Creating an Email Message

Use Oncord’s drag-and-drop editor to create and customise e-mail messages that match your branding and engage your audience.

To get started:

1. Navigate to Dashboard > Marketing > E-mail.
   
2. Click the New Message button at the top of the page.

A pop-up window will appear with options to:

• Start from Scratch - Create a new blank message.
  
• Create from Posts - Pull in blog or news post content to use as the base for your message.
  

You’ll also be asked to select the Message Type:

• Broadcast - A one-time send to a group of recipients (typical for newsletters, promotions, announcements).
  
• Automation - Used in automated workflows (e.g., welcome sequences, abandoned cart reminders).
  

You can also clone an existing e-mail message by clicking the "..." menu next to a message, and selecting "Clone".

After creating the new e-mail message, you'll be taken to the visual editor to begin adding content.

Choosing an Email Design

When you begin editing, the message will automatically use your default e-mail design.

To use a different design:

1. Click the Settings button on the left-hand side of the editor.
2. Select an e-mail design.

You can set the default design for new messages via Dashboard > Website > Designs.

Setting an Email Subject

The subject of your e-mail message is set at the top of the page while editing.

To update the subject line of an e-mail message:

1. Navigate to Dashboard > Marketing > E-mail.
2. Select a message to edit, and update the subject at the top of the page.

Adding Content to Your Email Message

Editing an e-mail message is similar to editing a website page.

To build your e-mail:

1. Click the Insert button on the left-hand side of the screen.
   
2. Drag-and-drop elements (text, images, buttons etc.) into place.

To edit the properties of an element: 

1. Click to select the element.
2. Click the arrow icon to reveal a menu, and select Edit.
3. Adjust the properties of the element in the left panel.

Check for Spam Keywords

The Spam Analysis tool is available in the left-hand menu while editing an e-mail message.

This tool will help highlight if you've overused "spammy" keywords in your message, in order to improve deliverability. 

Send Yourself a Test Email

It's good practice to send a test message to yourself or your team to catch errors and preview the final message.

To send a test: 

1. Edit your e-mail message (via Dashboard > Marketing > Email).
2. Click the Test button on the left-hand side of the page.
3. Enter the e-mail address you'd like to send to.

Hint: Save your changes before sending a test, to ensure you're previewing the latest version.

Next Steps

Once you're happy with your e-mail message, you're ready to move on to the next step: Preparing to Send an E-mail - where you’ll choose recipients, schedule delivery, and send your campaign.