| You have realized your current email newsletter isn't | | | | So now I can easily edit my HTML email right? |
| really doing you any favors, and have made the | | | | Wrong. The two methods of creating emails within |
| executive decision to find a professional designer to | | | | your Email Marketing Service are not interchangeable, |
| make you a newsletter that will help your email | | | | so if you paste in HTML code you will not be able to |
| marketing efforts as opposed to hindering them. | | | | use the Email Marketing Service's editor to change |
| Great!....but before you hire a designer there are a few | | | | your email, so you're right back at square 1! |
| things you need to think about first. | | | | So how do I get a professionally designed, AND |
| Is this a one-off newsletter? Or do I want a template | | | | reusable marketing email |
| to use again and again? | | | | Find an email designer who will build you an email |
| This is probably the most important question. If a | | | | template WITHIN your Email Marketing Service |
| designer is asked to create you an HTML email | | | | account and before you hire them make sure they |
| newsletter then that's exactly what you will get. They | | | | have experience with your particular Email Marketing |
| will hand over the HTML code on completion and you | | | | Service. They are all different, and designing an email |
| will send it out to your contact list. All that's fine, but | | | | within any of them is a very different process to |
| what happens when the following week you want to | | | | coding an external HTML email. Make sure you view |
| send out another newsletter? If you're a coding whiz | | | | examples from their portfolio that prove they have a |
| then no problem, you will just load up the HTML code | | | | firm grasp of the editing environment of your Email |
| and put in your new content! The problem comes | | | | Marketing Service. Once the Email is in your account |
| when you're not comfortable tinkering about in HTML | | | | you will be able to make a copy of it each time you |
| code. Your designer isn't gong to put in your new | | | | want to send out a new edition and add your new |
| content free of charge so unless you're happy paying | | | | content within the editing environment of your Email |
| them to edit your newsletter every time you want to | | | | Marketing Service. This way you won't have to touch |
| send one out then you may need to rethink your | | | | a single line of HTML code. |
| approach. | | | | So why don't I just use my Email Marketing Service's |
| What if I use an Email Marketing Service? | | | | templates? Do I even need a designer? |
| Using an Email Marketing Service such as Mailchimp, | | | | The templates provided are very generic, and although |
| Vertical Response or Constant Contact is always a | | | | you can certainly add your own content, links and |
| great idea and if you are serious about email | | | | images fairly easily you probably won't be able to |
| marketing you probably already have an account with | | | | achieve a highly polished and professional email that |
| one of them, however the same issue applies with | | | | will stand out among the thousands of emails that your |
| externally created HTML emails. All these services | | | | mailing list collectively receives each day. A good email |
| offer two different ways to create email newsletters, | | | | designer is worth their weight in gold when it comes to |
| the first is to start with one of their existing templates | | | | capturing the attention of your readers, increasing your |
| and using their online editor, adapt it to your needs, OR | | | | click-through rate, and properly reflecting your branding |
| you can paste in the HTML code your designer gave | | | | into the design of your email. |
| you. | | | | |