E-Mail to the Editor

HTML E-Mail and Longer Domain Names

HTML E-Mail

Several people responded to my article "A Marketer's Peek at HTML E-Mail Newsletters," Issue 68, January 1, 2000. http://www.wilsonweb.com/wmt5/html-email-peek.htm

"One of the biggest things that electronic marketers do WRONG is sending out HTML-burdened e-mail. To start with, such HTML-burdened e-mail is generally three to four times larger than the equivalent plain-text version would be.... [It] takes more disk space all along the line. One key point which you apparently fail to get is that e-mail is of such importance and value largely because it is THE cross-platform, UNIVERSAL mechanism which allows EVERYBODY on the Net to communicate. [He points out many devices that display e-mail don't read HTML.]

"I have no problem with HTML ... on WEB PAGES, where it belongs. I think it's interesting (and a fact that you don't bother to mention, of course) that the use of HTML tags in e-mail has been pushed largely by those companies with Web browsers to sell.... I believe (strongly) that this is a case where you are on the wrong, wrong, WRONG side of the fence." -- Gordon Peterson

EDITOR: Gordon, if you read carefully you'll find that I did note the connection between HTML e-mail and web browser developers. While I disagree with some of the points Gordon makes, you can read his comments in full at http://web2.airmail.net/gep2/htmlmail.html

"Doesn't the trend towards the use of palmtops and now mobile phones for e-mail perhaps raise questions about the suitability of HTML e-mail newsletters?" -- Brian Raynor, Marketing Unlimited, www.mktng-unltd.swinternet.co.uk

EDITOR: The standard Palm Pilot e-mail program does not handle HTML, and tends to truncate message size. I'm not sure about third party programs.

"Absolutely critical is a prominent 'printable version' button that gives the entire text of the newsletter. If nothing else, the 'printable version' button could go to the ASCII version. I don't read anything long like a newsletter on the computer; I always print out such things. I think lots of other people are the same." -- Gary Bisaga, The MITRE Corporation

"Great review on HTML newsletters. Do you have a review on text e-mail newsletters? Or any links to information on the do's and don'ts?" -- Steve McBride, iNEXTV Corporation, www.inextv.com

EDITOR: Yes, I've discussed this at length in an article entitled "How to Develop an E-Mail Newsletter," http://www.wilsonweb.com/articles/newsletter.htm

"You said, 'now [advertisers] can "prove" that a certain number of people opened an e-mail message.' Sorry, folks. It doesn't necessarily mean the message was opened. It might just mean that the modem dialed, the recipient was charged for a local phone call, and is cursing and deleting the message as rapidly as possible. Many people have their e-mail programs configured to display the text of the message in one of the program's windows when the message is highlighted in the inbox window. Simply scrolling through the inbox therefore causes the modem to start dialing when the graphic-containing mail is reached.... Where legitimate e-mailers have included graphics, I have either moved the message to a folder called 'Never look at,' immediately deleted the message ... and removed myself from the list, or advised them that I'd like plain text. I rarely find it worth 'opening.' " -- Randall Rensch, www.rensch.com

"I have canceled several e-subscriptions because they changed to HTML without giving me the choice. The most annoying 'feature' is that you cannot read the mail off-line. With today's idiot proof Internet access hardware/software combinations, it is impossible to terminate the automatic logon when attempting to view the mail. Not everyone will want to view the mail while connected. When I'm traveling, or not connected to a phone line (with my portable), the computer continually tries to connect to my ISP. If I'm traveling and staying in a hotel, the computer is attempting to dial the wrong number (my 'home' access number), not to mention, at hotel connection rates. Overall, it is loss of 'control' of the machine that I resent. These may be minor annoyances, or problems specific to my situation or temperament, but please don't force me to take HTML. I'll continue to read your valuable newsletter, but I'll only do so at my convenience. -- Kevin

Longer Domain Names

Here are more letters responding to my article "Are Long Domain Names a Big Deal?" (http://www.wilsonweb.com/wmt5/long-domain-names.htm). Last week's newsletter included other opinions. http://www.wilsonweb.com/wmt5/long-domain-names-email.htm

"There is a place for the new, longer domains, in my opinion: (1) If you get closed out of the perfect short .com domain, I'd rather have a 30-character .com than a 20-character .net any day of the week. (2) If the long name ties in with other branding you do -- such as for a movie or book title. (3) If the owner is able to brand the domain name in other ways -- possible with a name such as save-twenty-percent-on-taxes.com. The names can be much more descriptive." -- Shel Horowitz, author of Marketing Without Megabucks, www.frugalfun.com

"I set up www.BestNames.net that allows visitors to either browse a database of available domain names, or to search for domain names by combining words as you describe.... My site at www.NewRegistrars.com lists all of the ICANN and most CORE registrars, not just the active ones, but the prices are not yet publicly accessible." -- Robert Simpson