When it is time to plan your email communications follow the steps and resources below to help you plan your strategy, gather your information, write your content, set your timeline and work with an EMT member.
- Identify details for your event or offer (venue, dates, time, engagement focus, facts)
- Identify your goal for this offer (do not use a number unless it is a solicitation)
- Identify a the appropriate channels to use for your communication
- Create a marketing timeline
- Research details for your email: speakers, fun facts, interesting highlights
- Gather content points. Start out with a few bullets
- Submit each email and event information into AAD Communications Calendar
- Review AAD Email Guidelines for voice, tone, layout, best practices
- Draft all the email messages at the same time. Spend the most time on: subject lines and call to action
- Find images for your email
- Use the email checklist to make sure you have all email assets before step 12.
- Submit the email content form (link will be in email calendar confirmation)
6 days before your send date. Your EMT member will work with you directly during the review and approval process.
Resources
- AAD Email Standards: The AAD Email Strategy Steering Team created this comprehensive document (chock full of info AND email samples) to share and ensure consistent use of best practices by every program area.
- Planning timeline: Visit the AAD Email Standards guide, pages 13-18.
- Email marketing timelines: Use the guidelines for event and livestream emails to help build the appropriate timeline.
- Images: Use the the Cornell photo portal to find images for your emails.
- Image Cropping tool: Use this tool to size your photos appropriately for headshots and banners.
- Email Checklist: Make sure you have all assets, content and URLs before you fill out the email content form.
- AAD Communications Calendar: Use this calendar to plan your email send dates in advance. What other emails may your audience be receiving on your solicitation date? What about that week? That month? Be aware of upcoming blackout dates or other large email sends.
- Email Calendar Entry Form: Use this form to enter your emails into the email calendar and to create your email request. You’ll need to have your email details and content planned out before submitting this form. Look for the link in your email confirmation for the next step of submitting your content to your Email Marketing Team member. This second submission form will be sent to your EMT member so they can create for email in the iModules system.
- Events Calendar: Use this form to enter your planned events into the calendar. What other events may your audience be invited to during the same week or month?
- Email Comparison Tool: Enter your program area and email campaign name to see how your email stats stack up against your own and other program areas, as well as AA&D engagement standards.
- Email Schedule: Review the email schedule you will be following with your EMT member.