Question

Topic: E-Marketing

Txt Version Of Email

Posted by KathyAd on 3/4/2010 at 2:58 PM ET 25 Points
Does anyone know of a good (fast) way to make .txt versions of our email blasts? We currently make an html email, upload it to Constant Contact, and then manually make a .txt version. (Constant Contact will apparently generate a .txt version automatically if you use one of their templates).

Does anyone know of good (free is best) tools to make our txt versions
To continue reading this question and the solution, sign up ... it's free!
SUBSCRIBE
Or, SIGN IN

RESPONSES

  • Posted on 3/4/2010 at 3:15 PM Accepted
    I can't comment on Constant Contact (I use a different service), but what I usually do is write out the message in a plain text editor (Text Edit for Mac, or you can use Notepad on the PC, both are included in the software that comes with your computer).

    Then, I make the HTML version from that. In my case, it's usually just prettifying the links, rather than anything fancy, but you'll still end up with both versions.

    Jodi
  • Posted by Inbox_Interactive on 3/4/2010 at 3:37 PM Accepted
    The best thing is to take your copy and paste it into a text editor. If you had words that were image-based in the HTML, you'll need to write those out, too.

    Remember to force returns at about 65-70 characters.

    Also, ensure that a link at the top will take someone to the HTML version if they desire.

  • Posted by steven.alker on 3/5/2010 at 7:02 AM Accepted
    Could I ask why you want to keep a text copy of an HTML email? After all, HTML is just text plus screen instructions, viewed through a different programme!

    If it is to have a low memory copy for all emails sent, then I sincerely hope that you are not storing a copy of every email sent against a contact’s record on a CRM system. That is an invitation to fill up your hard drive whether it’s in text or not!

    If for record purposes you keep one copy of the email in HTML or Text and in your email service or CRM system just leave a note that the particular message has been sent, in the contact’s notes, that is enough to satisfy the most stringent requirements of accountability and CRM practice.

    Steve Alker
    Xspirt
  • Posted by steven.alker on 3/5/2010 at 7:03 AM Member
    Could I ask why you want to keep a text copy of an HTML email? After all, HTML is just text plus screen instructions, viewed through a different programme!

    If it is to have a low memory copy for all emails sent, then I sincerely hope that you are not storing a copy of every email sent against a contact’s record on a CRM system. That is an invitation to fill up your hard drive whether it’s in text or not!

    If for record purposes you keep one copy of the email in HTML or Text and in your email service or CRM system just leave a note that the particular message has been sent, in the contact’s notes, that is enough to satisfy the most stringent requirements of accountability and CRM practice.

    Steve Alker
    Xspirt
  • Posted by Inbox_Interactive on 3/5/2010 at 8:12 AM Member
    Steve, when you send a large-scale email, it's best to send a multi-part message that includes both HTML and text.

    That way, if the recipient can't view the HTML, s/he'll still get the text message.
  • Posted by KathyAd on 3/5/2010 at 1:13 PM Author
    Stevea, we use Constant Contact, which requires (requests?) a txt version of the html email, in case the recipient cannot read the html version.

    But no, we do not store a copy of the email sent with every contact in our CRM. I think there is just a copy of the email stored in Constant Contact. Our database is not a full CRM system :-( so we export a list from our DB, into Constant Contact.
  • Posted by Brazzell Marketing on 3/5/2010 at 6:55 PM Accepted
    If you download a free copy of SendBlaster, you can compose your html emails in it and create a text only version with a click of a button. You could also compose your html email elsewhere, paste your code into the html section of the SendBlaster's compose message feature, and then create a text only version with a click of a button.

    Of course, if you pay for the SendBlaster Pro (a one time fee of about $120), you may be able to send your email blasts without paying monthly fees to an online service like Constant Contact. I started using SendBlaster Pro instead of the websites and never looked back.
  • Posted by Inbox_Interactive on 3/6/2010 at 8:00 AM Accepted
    If this forum has a "ban" feature, it seems like now would be a good time to break it out!
  • Posted by steven.alker on 3/6/2010 at 12:05 PM Accepted
    Dear Coolhard25.

    Please don't spoil other subscribers’ postings with irrelevant crap. If you have an interest in this disease and marketing treatments or understanding or research, then post a question, give us some background and tell us how you want us to help you.

    Regardless of the importance of the issue, all that you will do through this kind of interjection is piss off 340,000 members.

    Steve Alker
    Xspirt
  • Posted by KathyAd on 3/9/2010 at 11:06 PM Author
    Thanks, everyone, that was really helpful, except for the spam in the middle of this thread. But thanks to everyone else.
BACK TO TOP

Post a Comment

Related Discussions

Community Info

Top 25 Experts
(E-Marketing)