Email Newsletters

Extension has free access to the email newsletter platform Trellis Marketing Cloud, which is supported by the UITS-Trellis team and ALVSCE Marketing and Communications.

Three permission levels are available:

• Marketing Cloud Content Creator - Can create, edit and test emails. Can’t send emails to subscriber lists

• Marketing Cloud Email Manager - All above permissions and can send emails to subscriber lists. Can’t manage subscriber lists

• Marketing Cloud Power User - All above permissions and can manage subscriber lists.

A UA Net ID and access to an @arizona.edu email address are required to get access.

1. Email Sandy Lopez sandyg@arizona.edu requesting access to Trellis. In the email include:

   1. Program name and affiliations (Cooperative Extension, Experiment Station, school within CALES)

   2. Name, email and permission level of those needing access

2. Sandy will submit your request to AccessFlow.

3. Look out for emails with links to Edge Learning modules you need to complete before being added to Trellis Marketing Cloud. These include:

   • Trellis Terms of Service – Course ID 0000014582

   • Information Security Training – Course ID 332

   • FERPA Training for Staff – Course ID 0000003270 (You might be assigned several FERPA training courses. You only need to complete the one listed).

4. It typically takes the UITS-Trellis Team about 2 weeks to assign access once all Edge Learning modules have been completed.

5. Look for a welcome email from the UITS-Trellis Team which contains a range of helpful resources and links for getting started with Trellis.

• Establish a plan for your newsletter and how it works with the other ways you communication

  • Set goals: List out specific purposes for why you are starting your newsletter and how your newsletter will benefit your audience.

  • Audience: Identify their interests, preferences, and what kind of content they’re most likely to read. Look at other newsletters for inspiration.

  • Plan content: Organize topics, themes, content ideas and publications dates for your newsletter.

    • Think about upcoming events, common questions, important seasonal themes of your program and more.

    • Read the article Newsletter Calendars for the basics of creating a content calendar.

• Brainstorm other places to share your newsletter content like on social media, your website, articles for a newspaper, etc.

• Establish workflows for different newsletters tasks.

  • What’s the process for collecting content for each issue?

  • Who needs to review the newsletter before it goes out? It’s recommended that a the person submitting content ensures that links, photos and text are correct.

  • Set deadlines for content submission, review and publication of each issue.

  • How will you share the content outside your newsletter? Where will you put content on the Cooperative Extension website?

1. Download the Newsletter Subscriber Template, adding first name, last name and email address into the spreadsheet.

   • First name, last name and email address are required for every contact on your list.

   • Leave NetID blank. Do not delete any column headings.

2. Submit your list to Sandy Lopez sandyg@arizona.edu.

   • Include your Excel file file and the name of your newsletter.

   • You’ll receive a QR code and shortened link to your newsletter signup page.

Email Sandy Lopez sandyg@arizona.edu requesting a new subscriber list and the name of your newsletter or list. Sandy will work with you to create a signup link and QR code to share so you can start building your subscriber list.

Your welcome email from the UITS-Trellis Team includes the following resources. You can also visit their help page.

• Trellis Marketing Cloud login page.

• Marketing Cloud topical videos - Follow along with these shorter (10min or less) tutorials on Contact Import, navigating Data Extensions, customizing modules in Content Builder, etc.

• Recurring Training Sessions - Navigate to the Trellis calendar and register for a Marketing Cloud Content Builder Training or Best Practices Workshop (check out the descriptions to determine what is relevant) that works for your availability. These are open to all Marketing Cloud users, and are not necessarily specific to you.

• Teams Channel - monitored by the Trellis team, this is a great place to ask questions and see what other users are working on in Trellis.

• WhatFix Browser Extension- Download the new in-app guidance system for Trellis/Marketing Cloud. Our documentation and step-by-step guides will be integrated into your webpage with a moveable “self help” tab.

The UITS Team has also created an extensive library of training materials available on the UITS-Trellis SharePoint. Suggested resources to start with include (updated 12/11/2023):

• Intro to Marketing Cloud Homepage and Navigation

• Creating and sending an email in Trellis Marketing Cloud

• How to Use Templates and Modules in Marketing Cloud

• Marketing Cloud Email Send Checklist

• Email Reporting Basics in Marketing Cloud