Custom email templates let you design and personalize the emails your studio sends, from booking confirmations to membership updates, so every communication feels on-brand and professional. This article walks you through each step of the process, from choosing a starting point to building your layout and applying dynamic tags that automatically populate member-specific information when an email is sent.
Content:
Before You Begin
Make sure you have the following before getting started:
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Permissions required:
- Club Setup: Can Access Setup
- Club Setup: Can Access Email Templates Setup
- HTML knowledge: The editor supports HTML customization. While ClubReady can offer general guidance, HTML editing depends on your own expertise. If you need specific design adjustments, we recommend working with someone familiar with HTML.
- Required tags: Every template must include the [unsubscribe] and [content] tags or it will not function correctly.
How to Create a Custom Email Template
1. Your Template Type: Navigate to Setup > Communication > Email Templates and click the + Add New tab. You have four options for starting your new template:
- Create a Blank Template — Start from scratch with a clean canvas.
- Clone an Existing Template — Copy one of your club's current templates.
- Clone a System Default Template — Start from a ClubReady-provided template.
- Clone a Newsletter Template — Use an existing newsletter layout as your starting point.
Once you've selected a template type, it will highlight in green. Enter a name for your new template, then click Add The New Email Template to save and continue.
2. Configure General Settings: After saving, you'll land on the General tab.
Here you can:
- Email Template Name — Enter a name to identify the template within ClubReady.
- Language — Select the language the template is written in. This affects the tags available on the email template.
- Optional Template Notes — Enter any internal notes relevant to this template for reference purposes.
- Using This Template for Email Blasts — Check this box if you want the template available when sending email blasts.
You can also:
- Send a Test Email — Enter your email address and click GO to preview how the template looks in an inbox.
- Tags Used in This Template — Review which dynamic tags are currently included.
- Where This Template Could Be Used — See which communication defaults this template is eligible for, based on the tags it contains.
Click Update to save your settings before moving on.
3. Editor - Create The Email Template: To insert a tag select from the options showing on the top left drop down. Select your desired image from those you have uploaded to your site.
Please Note: The editor will show any words that may be misspelled (see "Bithday" below). Use the formatting tool bar to continue editing and formatting your template just like you would in a word processor. When you are satisfied with your email click on the SAVE button.
4. Tag Info: This tab provides a full list of available tags that can be used in email templates. For each tag you will find:
- The tag name.
- A description of what the tag will be replaced with when the email is sent.
- Whether the tag is Transactional Email Only. Transactional-only tags are triggered by specific events such as a new booking, a cancellation, or an agreement change, and cannot be used in email blasts.
Note: The tags available on this tab are based on the language selected in the Language field on the General tab. If you update the language on the General tab, the tags displayed here will update accordingly.
For a full breakdown of available tags, see Email Tag Descriptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use any browser to edit my email template?
A: Yes, you can use any browser to create and edit your email templates.
Q: What happens if I don't include the [unsubscribe] or [content] tags?
A: These two tags are required in every template. Missing them can cause the template to not function correctly and may affect your ability to send compliant email communications.
Q: Can I use my custom template for email blasts?
A: Yes, on the General tab, simply check the Using This Template for Email Blasts box. This makes the template available to select when sending a blast. Note that templates containing Transactional Email Only tags will not be compatible with blasts.
Q: What's the difference between a transactional email and an email blast?
A: A transactional email is sent automatically in response to a specific event, like a new booking, a cancellation, or an agreement update. An email blast is a manually sent message to a selected group of members. Some tags are only available for transactional emails and cannot be used in blasts.