Learn How to Send HTML Email Newsletters

Keeping in contact with your clients is crucial. The low key, no pressure and simple method of sending an email newsletter - sometimes called an ezine - is an excellent contact tool. Take your business into the next stage of customer communications. Learn how to send HTML email newsletters - graphic greetings and up to date info for your clientele.

Varying Email Software

Understand that people read emails through various software. Thunderbird, Outlook and AOL are some desktop versions. Online versions include Google Mail, Hotmail and Yahoo! among others. Each of those tools has different ways of displaying your email newsletter. Take that into account when designing your message. Never use JavaScript - most software will disable it.

Layout Choices

Start with an HTML table. Choose either a single column or two column layout. Often the two column format works better with a newsletter as it provides room for links and features that run vertically. Otherwise, those have to be placed in a header above the single column, which houses the body content.

Place the most important information in the top left of your email. This is where people look first. Have the meat of the message visible immediately.

Consider how the newsletter will look without the images. Many of the email reading software will have images blocked as a default.

Content To Include

Start with the "From" address. Make sure it is a person's name, not a blank or generic email address.

Choose a catchy subject line. Hook them from their Inbox.

Incorporate an identifier and an opt out phrase into the opening. "You are receiving this email because you…" and "Unsubscribe options are available at the end of the message." Be sure to include them in the footer.

Ask receivers to add the "From" address to their contact list to deter being blocked as spam. Include a link to the web-based version of the same message - posted on your site.

Test It Well

Check if the email displays well in Firefox and Internet Explorer 6.

Have test accounts that use all of the major email reading software. Check your recipient list. If there are Yahoo! users on it, set up a Yahoo! test account. Send the newsletter out to each of your test accounts and check for discrepancies.

Check for the perceived level of spam with tools like Spam Check.

Create and Send

Create killer content that will inform, inspire and hook your client. Leave them wanting more. Promise to be back again next issue.

Knowing the basics of how to send HTML email newsletters will allow you to utilize this powerful tool. Get on it and get out there.