Monday, February 26, 2007

Best Practices – HTML Email

Provide the Administration Center in Your Email: The practice of putting the Administration center in your HTML Email connects your subscribers to you and helps to distinguish you from the plethora of other mails that your potential subscriber might be getting. An unsubscribe link and link to your privacy policy should also be included in HTML email template.

Provide Search Function: Include a site search function in your HTML email. This allows the subscriber to search for your products, services and any other company information that he or she might be looking for directly from the HTML Email. This way the potential subscriber acquires direct access to your web site.

Forward to Friend link: Including a “forward to friend” link in your HTML email design is more practical then including messages asking your subscribers to forward your message to friends. This link sends a request through your server and helps you to track the person who is forwarding your message.

Link to Web Version: Certain clients’ email environments block images or are incapable of reading your Html email properly. As a result, it becomes difficult for the client as well to read the HTML email. To sort this problem out, create a web version of your HTML email newsletter and provide a link in your message.

Provide Email Address: Certain potential subscribers might have some doubts or query regarding your product or services before they take the decision to actually subscribe to your product or services. It’s, thus, important to cater to their query; else it will stain your reputation as a company and will create a bad impression about you in your potential subscribers’ minds. Hence, it’s recommended to include your email address in your HTML email so that they can send their queries directly to you.

Contact Information
: Include your contact details such as telephone or cell number in your HTML email design so as to enable your client or buyer to contact you directly.

Add to Sender Recipient List: If your email id is not present in the recipient’s address book, your emails will move to the trash or spam folder or may even get blocked by the spam filter. Hence, add some line like” To ensure this email is delivered to your inbox, please add the email address” at the top of your HTML Email. It is an indispensable step in getting your emails into the recipient’s inbox.