tips

Understanding HTML e-mails

We are often asked to design and code HTML e-mails, also known as e-newsletters. It seems as if they are becoming just as necessary as having a website, and they are another means of communicating with members, clients, subscribers or customers. Although creation of these e-mails requires much of the same expertise as web design, you don't want to just hire anyone who does web design to create your e-mails. You need a creative design, and you need someone who understands that HTML e-mails are different from coding a web page. E-mail browsers and Internet service providers (or filters) may strip out images and interpret the HTML much differently from a web browser, leaving your e-mail empty, unreadable or disheveled. Understanding these issues is vital in getting your message as you intended to the recipient.

Content

Keeping up with writing the content for e-newsletters can be a lot of work, and many organizations do not have the staff for this. We can connect you with writers of different backgrounds, if that's your case. But a short message, reminder or offer to your subscribers can be a nice touch too if you don't have a lot of content.

Getting them out

If you already have an e-newsletter, you may be sending it out via your organization's server or through an e-news service, such as Constant Contact or MailChimp. We highly recommend using a service because of the ease in managing subscriber lists (and subscribers can update their information themselves), and tracking open, click and forward rates. These features help you understand the recipient and their needs. Some services provide discounts to nonprofits, some charge by the size of your subscriber list and some charge by the number of e-mails sent out each month. There are several reputable providers who have low fees.

Gathering feedback

Depending on your needs, you may also want to consider e-surveys. These can be custom designed, or you can choose from predesigned layouts and questions provided by some e-news services. Surveys are a quick and easy way to get feedback from your members, clients, subscribers or customers. They'll probably appreciate it too!

View some of our e-newsletter designs here.