Auto-responder HTML emails – Brand new!
Jan.03.2009 
With INSTA Host you can now spruce up your auto-responders using HTML graphical emails. Setting up your HTML autoresponders is quick and easy:
- Log in to your email/ webmail account
- Click on ‘Autoresponders’
- Set the ‘content type’ as ‘HTML’
All that is left to do is enter your HTML in to the ‘message’ field!
Why use HTML instead of plain text?
Professional image:
Put yourself in the place of your customers/ leads and how you perceive a company or service that sent an attractive email compared to one that sent a plain text email.
Consistent branding:
The best and strongest brands carry their messaging through every communication tool, ensuring all copy, colours, and logos are the same wherever you look. There is nothing stopping you doing exactly the same.
Add more content and links:
With HTML emails you can turn your autoresponders in to much more than just a “We will get back you” notice. With menus, images, side bars, boxes etc you can continue selling your services without intruding on the central message.
Designing and coding HTML emails
If you have no or little experience with creating and sending HTML emails, or you want a few tips on taking them to the next level, you can find a couple of really good articles that will help you with HTML email coding & HTML email lay out & design at sitepoint.com
Email etiquette
Have you considered how important email etiquette is in your company? Email is often the first point of contact for a prospective customer and an ongoing communication method for your existing customers. How you deal with emails will say a lot about your company and its values.
6 Quick Tips
- Start each email by saying “Hello name”, “Hi name” or “Dear Mr Name”.
- Reply promptly, your customers could go elsewhere if you take too long to reply.
- DON’T TYPE EVERYTHING IN CAPITALS. Unless you want to shout at your customers?!
- Proof read your email before sending, check for spelling errors and grammatical problems.
- Consider who you are sending the email to, do you really need to cc half your company?
- Remember to finish your email correctly. I would recommend putting your name, phone number and email address as a minimum.
These are just a few tips to get you started, if your company uses email regularly I would recommend you have an email policy so that your organisation has a consistent approach to email.
For more tips have a look at Emailreplies.com or visit the Business Email Etiquette Blog which has some good ideas about how to maximise the use of email in your organisation.
