Plain Text

Most email platforms have the ability to deliver a plain text version of your Html - to browser like Lotus Notes that mangle Html, or to recipients who habitually view their emails on handhelds.

Your platform will probably take your email, strip out the Html and deliver a pure, unformatted text version as standard, and sometimes you may be happy with this.

It looks horrible, and reads even worse.

As use of handhelds grows, so a rethink of the text version will become more important.

My feeling is that it should be no more than a simple introductory line followed by a link to the web version of the email - so it can be viewed properly, and at an appropriate time.

For example: The October edition of our newsletter, including an update on XYZ, is now online at www.whatever.com

Perhaps a little top and tailing to emphasise content is a good idea, but simplicity and brevity are the watchwords.

It helps if you know which of your readers habitually reads email on their handheld - do you ask at point of sign up?