Simple email construction 'the safest policy'

Simplicity is sometimes the best approach when it comes to email marketing messages, it has been claimed.

According to technology entrepreneur Brendan Lewis, firms should exercise great care when forming HTML email newsletters and other related correspondence.

Writing in a column for SmartCompany, he said that while the language can allow firms to form "pretty" newsletters, it is important not to get carried away.

Just as web pages can appear differently to viewers depending on the browser they are using…email formats can also make things appear differently, he explained.

Mr Lewis suggested using basic HTML for newsletters because it is easier to control the final appearance, while he also urged against embedding images.

"[These] dramatically increase the size of your mail out (plus slow it down) and increase the chance that things will go wrong," he added.

Douglas Quenqua recently told DMNews.com that the majority of firms are now aware of the benefits of email marketing.

Written by Debra Hastings-Henry