Email marketing is a powerful tool for reaching potential clients. At G.J. Gardner Homes, we use Gmail's Layouts and Mail Merge features to create professional, branded emails that comply with local privacy regulations. This guide will walk you through the process of creating and sending bulk emails using these tools.
1. Create a Mail Merge Audience Spreadsheet
Before crafting your email, prepare your audience data:
Navigate to GJS and click "Go To" in the top right corner, then select "Reports".
Choose "Sales", then "Client Merge Export".
Set your filters:
Select by "Sales Person"
Choose "Priority" (A, B, or C)
Select ‘marketing opt in only’
Tick "Select all" and click "Apply".
Export the data as Excel or CSV using the export icon.
Upload the CSV to Google Drive and open it as a Google Sheet.
Tip: You can refine this data before proceeding to the next steps.
2. Set Up Mail Merge in Gmail
Follow these steps to set up your email using Mail Merge:
In Gmail, start a new email.
Add your Mail Merge spreadsheet by clicking the "+" next to the BCC field.
When Mail Merge is selected:
The Gmail layout turns purple
An unsubscribe button appears at the bottom of the email
Note: Do not remove the unsubscribe button. It protects you from spam labels and ensures compliance with privacy regulations for bulk emails.
Select the relevant columns from your spreadsheet (e.g., email, first name) and click "Save".
Note: Do not BCC yourself in the email or you will receive a copy of every email sent.
3. Apply G.J. Gardner Homes Branding Using Gmail Layouts
Ensure your email reflects our brand using Gmail Layouts:
Compose a new email.
Click the Email Layouts icon.
Select "Default Styling" in the Layouts options.
Click “Upload a logo” and use the G.J. Gardner Homes horizontal logo.
Note: Right click and Save As the logo below to upload it.Choose a colour palette and select black.
Choose your primary font and select "Sans Serif".
In the “Footer details” section, add your office name, address and phone number (keep it simple to encourage clicks on your call-to-action buttons).
In the “Links” section include links to your social media profiles and office landing page.
4. Choose and Personalise a G.J.'s Template
We have pre-designed templates to maintain consistency:
Select one of the following templates:
Personalise the template with information about your office.
Add relevant links to your website, content, social media pages, or events.
Important: Send a test email to your Marketing Advisor and a colleague before sending any mail merge emails. Your Marketing Advisor will check for grammar, links, branding, formatting, and compliance.
Note: Please do not create new templates. If you need a specific email structure, ask your Marketing Advisor for a new template.
5. Send Your Mail Merge Email
Once your email is ready and approved:
Double-check all Mail Merge fields are correctly populated.
Ensure the Layout is properly applied and looks good on different devices.
Click "Send" to distribute your email to the entire list.
Parameters and Considerations
Keep these points in mind:
Gmail sending limits:
Add up to 1,500 recipients in the "To" line per message
Send to a maximum of 1,500 recipients per day
With mail merge on, you can send one message to 1,000 recipients and another message to 500 recipients (for example)
Branding: The G.J. Gardner Homes logo must be horizontal, and "homes" must be in red.
Compliance: When you turn on mail merge, a unique unsubscribe link is automatically added to the bottom of each email. Recipients can use this link to unsubscribe or resubscribe to your emails.
Approvals: Get your Marketing Advisor's approval before sending bulk emails
Mail Merge: Verify that all personalised fields (e.g., @firstname) are working correctly
Helpful Resources
By following this guide, you'll create professional, compliant emails that effectively reach your audience while maintaining the G.J. Gardner Homes brand standards. The combination of Gmail's Layouts and Mail Merge features allows for personalised, visually appealing emails at scale.