Message Templates

The “Message Templates” Feature in Email Marketing module of Retention CRM’s offers a powerful tool to Associations, Chambers of Commerce and Nonprofits for creating reusable email or letter formats. These templates streamline communication for recurring messages, saving time and ensuring consistency.

General Functionality of “Message Templates” Feature

Types of Message Templates:

There are two main categories within Message Templates:

User-driven Messages

These are emails you create and send manually, leveraging the pre-built template for content and formatting.

• Thank-you letters: Expressing gratitude to donors or participants.
• Meeting announcements: Informing contacts about upcoming meetings.
• Any other custom communication: You can tailor these messages for various purposes.

System Workflow Messages

These are automated emails triggered by specific actions within Retention CRM, such as membership renewals or event registrations. While you configure these triggers elsewhere (Schedule Reminders), you create the message content within Message Templates.

• Membership renewal reminders: Informing members about upcoming renewals.
• Event registration confirmations: Sending confirmation emails to event registrants.
• Contribution receipts: Providing receipts for financial contributions.

Default Templates (Examples):

While Retention CRM doesn’t come with pre-written content in these templates, it provides some pre-configured examples to get you started. These might include:

• Sample Email Newsletter Template: A basic structure for creating email newsletters.
• Sample Responsive Design Newsletter Templates: Layouts with different column arrangements for email newsletters.

For System Workflow Messages, Retention CRM offers default templates for various functionalities, including:

• Contribution receipts (online and offline): Templates for email receipts related to financial contributions.
• Event registration confirmations (online and offline): Templates for emails confirming event registrations.
• Membership receipts and renewal notifications: Templates for emails related to memberships.
• And many more: There are additional templates for various workflows within Retention CRM.

Important Considerations:

• Schedule Reminders: Messages related to membership renewals, events, and activities are best managed through Schedule Reminders, a separate feature within Retention CRM.
• Emails: Message templates can be used to create content for bulk email campaigns (Email module).
• Subscription Management: Subscribe, unsubscribe, and opt-out messages are configured under Email > Headers, Footers and Automated Messages.

Using “Message Templates” Feature in Association Management

The National Association of Certified Nurses (NACC) can leverage Message Templates for various communications with its members. Let’s explore how they can utilize each option/field:

Adding Message Templates:

1. Sample Member Welcome Email:
   • Message Title: Welcome to the NACC Family!
   • Message Subject: Welcome aboard, [Member Name]! (use Token)
   • Enabled? Yes (ensures the template is ready for use)
   • Content: A warm welcome email template with information about NACC benefits, upcoming events, and member resources.
2. Continuing Education (CE) Reminder: (System Workflow Message)
   • Message Title: NACC CE Course Reminder – [Course Title]
   • Message Subject: Don’t miss out! [Course Title] starts soon.
   • Enabled? Yes (ensures the reminder is sent automatically)
   • Content: An automated email reminding members about an upcoming CE course, including registration details and deadlines. This would be triggered by a scheduled reminder tied to the course registration date.
3. NACC Newsletter:
   • Message Title: The NACC Newsletter – [Month, Year]
   • Message Subject: Stay informed! The latest NACC Newsletter is here.
   • Enabled? Yes
   • Content: A visually appealing template for the NACC newsletter, incorporating news articles, upcoming events, and member spotlights. This can be used for bulk email campaigns through Emails module.
4. Member Survey: (User-driven Message)
   • Message Title: Share Your Voice! NACC Member Survey
   • Message Subject: Help shape the future of nursing – Take our survey!
   • Enabled? Yes
   • Content: A personalized email template inviting members to participate in a member survey. This can be sent manually to specific member segments.

More Use Cases for Associations

Automated Event Reminders (System Workflow Messages)

This involves creating a template for email reminders about upcoming events. The association can set up triggers (through Schedule Reminders) to automatically send these emails to registered members based on the event date. For example, the National Association of Certified Nurses (NACC) can use this for their Continuing Education (CE) courses.

Personalized Member Surveys (User-driven Messages)

Here, you create a template for inviting members to participate in surveys. This allows for personalization (including member name) and easy customization of the message content. The association can then send these surveys strategically to specific member segments based on their needs.

Regular Newsletters

Message Templates can be used to design appealing and reusable layouts for newsletters. This streamlines the process of creating newsletters by providing a pre-built structure for content like news articles, event announcements, and member spotlights. The association can then use Email module of Retention CRM for bulk email campaigns to deliver these newsletters to their members.

By utilizing Message Templates strategically, Associations, Chambers and Nonprofit organizations can enhance communication with their donors, members and other stakeholders, fostering a sense of community and keeping them informed about valuable resources and opportunities.