template entirely in HTML).
Then, you can enter the details for your new email. Required fields are all marked with an asterisk (*).
- Name: Provide a unique name for your template, to make it easy to identify. For example, "Monthly Newsletter Template" is better than "Email Template 2."
- Email List: As when creating an email, you must select an Email List to associate with your new template. This does not restrict the use of this template; you will still be able to use it to create emails for sending to multiple lists.
- Subject: Provide a default subject line. As with the email list, this does not affect any future use of this email template.
- To insert a merge tag in the subject line, click on the tag
icon to pull up a list of merge tags to use, then select the merge tag of your choice.
- To insert a merge tag in the subject line, click on the tag
- From Name: Each organization has a default sender set up in their email settings. By entering a value for the From Name, you can customize the sender for all emails using this template. Use this to personalize emails "from" a specific team member. This can be changed when creating an email from the template.
- From Email: Similar to the From Name, a custom email address can be entered to personalize any email. This can also be changed when creating an email from the template.
- Email Group: Categorizing the email template to belong to an established Email Group.
Once you have entered the values for your template settings, click Next to be taken to the Build step and launch the email editor.
Working with the email editor, you can create the design and style for your email, adding specific fonts, colors, images, and alignment design elements as needed. Use the tips in this article on creating emails to learn more about working with the editor.
Once your template is complete, click on the Actions button in the upper right to see a preview of your template in both a desktop and mobile view, save your work and continue, save and return to the main email screen, or even send a test email to yourself or a colleague. Note: Merge Fields and custom senders will not be populated for a test email.
Using a Template
To use any of the Virtuous Templates, click on the three dots below the template you want to use.
This will bring up two options. Select "New Email" to use this template as a starting point for creating and sending an email. Select "New Template" to customize this template and use it as the basis for your own new Organization Template.
When using an Organization Template, just as with Virtuous templates, click on the three dots below the template you want to use.
This will bring up multiple options. use the "Download HTML" feature to view your template in a browser window. Click on "Edit" to make changes to the template. Delete the template if you no longer wish to use it. To create a new email using your template, click on "Copy." This will bring up a form allowing you to give the Copy a new name and select the option to use the copy as a new template or to create a new email.
Once you have selected an option, you'll be taken to the builder to create your email. Check out this article to learn more about creating and sending your email.