INTRODUCTION
Feature Summary: CourtReserve's email design tools (found under Members > Bulk Email) include a drag-and-drop editor that lets you build and save email templates.
A starter template is a blank-but-structured layout you set up once — with a title block, content sections, divider lines, a sign-off, and social media links — so every future email starts from a consistent foundation instead of a blank page.
Use Cases
Any organization that wants a consistent look and feel across all outgoing emails
Monthly newsletters sent to all members
Recurring event announcements that follow the same format
Prefer a visual walk-through? Watch the design portion of the Email Campaigns tutorial video here.
Creating a Starter Template
A starter template is a great way to establish a consistent foundation for all your outgoing emails. Once built, simply open the template, update the text, links, and any event-specific details — your structure, branding, and layout are already in place, saving you time every time you hit send.
Step 1: Name and Create Your Template
Go to Members > Bulk Email, then select Templates. Click Create Template, enter a name (e.g., "Basic Email Template"), and click Save. Once saved, changes are saved automatically as you build.
Step 2: Open the Email Builder
From the template detail screen, click Design Template to open the Email Builder.
You'll see a canvas in the center and three tabs on the right: Content, Rows, and Settings.
Step 3: Add a Content Row First
Every section of your email lives inside a row. Go to the Content tab and drag a layout onto the canvas. For a starter template with basic text, a single full-width Paragraph row works well for each section.
Tip: Add one row per section — this makes it easy to reorder or delete sections later.
Each row is a blank canvas — click into it to add your text, images, buttons, and more.
Once you click inside the row, and use the controls under the row or on the right of the screen to adjust text size, color, alignment, and more.
Step 4: Drag in Your Content Blocks
With a row in place, go to the Content tab and drag content blocks into it. A typical starter template includes:
Title — Your email headline. Automatically displays in larger, bold text.
Divider — A horizontal line to separate sections and improve readability.
Paragraph — Your main message area. Add one (or more) for body copy.
Divider — Add a second divider before your sign-off.
Paragraph — Your sign-off block (e.g., "Thanks, [Your Name] at [Org Name]").
Social — Drag in the Social block to add links to Facebook, Instagram, and more. Delete any icons you don't use.
Step 5: Reorder Rows as Needed
If a block ends up in the wrong place, hover over it until the drag handle appears, then click and drag it to the correct position. This works for all content blocks and rows.
To remove anything that doesn't belong, click the trash icon on that block.
Step 6: Preview on Desktop and Mobile
Before saving, use the preview toggle icons in the upper left of the Email Builder to switch between desktop and mobile views. This ensures your layout looks correct on both — especially useful for multi-column rows or image-heavy sections that may reflow on smaller screens.
Step 7: Save Your Template
When the layout looks right, click Save in the upper right. Your starter template is now ready to select any time you compose a new bulk email.
How to Access Your Template
Once your starter template is saved, putting it to work is straightforward. The next time you're ready to send a bulk email, here's how to apply it:
Go to Members > Bulk Email and create a new email.
Complete the To, From, and Subject Line steps, then click Design Email.
When prompted, select Select Template and choose your saved template from the dropdown — for example, "Basic Email Template" or "Membership Specials Template."
Your layout loads with all rows and content blocks already in place. Click into each section to update the text, links, and any details specific to that send.
When finished, preview on desktop and mobile, then save and send.
Tip: Your starter template is never altered when you use it for a new email — it always stays intact as your starting point.
Example: Pickleball Club Starter Template
Here's what a finished starter template might look like, row by row:
Row | Content Type | What Goes Here |
Row 1 | Title | North Star Pickleball Club — the club name as a consistent header on every email |
Row 2 | Divider | A clean horizontal line to separate the header from the body |
Row 3 | Paragraph | Membership Specials — a placeholder section for current promotions, renewal reminders, or member-only offers |
Row 4 | Paragraph | Upcoming Open Plays — a placeholder section to list scheduled open play dates, times, and any registration notes |
Row 5 | Social | Facebook, Instagram, and any other active social profiles — delete icons for platforms you don't use |
Row 6 | Image + Paragraph | Club logo followed by a closing line, such as "See you on the court — the North Star Pickleball Club team" |
When you open this template to compose a new email, all of the structure is already in place. Just click into each paragraph block, update the content for that send, and go.
Additional Resources
For a visual of the drag-and-drop design, see the video here.
This CourtReserve webinar provides helpful insight and design examples.
To learn more about email design and the available tools, see Bulk Email: Email Builder Design Tools