What Are Email Templates?
Email templates can be used as an additional message platform for any of your scheduled messages to ensure your guests receive any necessary information.
Akia Tip: You can preview an email template in the Action Variants section, click Test Run, and change the platform to Email.
![Clicking on any scheduled message will bring up the sidebar where you can test-run your action variant.](https://www.notion.so/image/https%3A%2F%2Fs3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fsecure.notion-static.com%2F94c0b875-9b83-458d-9530-791ea136ba82%2FScreen_Shot_2022-08-02_at_11.11.52_AM.png?table=block&id=198c00a9-ddbd-4536-8007-3da716d57ba5&cache=v2)
How to Create Email Templates
- Click on the lightning bolt at the top of the page and go to the Email Templates section
![Email templates can be found under](https://www.notion.so/image/https%3A%2F%2Fs3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fsecure.notion-static.com%2Fae11bd9e-3e37-4fd8-b520-1d31866080aa%2FScreenshot_2023-07-03_at_2.57.13_PM.png?table=block&id=2047619b-b32b-4c9c-9625-96323507f8d2&cache=v2)
- Click + New Template and add the template name and email subject line
- You also have the option of uploading an HTML template instead of creating one with our editor. Be mindful of Akia’s Message Tokens when creating your template so that you can dynamically show information relevant to the guest!
- Begin writing the email body, and click the six dots to the left of the text to add any elements or change the text formatting like in a Booklet. You are also able to add any Message Tokens to the text, which will customize it based on the guest’s reservation like for scheduled messages.
- Media: add an image to the email
- Components: add a table, link card, or button to encourage guests to go to a website or Mini App
- Format: change the text style
![Email templates are very similar to booklets with their customizable formatting.](https://www.notion.so/image/https%3A%2F%2Fs3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fsecure.notion-static.com%2F4ea334cd-16e7-420e-9659-d8ad769e20dd%2FScreen_Shot_2022-07-26_at_10.53.39_AM.png?table=block&id=16798c31-4263-4d8d-af2b-f259627e3b5c&cache=v2)
- Click Ok to save
Apply an Email Template to a Scheduled Message
- Click on the Scheduled Message you want to edit
- Click on the desired Action Variant
- Go to the Message Platforms section and select Email
- Reorder the platform priority (if applicable) by clicking on the up and down arrows to the right
- Choose the email template you want to use
- Click Ok to save
![After selecting](https://www.notion.so/image/https%3A%2F%2Fs3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fsecure.notion-static.com%2F9d1b7d57-7b25-4041-80b5-7ac8fe3cbfb7%2FScreen_Shot_2022-07-26_at_10.56.32_AM.png?table=block&id=4fcbb7f4-1b21-4e8f-b9d7-13aaa8e25b68&cache=v2)
If you select Use the same message as Text Message, the email will show like this:
![Use the same message as Text Message](https://www.notion.so/image/https%3A%2F%2Fs3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fsecure.notion-static.com%2F1157618c-7174-4af0-b169-8fb4f7049419%2FScreen_Shot_2022-07-26_at_11.04.03_AM.png?table=block&id=55ce3e61-326c-48d0-9e35-ae53e59affb2&cache=v2)
Use Cases
- 📵 Texts Not Being Delivered: If you see that guests aren’t receiving your messages (⚠️ to the right of the message bubble) then an Email template is the perfect backup option to ensure they get the necessary information.
- For all of your scheduled messages, click Email as an additional message platform and Use the same message as Text Message if you don’t want to create new email templates.
- 🧑💼 Online Travel Agent Bookings: Akia does not store OTA phone numbers in the system, so guests who book via these OTAs will not have a valid phone number and will not receive the information without an email fallback.
- ✉️ Promotional Marketing: Send guests a special promotional email to encourage them to visit your property’s facilities.
- SMS Carriers are more likely to filter promotional/marketing messages, so using email templates will bypass carrier filtering.