Email marketing is one of the most powerful marketing tools available to businesses of all types and sizes.  It is inexpensive and has been known to be 20 times more cost effective than direct mail. But delivering your message can be tricky. With all the different email clients on the market today (Outlook, Thunderbird, Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL etc.), you have to make sure you design your email so that it’s compatible across the board.

Without overwhelming you with all the requirements/details of each email client, below I list a few simple tips you can start using today that can assure you that your email has a chance of being read on any email client.

• Keep it simple

I would argue that this is probably the best approach to designing anything. Less is more. Whether you’re designing a website, promotional email or even an email newsletter - keep it simple. Keeping your design simple, using less code, being clear in your message will offer you the best chance of your email being read, regardless of the email client (either on PC or mobile device).

You can really say more with less. In addition, people really don’t have time to read through long emails. Your headline or subject line should give the end user everything they need to know. Follow your headline with clear, easy to read paragraphs (I would say no more than three) and use simple graphics (right aligned). Just keep it simple. Remember, simple is safe. And with all the various email restrictions out there, you’re better safe than sorry.

• Keep graphics to a minimum

Graphics are great, but keep them to a minimum. Many email clients today have images turned-off by default. It’s a great security measure for the user but a pain for marketers when they want to get their brand message across. The best approach is to keep it simple and stick to no more than three graphics in your email. One, for your logo/header, and possibly one to two graphics within the body.

A few other tips on using graphics - you shouldn’t use graphics for important information such as headlines or key messages. Also, test your email and make sure that the main point in your message can be read if images are turned off.

• Always provide a link to a web version of your email

You’ve probably seen this before where there’s a link at the top of an email that reads something like this: If you have trouble reading this email, please click here. This is a must have!

Sometimes your email design isn’t that simple, but quite informative and packed with tons of information (such as a monthly newsletter). And with the various email clients and restrictions, your email design for whatever reason may not display properly. So linking to a web version of your email allows every recipient on any email client (PC or mobile device) the chance to read and view a complete web version email in it’s entirety within their default web browser.

There’s a ton of information out there to learn on email marketing. Lot’s of valuable stuff to discuss another day. But for now, using these simple tips in designing your next email will assure you that your message has the best chance of being read.

If you are currently running an email marketing campaign or looking to start and are in need of assistance, simply send me an email. I would be glad to discuss your project in more detail.