How to create great emails using iMIS Communication Suite. Presentation originally given at NiUG New Orleans 2017.

1. Form & Function:
Creating Email Templates
Andrea Robertson, Business Analyst
Advanced Solutions International
Slides & resources:
bit.ly/niugnola17-email

2. Communication Suite
Overview
1
Form2
Function3
Agenda
bit.ly/niugnola17-email

3. Comm. Suite
Overview

4. Sending communications

5. From notification pages

8. From process automation tasks

9. From an account page

11. From an IQA query

13. Composing
communications

18. Reviewing sent
communications

19. Communication logs

22. Advanced email dashboard
(Plus feature)

28. Individual's interaction log

30. Form

31. Have a default
template

32. Without default template

33. With default template

35. Keep a library of
templates & images

37. Use placeholder images & text

39. [Mini Tip]
Did you know that you
can edit images in
iMIS?

43. Always have a call to
action

45. Think about your
previews

48. Must have a verified Google+ Page

49. Customize your From field

52. [Mini Tip]
Your preview text
doesn't have to display
in your email body

53. Customize your From field

55. Use CSS to hide the text in the email body

56. Keep it simple

57. of email opens occur on mobile
Source: litmus.com

58. Responsive capabilities
are severely limited by
email clients

59. So how can you make your
emails mobile-friendly?

60. Simple layouts✔
Concise text✔
Clear calls to action✔

61. Take note of emails
that you like
(and copy them shamelessly)

69. Function

70. Check your
communication type

74. Don't forget the
manage preferences
link

77. This is really,
super important, y'all.

78. Why?

80. Also...
it's the law!

81. (Also required by law:
your physical address!)

82. There are just a few
communication types users
can't opt out of...

83. Direct communications
[Type: Default]
1
Billing notices
[Type: Billing]
2
Order confirmations &
shipping notices
[Type: Shipping]
3

84. Use Advanced Email
sparingly

86. Think of Advanced Email as a health
check for your emails...
... you don't want false positives.

87. When should you use
Advanced Email?

88. Campaign appeals✔
Newsletters✔
Event invitations✔

89. When should you not use
Advanced Email?

90. Direct communications✘
Billing notices✘
Order confirmations &
shipping notices
✘

91. Use the right source
codes

94. Don't override the
"to" field

95. ✔

96. ✘

98. Send it from their account page instead!

99. Test, test, test!

100. Always use the
preview button

102. BCC yourself
...occasionally
Warning: you will get one
email per recipient!

103. Test your templates
in different clients

104. iPhone 33%
Gmail 20%
iPad 13%
Android 9%
Apple Mail 7%
Most popular clients (2016)
Source: litmus.com

105. Outlook 6%
Outlook.com 5%
Yahoo! 2%
Windows Mail 1%
Windows Live Mail 1%
Most popular clients (2016)
Source: litmus.com

106. Demo

107. Some excellent resources
Information
● Litmus.com
● Campaign Monitor
● Responsive Email
Patterns
Tools
● PutsMail
● Mailinator
● Responsive Email
Resources
Free templates
● Cerberus
● Email Blueprints
● Foundation
● Open Source Email
Templates
Free images
● Unsplash
● Pexels
● Death to Stock
● Pixlr Editor (online
image editor)
● Placehold.it
and of course… help.imis.com

108. Thank you!
bit.ly/niugnola17-email
Andrea Robertson
ProductOwners@advsol.com

109. Strategic Partners
Corporate Partners
Americaneagle.com • Ascension Technology Solutions, LLC • Association Technologies, Inc. • Bursting Silver
CadmiumCD • enSYNC Corporation • Informz • ISG Solutions • MemberPrime • RSM US LLP • Visual Antidote
Event Partners
Armstrong Enterprise Communications • Computer System Innovations • C Systems Global • iFINITY
Intuitive Business Concepts • Lane Services, LLC • Source of Knowledge (Official Recording Partner) • TGD
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