Campaigns gives you two ways to build an email, and each is good at a different job. This article helps you pick the right one so your message lands the way you intend.
Simple editor — a fast, text-first composer. Best for short, personal, timely messages.
Visual editor — a drag-and-drop builder for designed, branded emails. Best for newsletters and engagement content.
For step-by-step instructions on the Visual editor, see Campaigns: Build an Email with the Visual Editor.
Quick Comparison
| Simple Editor | Visual Editor |
Feels Like | A personal, 1:1 note | A designed newsletter or announcement |
Best For | Quick, converting messages | Engagement & brand-building content |
Great With | One-time sends, time-sensitive offers | Automated campaigns, ongoing series |
Content Style | Short, direct, "act now" | Helpful, visual, top-of-mind |
Build Effort | Fast — just type | A little more setup — drag, style, arrange |
When to use the Simple Editor
Reach for the Simple Editor when the goal is a quick conversion, and you want the email to feel like a personal, one-to-one message from you to the customer.
It shines for:
Time-sensitive offers and deals — "$50 off drain cleaning this week only."
Short, direct asks — booking a seasonal tune-up, filling a slow week, rebooking a past customer.
A personal touch — messages that read as if they came straight from the owner, not a marketing department.
Because these emails are about acting now, they work best when they're brief, specific, and lead with the offer or the reason to book today. A plain, personal-looking email often converts better here than a heavily designed one — it feels timely and human.
Rule of thumb: If the email has a deadline or a deal and you want a click today, use the Simple editor.
When to use the Visual editor
Reach for the Visual editor when the goal is engagement and staying top-of-mind — content your customers are glad to receive even when they don't need to book anything right now.
It shines for:
Newsletters — seasonal tips, "what to check before winter," maintenance reminders.
Branded, designed emails — polished layouts with your logo, images, and a Book Now button.
Automated campaigns — recurring, engagement-style series that run on their own over time.
This is where a designed, visual layout earns its keep: the content is meant to be read and remembered, not just clicked once.
The Strategy: use automated, engagement-style campaigns to stay top-of-mind
Here's the most valuable way to use the Visual editor: set up engagement-style automated campaigns that keep you in front of your customers over time.
Most home-service work isn't planned — a pipe bursts, a system fails, a home needs a major repair. When that moment hits, the customer calls whoever they thought of first. Your job between service visits is to be that company.
Engagement content does that quietly and consistently. The best of it is:
Useful, not salesy. Seasonal maintenance tips, "how to spot an early warning sign," simple homeowner checklists. Lead with genuine value.
Less company/sales-centric. These emails build trust and familiarity rather than pushing a deal. Save the hard "act now" pitch for your Simple-editor offer sends.
Consistent and automated. Set it up once as an automated campaign and let it run, so you stay top-of-mind month after month without extra work.
When you pair the two approaches, they reinforce each other: engagement emails (Visual editor) keep you remembered, and timely offers (Simple editor) convert that goodwill into booked jobs when the moment is right.
One thing to decide up front
You can switch between the two editors, but switching clears your current email — content can't be carried from one editor to the other. So choose the editor that fits the email before you start building. If you're creating engagement or newsletter content, start in the Visual editor (pick a design); if you're sending a quick, timely offer, stay in the Simple editor.
See Campaigns: Build an Email with the Visual Editor for how switching works.
Quick decision guide
Sending a deal or a "book now" message? → Simple editor
Sending a newsletter, tips, or seasonal content? → Visual editor
Setting up an automated, recurring campaign to stay top-of-mind? → Visual editor
Want it to feel like a personal note from you? → Simple editor
Want it branded and designed? → Visual editor
Need help or have questions?
We're here for you! Chat with Support using the Blue Chat Bubble in your Housecall Pro account, or give us a call at 858-842-5746.