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Beginners Guide for Designing That Pretty, Colorful Email
By June Campbell
©2004 All Rights Reserved
Increasingly, business people are sending graphic (or HTML) email messages resplendent with images, colored fonts and brilliant backgrounds. They perceive this email as interesting, attractive and fun.
Alternatively, other business people are opting not to use HTML email because of the drawbacks. HTML email uses more bandwidth than the plain kind. Therefore, the download is longer. If you receive 3-4 emails a day, this isn't much of a problem. However, anyone who has been doing business on the Net for awhile typically receives hundreds of emails daily. If several are HTML messages, the download time is considerable. Users with dial-up connections are the hardest hit and are unlikely to look favorably upon your pretty missives. Secondly, many people are using older email programs that won't display HTML email. When they open your HTML email, they will see garbled coding.
If you do opt to use HTML email for your business messages, keep in mind that good design is essential. A badly designed email message is as off-putting as a badly designed web site (and we have all seen plenty of those!) What's more, poorly designed HTML email is more glaringly obvious than is poorly designed text email.
Consider these design tips:
1.Think readability. It might be pretty, but if the reader can't see it, you've defeated your purpose. Red fonts against a pink background to advertise your Valentine's Day sale -- POOR idea!
2. Minimize the glare. A recently received email contained turquoise fonts covered with a lime green highlight. Ouch!
3. Use images sparingly. These images are bandwidth hogs. They take up much more bandwidth (and hence increase the download time) than text emails. If you're going to use images, make sure they are small -- both in dimensions and in the total number of bites.
4. Be original. A lot of business email messages are arriving with Outlook Express packaged stationery used for the background. Ivy and Tiki Express appear to be particular favorites. Using these pre-packaged backgrounds sends the message that you are inexperienced, and that's not the message you want to send. If you plan on using stationery, create your own. Outlook allows you to use images other than the ones that they have provided.
5. Avoid using all capitals. In the Internet world, writing in all-caps is called shouting. All-caps send the message that you are inexperienced or that you are flaming. (Flames are hostile messages that are often sent in capital letters to indicate the sender's anger). Moreover, messages sent in all capitals are difficult to read -- especially brightly colored messages against an even brighter colored background!
6. Use short lines , of 55-66 characters. Email messages that stretch the width of the screen are difficult to read and unpleasant to view. Remember that the email will display differently on the recipient's computer than it does on yours. For example, Eudora Pro allows you to choose the size of your email-viewing window. When you create a message, you will see it in whatever size window you have set up. BUT your recipient is likely to be using different software or to have the windows set at a different size. Most email software has a feature that allows you to wrap the text at approximately 55-66 characters. By wrapping, you know how wide your email will be when others receive it.
7. Use standard fonts , that are installed on most computers. That wonderful font that you downloaded from FreeStuff.com will display nicely on your computer. However, the recipient's computer will discern that your great freebie font is not installed, and it will substitute another. To be sure you know what your message will look like when opened, play it safe with choices like Times, Times New Roman and Arial.
And lastly, no unsolicited file attachments. Ever. Please.
JUNE CAMPBELL'S
writing has appeared in various international publications. Visit her on the web for articles, a FREE gift, or for how-to booklets on writing a business proposal, developing a business plan, developing a joint venture contract and more
http://www.nightcats.com
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