Sending Custom Messages with Bloomerang Volunteer

The send message pop-up within Bloomerang Volunteer provides Managers with a host of features to customize their communications to their users. Ensuring that your staff/volunteers open and read any messages is essential for Admins and Volunteer Coordinators.

Sender Information:

The first step in creating custom email messages is to validate a sender email. By default, the system will send out all messages from a do-not-reply address that does not allow users to reply and communicate back to the sender. By navigating to the Email Communications tab at either the Organization or Opportunity level, the Manager can validate their email address to be used as a sender. In doing this, the Manager's email address can now be selected as the sender, and therefore the users that receive the message can reply with any questions or responses.

Another essential component of the sender information that can be customized is the sender name that appears when someone receives the email and the subject line. Both of these fields can be left with a default, such as Org or Opportunity name, or the Manager can create a completely custom sender name and subject to fit the reason and messaging behind the email.   

Message Body:

The message pop-up within Bloomerang Volunteer has a rich text editor (RTE) that allows managers to edit the text within their messages and add images and links. The RTE enables you to change the font, size, and formatting of the text in the email. You can also link out from any text or image that you add to the email body.

Personalization Fields & Special Links: 

While creating your message, you can take advantage of the Personalization Fields and Special Links that are available to insert specific User, Organization, or Opportunity data. There are two dropdowns in the RTE, the first one contains all the Special Links, and the other has all the Personalization Fields. If you are creating the message from within a specific Opportunity, any Opportunity Personalization Fields will be in the context of that Opportunity. If you enter them at the Organization level, you will be prompted to select the Opportunity you want to have those fields be populated with.

These fields and links are beneficial if you are looking to send out a message to several users or if you are looking to create a template that can be easily used over and over again as needed.

Templates:

If you have created a message that you want to save and use again, you can save it as a Template. After entering all the information into the message body, setting the sender name, email, etc., you can choose to keep the message you have just created as a template. To save a template, you can select the "Save as New" button in the Template section on the right side of the message pop-up. This will keep everything within the message, including the subject line and sender name.

To access any previously saved templates, you will use the "Select a Template" button from the same Template area. This will display any public/private templates you have created and public templates that any other manager in your Organization has created and saved as public.

Previews:

Once you have gone through and added all the text, Special Links, and Personalization Fields that you want to include in your invitation email, it is always best to preview the message. And send yourself a test to ensure everything is how you planned it. When looking at the preview, you can see what the email will look like on a desktop, tablet, or mobile phone and select from the list of recipients to see the email with Personalization Fields filled out.