Email template cheat sheet

A comprehensive guide to creating effective email templates for your research studies.

Email template basics

Essential elements

• Subject Line: Compelling and clear
• Greeting: Personalized greeting
• Body Content: Clear and concise
• Call to Action: Clear next steps
• Signature: Professional signature

Template structure

1. Header: Logo and branding
2. Content: Main message content
3. Footer: Contact information and legal disclaimers
4. Unsubscribe: Unsubscribe option

Subject line best practices

Effective subject lines

• Clear Purpose: Make purpose immediately clear
• Urgency: Create appropriate urgency
• Personalization: Include personalization when possible
• Length: Keep under 50 characters

Subject line examples

• “Complete your consent form - [Study Name]”
• “Action required: Research participation”
• “Thank you for your interest in our study”
• “Reminder: Consent form due [Date]”

Avoid these

• Spam Words: Avoid spam trigger words
• All Caps: Avoid excessive capitalization
• Exclamation Points: Use sparingly
• Misleading Content: Don’t mislead recipients

Email content guidelines

Writing style

• Professional Tone: Maintain professional tone
• Clear Language: Use simple, clear language
• Concise: Keep content concise
• Scannable: Make content easy to scan

Content structure

1. Opening: Engaging opening paragraph
2. Main Content: Key information
3. Call to Action: Clear next steps
4. Closing: Professional closing

Key information to include

• Study Purpose: Explain study purpose
• Time Commitment: State time requirements
• Compensation: Explain compensation
• Contact Information: Provide contact details

Personalization techniques

Basic personalization

• Name: Use recipient’s name
• Study Details: Reference specific study
• Timeline: Include relevant timelines
• Previous Interaction: Reference previous interactions

Advanced personalization

• Demographic Data: Use demographic information
• Behavioral Data: Reference past behavior
• Preferences: Use stated preferences
• Location: Include location-specific information

Personalization examples

• “Hi [Name], thank you for your interest in our [Study Type] study”
• “Based on your previous participation in [Previous Study]”
• “As a [Demographic] participant, you may be interested in”
• “Your scheduled appointment on [Date] is approaching”

Call to action (CTA) design

Effective CTAs

• Clear Action: Make action clear
• Urgency: Create appropriate urgency
• Visibility: Make CTA prominent
• Accessibility: Ensure accessibility

CTA examples

• “Complete Consent Form”
• “Schedule Appointment”
• “Confirm Participation”
• “Update Information”

CTA best practices

• Button Design: Use button design
• Color Contrast: Ensure good contrast
• Size: Make appropriately sized
• Placement: Place strategically

Email template types

Invitation emails

• Study Introduction: Introduce the study
• Participation Benefits: Explain benefits
• Next Steps: Clear next steps
• Contact Information: Provide contact details

Reminder emails

• Gentle Reminder: Polite reminder tone
• Deadline Information: Include deadlines
• Easy Access: Provide easy access
• Support Information: Offer support

Confirmation emails

• Confirmation Details: Confirm participation
• Next Steps: Explain next steps
• Contact Information: Provide contact details
• Thank You: Express gratitude

Follow-up emails

• Study Updates: Provide study updates
• Additional Information: Share additional info
• Feedback Requests: Request feedback
• Future Opportunities: Mention future opportunities

Mobile optimization

Mobile considerations

• Responsive Design: Ensure responsive design
• Touch-friendly: Make touch-friendly
• Readable Text: Ensure readable text
• Fast Loading: Optimize for speed

Mobile best practices

• Single Column: Use single column layout
• Large Buttons: Use large buttons
• Short Paragraphs: Keep paragraphs short
• Clear CTAs: Make CTAs clear

Testing and optimization

A/B testing

• Subject Lines: Test different subject lines
• Content: Test different content
• CTAs: Test different CTAs
• Timing: Test different send times

Performance metrics

• Open Rates: Track open rates
• Click Rates: Track click rates
• Conversion Rates: Track conversions
• Unsubscribe Rates: Track unsubscribes

Optimization strategies

• Content Improvement: Improve content based on data
• Timing Optimization: Optimize send times
• Segmentation: Segment audiences
• Personalization: Improve personalization

Common mistakes to avoid

Content mistakes

• Too Much Information: Don’t overwhelm
• Unclear Purpose: Make purpose clear
• Poor Grammar: Check grammar and spelling
• Generic Content: Avoid generic content

Design mistakes

• Poor Mobile Experience: Ensure mobile optimization
• Unclear CTAs: Make CTAs clear
• Poor Contrast: Ensure good contrast
• Cluttered Layout: Keep layout clean

Technical mistakes

• Broken Links: Check all links
• Image Issues: Optimize images
• Loading Problems: Optimize loading
• Compatibility Issues: Test compatibility

Template examples

Study invitation template

Subject: Participate in [Study Name] - Help advance research

Hi [Name],

We're conducting a research study on [Topic] and believe you'd be a great fit based on your [Relevant Background].

Study Details:
- Duration: [Time Commitment]
- Compensation: [Compensation Details]
- Location: [Location/Online]

To participate, please complete our consent form: [Link]

Questions? Contact us at [Email] or [Phone]

Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Organization]

Reminder template

Subject: Reminder: Complete your consent form

Hi [Name],

This is a friendly reminder that your consent form for [Study Name] is due on [Date].

Complete your form here: [Link]

If you have any questions, please contact us at [Email].

Thank you for your participation!

[Your Name]

Next steps

Now that you understand email templates, let’s learn about personalizing emails with liquid tags.