Online Email Marketing: Top 7 Professional Formatting Techniques

by

Michael A. Jones

Your online email marketing campaigns can flounder over something as simple as formatting.

Is your email easy on the eyes, easy to read?

Use these 7 key points to ensure your emails have a high readability rating:

1. Format the text lines between 55 and 65 characters. Anything more makes it harder to read and can give the message a ragged look if the recipient’s email program is configured differently.

2. Use only short paragraphs with plenty of space in between. Hit the Enter key twice between paragraphs so your email is easy to read and absorb.

3. If listing an email address or a URL, put it at the beginning of a new line. It is much easier for the recipient to see and use. (Example: See the style of the Resource Box below)

4. Use the Reply button to answer email. The previous message is then included so the recipient has the background immediately available. The > symbol appears on each line of the previous message. Insert your comments or answers under the relevant block of text.

5. Use CAPITALS only for effect, to emphasize key words or phrases. Do not write blocks of text in capitals.

6. Use exclamation marks judiciously. Emphasizing statements with !!!!!! cheapens and lessens rather than adding serious emphasis.

7. Avoid the use of fancy fonts and colors unless you know definitely the recipients are using HTML enabled email software. Although HTML formatted email is now quite common, a huge base of users still use plain text.

Punctuation marks used discreetly and correctly can really add power to your emails. Check Michaels punctuation guide:

about-goal-setting.com/punctuation-guide.html

Free email tutorial:

vitalstop.com/Business/autoresponders.html

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