Preparing your message
To send a message, select "EMAIL > NEW" and create a new message. You can create an HTML message from scratch, load one from a template, or upload your own message template. You can then review and edit the message using the built-in HTML editor.
Uploading your own HTML message
Using the "New From File" feature, you can load a message created outside the console directly (e.g. using an HTML editor such as Adobe® Dreamweaver®). Then, if needed, you can edit it in the message editing window. Since the built-in HTML editor does not offer advanced features to handle Cascading Style Sheets, designing the message in an external HTML editor can be especially useful if you make extensive use of CSS. If you use Cascading Style Sheets, however, remember that not all e-mail clients offer the same support for CSS (e.g. background images are not supported in Outlook 2007, among other things) and that typically external CSS documents are not supported. All CSS style need to be defined inside the message.
Brief notes about sending a successful message
Once you are ready to send the message:
- Always send the message to a Test group first. Unless you do so, it's impossible for you to verify that tracked links and the unsubscribe to link work.
- Insert an automatic unsubscribe link into any newsletter by using the "Uns" button in the HTML editor (New From File). The system will add a [http://[unsubscribe]/|http://unsubscribe/] link to the which will be dynamically activated during the delivery of the message.message.
- Automated Tracking: You can also track all links that exist in your message by using the "Automatic Link Tracking" setting at the bottom under Advanced Options. Technically speaking, the string "[track]" is added to the URL. So http://www.myWebSite.com would become http://\[track\]www.myWebSite.com – As mentioned above, these links WILL NOT WORK in the message preview window, because of the "[track]" string. They will work only when as a received message. So always add your own email to a test group and send the message to that test group to verify that all links in the message work properly before you send the message to an active recipient list.
- Manual Tracking: If you are using the built-in HTML editor, you can manually add a link using the Insert Link feature in the HTML editor toolbar, and the "Automated Link Tracking" option is turned off. To track the link, click on "Track This Link" in the pop-up window where the link is setup.
- Double check the content of your message in order to avoid it being classified as spam (e.g.: you certainly don't want to add words typically used in SPAM messages in the Subject field). There is a lot of information on the Internet on how to avoid writing messages that end up being considered SPAM.
- By default your messages will include a header and a footer. You can find the contents of the default header and footer under "SETTINGS > SET HEADER" and "SET FOOTER". We recommend that:
- You leave the header "as is". It's a simple link to a Web page that displays the same newsletter in a browser in case the recipient cannot properly view it in his/her e-mail client.
- You add your address and contact information to the footer, and leave the rest "as is". Many countries' consumer privacy regulations require that you include your contact information in your e-mail messages.
- You can add Dynamic Fields (e.g. a customer's name) to the message by using the "Dynamic Tags" option. When the option is turned on, the system will automatically replace the tags you add to your message with the corresponding values. A list of tags is displayed at the bottom. For example, Dear [first name] [last name] could be used.
- Get E-Mail Check-up included in the Message + package. This is the icon presented at the toolbar in Saved Email Messages. E-Mail Check-up takes you through a checklist of items to ensure your email is formatted properly.
