Email Guidelines

• To invite your audience to an event

• Take an action step of some type

• To ask for feedback/input

• To remind your audience about an event or deadline

• To share critical information

• To share timely information


• Segment your list as much as possible

• Faculty (or targeted faculty in a specific college, program, etc…)

• Staff (or targeted staff)

• Students (undergraduate, graduate, etc…)
• A combination of audiences (ex. students, staff, faculty)

• Colleges
• Campus (BG, Firelands or both)

• Allow a two-week turnaround time for email requests’ first proof

• Send event/deadline emails two weeks prior to the event/deadline date

• Mondays and Fridays are not effective days for email

• Send your email at the time most convenient to your audience – include specific time in your
 request; review analytics for your audience

  • Faculty/staff emails 6 a.m. through mid-morning

  • Students may be more receptive to late afternoon and evening emails

• Include a call to action whenever possible

• Consider your subject line carefully
  • Subject line and preview text almost exclusively determine your open rate – and should never be the same
• Use the inverted pyramid style of writing, be concise
• Use bullets whenever possible
• Ask a coworker to look at your message, if they can’t determine the purpose in 5 seconds, rework it

• Campus-wide emails will be edited for flow, content, AP style, consistency and overall BGSU brand voice.


• Analytics are available for every email sent by the Office of Marketing and Brand Strategy
  
• Review these analytics to find what is or is not working for your client
• A/B testing is available and can help make your emails more effective

  • Consider testing subject line, content, call to action’s, personalization, day, time of day, etc.


Resending original emails should only be done if there is low attendance and/or there is a change to the event itself that people need to be made aware of. Should the email be resent it should have a new subject line and changes in copy that reflect new information or can further drive attendance.