How-to Guide for Building a Broadcast Email

Step 1: Get Access To The Emma Broadcast Email Tool

EMMA is our new broadcast email tool. Easy to use and intuitive, EMMA gives you the control to build your own emails. 

Request access to the EMMA tool by submitting this form.

The Office of Strategic Communication and Brand Management reviews and processes requests every Wednesday. 

Once approved, you’ll receive an email notification confirming your access.
 

Step 2: Prepare For Scheduling And Sending A Broadcast Email Using The Emma Tool

The Office of Strategic Communication and Brand Management (SCBM) manages the university’s broadcast email calendar and sends all emails sent by EMMA users.

1. Request your email to be added to the university’s broadcast email calendar using the Creative Services Request form. Please make your request at least 1 month prior to the desired send date.
   
   Note: Once your request is processed, you will be added to Monday.com, our project management platform.
   
   You will receive email notification with your confirmed send date. Only emails that are calendared will be sent.
    
2. Request your email distribution list(s) from Advancement Services using the Data Request form. Please make your request at least 10 working days prior to the send date. Select “Email list.” 
   
   Advancement Services will inform you once the distribution list is created and they will provide you with the name of the list.
    
3. Approvals are required for sending broadcast emails to individuals outside of your functional area. If your email is going to recipients outside of your functional area, you hold the responsibility for obtaining approval from the divisional vice presidents or delegates representing the constituencies. For example, if you are a faculty member in the College of Humanities and would like to send a broadcast email to all students, approval from William Watkins, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, would be required. 

IMPORTANT DEADLINE NOTE: By 5pm the day before your scheduled broadcast email send date, you must provide to SCBM via Monday.com 1) the name of your email list, 2) the name of your completed email campaign and 3) if applicable, confirmation of divisional vice-presidential approval. 

Step 3: Let’s Build A Broadcast Email In Emma

Using templates, you’ll easily customize your broadcast emails to suit your needs. 

1. Log in to EMMA using this link. 
    
2. Select your workspace according to the recipients’ email addresses. 
   
   In the black bar at the top of the page, use the down-pointing arrow to select either Campus Communications - Internal Recipients (for recipients with csun.edu email addresses) 
   
   Campus Communications - External Recipients (for recipients with non-csun.edu email addresses). 
   
   If your recipient list includes both internal and external recipients, you will need to build separate emails for each recipient group.
   
   Why do broadcast emails going to internal and external recipients need to be built separately? 
   Broadcast emails going to external recipients require an opt-out and this feature is built into the external recipients template. Emails going to individuals with a csun.edu email address do not require an opt-out.
   
   a. Click on the “Create new campaign button.” 
   b. Choose “Regular Email.” 
   c. Name your campaign using this naming convention: 
           i.  SixDigitSendDate_YourCollege/Area_EmailSubject
   
               Here’s an example:
               072524_SpecialEvents_PresidentsWelcomeAddress
   
               You can use underscores in your file naming, but please do not use other punctuation marks.
   
   
   d. Click “Continue.” 
3. Select the template style best suited to your broadcast email message.
   
   There are five customizable templates from which to choose. 
   
   Simple text
   Simple text with banner header
   Event Save the Date
   Event Invitation with RSVP button 
   Newsletter
   
   For this exercise, let’s choose the “Simple text with image” template and customize it.
   
   Tip: EMMA is a contextual visual editor. This means when you select an item, all the editable attributes automatically appear on the right side of the screen.
    
4. Customize your wordmark:
   
   The wordmark is at the top of the page, and it may also be known as your college or area’s logo. 
   
   a. Click on the wordmark at the top of the email.
   b. On the upper, right side of the screen, select the Content tab. Click Change Image (blue button).
   c. Select your wordmark from the Shared Images folder. Please, do not modify wordmarks. 
   d. Enter the Alt Text that describes the wordmark. For example, California State University, Northridge College of Engineering and Computer Science. Please read the Universal Design Center’s resource on writing alt text. 
   
   Tip: Remember to save your work! The save function is in the upper right corner. EMMA autosaves, but we recommend that you save your work frequently. 
    
5. Customize your banner image:
   
   a. Click on the banner image [It is populated with a placeholder image.]. 
   b. On the upper, right side of the screen, select the Content tab. Click Change Image (blue button).
   c. Click the Upload (blue button) and select banner image from your computer. 
   
   The banner image size is 750 pixels wide by 562 pixels high. To ensure fast loading, we recommend 300k as the maximum file size.  
   
   d. Enter the Alt Text that describes the image. Please read the Universal Design Center’s resource on writing alt text.]
   
   Tip: Undo, Re-do and Rewind Clock. Icons for these functions can be found in the lower left of the screen.  The undo icon is the left point arrow.
    
6. Add your copy:
   
   a. Select the H1 TITLE immediately below the banner image. Enter your copy.
   b. Go row by row adding copy as needed. 
         • To duplicate a row: Highlight the row, select the square icon to duplicate the row
         • To delete a row: Highlight the row and select the trashcan icon.
         • To rearrange rows: Highlight and drag the row to its new position.
   
   A note about font type: Atkinson Hyperlegible is the default font for all university broadcast emails. 
    
7. Customize the Call to Action (CTA) button and create the hyperlink: 
   Click on the Call to Action (CTA) button and enter the copy you’d like to appear in the button.
   
   a. Create a hyperlink for the CTA button. Clicking outside of the red CTA button, the contextual menu will open on the right side of the screen. Enter the URL of the webpage that the CTA button will link to. 
   
   Reminder: If you don’t need a CTA button, simply delete the row by selecting and clicking the trashcan icon.
    
8. Customize your social media links:
   a. Click on the row of social media icons.
   b. On the right side of the screen, links to the individual social media platforms are displayed. Enter your custom links.
   c. Add additional icons if needed via the “Add New Icon” button.
   
   Tip: Don’t forget to save your work.
    
9. Send a test email:
   a. Click Send Test (upper right of screen).
   b. In the “To” line, enter the email address(es) for those who you want to receive and review the test email.
   c. In “Note,” add a note for test recipients/reviewers/approvers.
   d. In the “From” lines, enter the From Display Name. Example: Jane Doe or the Director of University Communications. 
   
   Then enter the From Email Address. Use your email address if you want to receive replies. Alternatively, you set a separate reply-to email address such as a departmental account or noreply@csun.edu. 
   
   e. “Subject” line. Here, enter text that lets readers know what this email is about.
   f. The “Preheader text” is optional but recommended. This is a summary of the email and is displayed in the preview pane of email clients.
   g. Click Send test.
   h. Once you receive the test message, do a final proofread of the copy including the sender email address and sender display name. Check links to see that they function and are correct.

Want to know what the email looks like in mobile view?
Click on the mobile phone icon in the upper, left corner of screen, to see the mobile or tablet view. Spacing may need to be adjusted. If so, select the component and edit margins as needed.
 

Step 4: Let’s Send Your Broadcast Email

Now that your test broadcast email is proofread and approved, by 5pm the day before your scheduled broadcast email send date, provide the following to SCBM via Monday.com.

1. The name of your email list, provided by Advancement Services,
2. the name of your completed email campaign and, 
3. if applicable, confirmation of divisional vice-presidential approval. 

Congratulations on building and sending a broadcast email! With practice, broadcast emails will soon be a cinch.
 

Please ensure that your broadcast emails are accessible. For more information, please refer to the Universal Design Center.