HTML Forum

**World** · 04-07-2009, 12:05 AM

What are the formal necessities for an HTML letter?

I'd like to format it and use images so it looks good.

It's a newsletter regarding my photo business.

Do you just write <html> without the headers?

How about CSS. How do you use it in an email newsletter?

Links welcome!

Thank you.

**Upsilon** · 04-07-2009, 12:25 AM

With many applications there is a WYSIWYG which you obviously can use to select font-face, size, color etc. However in other editors you can manually enter the HTML, problem is many email clients do not support all HTML tags and CSS attributes. For example the HTML client I use does not show background images on DIVs this makes creating HTML emails very diffifult.

hope that helps

**racer x** · 04-07-2009, 10:41 AM

You may want to consider using a email system like http://www.mailchimp.com
(There are many like this) These will track your emails, send them properly, and do much more.

If sending small amounts of mail, depending on the email type you use, you can send html email if it allows rich html settings. Keep in mind that if you mail hundreds of people that your service could consider you a spammer.

CSS is just placed right into the mail itself at the top or inline. You'll have to google sending html email as there are many things to understand.

Good luck.

**LadynRed** · 04-07-2009, 10:49 AM

I would also suggest you start reading the info on html email here - www.campaignmonitor.com

**racer x** · 04-07-2009, 12:48 PM

Forgot about this good article:
http://www.sitepoint.com/article/cod...l-newsletters/

**World** · 04-09-2009, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racer x

Forgot about this good article:
http://www.sitepoint.com/article/cod...l-newsletters/

Thanks for this article.

I tried to use Thunderbird for the Mac, which can send HTML email (Apple Mail can't), but it's a horrible application that either takes 5 minutes to send a simple text mail or crashes. Never got it to work.

Any recommendations?

**World** · 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racer x

You may want to consider using a email system like http://www.mailchimp.com
(There are many like this) These will track your emails, send them properly, and do much more.

If sending small amounts of mail, depending on the email type you use, you can send html email if it allows rich html settings. Keep in mind that if you mail hundreds of people that your service could consider you a spammer.

CSS is just placed right into the mail itself at the top or inline. You'll have to google sending html email as there are many things to understand.

Good luck.

I actually plan to use HTML email to send something like a one-page version of my book to interested parts that I carefully researched and will even contact by phone before sending.

Mailchimp looks like the thing to go. It looks like it is free for low volume users like me.

And you don't need a special email program, but use their software to mail.

**Hallbjörn Ólaf** · 11:58 AM

To create HTML email campaigns in a corporate environment, I use Photoshop/Dreamweaver to create the message - which is really just a webpage with some very restricted coding guidelines applied. I then upload, test and send out the message in bulk through an email marketing service.

**LadynRed** · 05-09-2009, 11:58 AM

And that method presents a problem with the many email clients that BLOCK IMAGES.

**EcommerceNoob** · 05-12-2009, 02:16 AM

I recommend mailchimp.com. they make it very easy to do email marketing and I have used them for years with no problems.

**Avice Parris** · 05-16-2009, 04:29 AM

Hi,

HTML emails are widely used for all kinds of professional correspondence. Beyond email newsletters they're used for all sorts of application-generated messages, such as receipts and confirmations. Styled messages have lots of appeal for marketers, designers and consumers -- but for coders, it's a real headache to create them properly.
Creating an HTML email that looks right to every reader is a job that makes cross-browser testing look easy. What can go wrong? After reaching its final destination, an email could be read using any of a number of standalone email clients (such as Outlook, AOL, and Eudora), and even more Web-based clients (Yahoo, Hotmail, and Gmail to name a few). Each of these email clients displays your HTML email message a little bit differently, so ensuring that your message displays correctly can be a daunting task.

**HivelocityDD** · 05-17-2009, 09:08 AM

Yes mailchimp.com is really good at it

**yangyang** · 05-18-2009, 08:23 AM

You can send HTML mails via the PHP mail() function, but to create and send HTML code, you have to explicitly set the headers to text/html instead of text/plain.

**World** · 05-20-2009, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yangyang

You can send HTML mails via the PHP mail() function, but to create and send HTML code, you have to explicitly set the headers to text/html instead of text/plain.

Sorry, I don't know anything about php.

**harish** · 05-21-2009, 02:58 AM

Code:

<

Code:

CENTER> <FORM METHOD=POST ACTION="mailto:someone@$nailmail.com" ENCTYPE="text/plain"> <INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="username"> : name <BR> <INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="email"> : email <BR> comments <BR> <TEXTAREA NAME="COMMENTS" ROWS="10" WRAP="hard"> </TEXTAREA> <INPUT NAME="redirect" TYPE="hidden" VALUE="index.html"> <INPUT NAME="NEXT_URL" TYPE="hidden" VALUE="index.html"> <BR> <INPUT TYPE="submit" VALUE="Send"> <INPUT TYPE="reset" VALUE="Clear"> </FORM> </CENTER>

**btidy** · 05-21-2009, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racer x

You may want to consider using a email system like http://www.mailchimp.com
(There are many like this) These will track your emails, send them properly, and do much more......

Thanks racer, I just signed up.
I think it helps me with my job

**netingredient** · 05-24-2009, 05:21 AM

While creating and sending a lot of HTML e-mails (mainly newsletters) i realized that the simplest way to meet all email clients requirements for receiving HTML e-mails is to use tables and apply inline CSS.

It doesn't matter what tools you use to create it or send it, but the tools the user use to receive it, and almost all mail clients know to interpret correctly simple HTML tables and inline CSS. Start the email with "<table widt..." and end it with "</table>"

**Brian07002** · 05-24-2009, 09:14 AM

Use an editor (of your choice) paste the code into your favorite email program making sure html code is enabled.

Hth

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