This document is for Internet Matrix list owners that have purchased the HTML add-on only. It is highly recommended that you have an understanding of HTML coding techniques beyond WYSIWYG editors.  If you still want to have HTML e-mails and would like some assistance in creating HTML sales letters please click here to go to our design division.

Please read this document in full.

Step 1. Creating a HTML document formatted for e-mail clients

Making web pages for e-mail clients is a more complex and follows stricter HTML rules than making up a normal web page for a site. Each mail service and e-mail software creator tends to follow its own rules when it comes to viewing Web Pages in an e-mail. Since none of these companies have agreed on a set and up to date standard web designers must rely on a few rules and an older standard of HTML code.

Here are a few rules that will help in the proper creation of HTML e-mail documents: 

1. URL links and IMAGE CALLS must be ABSOLUTE.  What this means is when you hyperlink to another site of call up a graphic image such as a GIF or JPEG you must put the exact place it resides on a web server. With this in mind it is also important to know that HTML e-mail is only HTML code (text) there are no images included in the e-mail. Images are called from an outside source. Here is a couple examples of absolute links to a site and images:
   
   HYPERLINK:   <a href="http://www.cashconnection.com/recipe.htm">CLICK HERE TO ORDER NOW BY PAYPAL</a>    
   
   Note that the URL called is the full URL not just a file name call. The full URL is typed out with the http://
   
   IMAGE CALL:   <img src="http://www.grandmasrecipes.org/images/logo1.gif" width="200" height="50">
   
   Here again the image call is a full and absolute call to the image including the actual image file name.
    
2. Images cannot be sent in the e-mail.  Any images that you want to show up in the e-mail must be called from an outside source. e.g.  A domain web site that you would normally have.   Step 1 has already covered how to call up an image file.
    
3. It is not recommended any secure (SSL Encrypted) material be included in your e-mail. This will cause many e-mail clients to mess up the e-mail.   If you want a potential client to go to a secure order form simply place a hyperlink to the order form.
      
4. Always use NOTEPAD or a basic text editor to copy and paste HTML code into our TITAN LIST SOFTWARE.  You can use a WYSIWYG editor like FrontPage or Dreamweaver to create your page on your local computer but them you will have to make a couple changes in notepad and copy and paste from that program as well. 
    
   Never do the following:
   - Copy and Paste HTML code from Word or Word Perfect. These programs are not basic text editors
   - Copy and Paste from FrontPage.  This software write HTML tags that some clients don't read well
   - Never use WordPad either.
    
   The basic rule of thumb when doing your final edit and pasting of HTML code is ALWAYS with a basic text editor
      
5. Using an WYSIWYG editor such as FrontPage sometime adds unrecognizable code in the HTML that some e-mail clients can't read.  The most common are these two non-standard HTML tags:
    
   -       &nbsp;    (Replace these tags with a <br> . This will achieve the same result)
    
   -       &quot;    (Delete these and replace them with nothing)
    
   What we recommend is create your entire document in FrontPage, save it to your hard drive, and then open it in Notepad to make your final changes.  After you are done that open up that altered file in a web browser and see if it looks ok.  DO NOT open up the final HTML document in FrontPage again as it will automatically add these bothersome two tags again forcing you to remove them all over again.
    
6. Do not use image maps or includes (server or clients side) in HTML e-mails. Do not use style sheets either.
    
7. Make your HTML e-mails short and to the point.  It is best to try to capture attention with this style of advertising and then if you have a lot to talk about point them to your web site afterward. This goes for forms too.  You can try to use forms but they may not work properly in some clients. 
    
8. Use the KISS principal at all times when creating these types of ads. Don't be afraid to make something stylish but don't bore your audience with 10 paragraphs of text. If they see that they will probably just delete the e-mail.
    
9. DON'T USE ALL CAPS IN THE SUBJECT LINE!   -   Now wouldn't you say that the previous sentence was a little too pushy?    If that's the case here imagine what someone will think when they see your e-mail.  It's ok to use caps in a word like THIS, just don't make the whole sentence in caps.
    
10. Tables are allowed just be careful how many nested tables you use. We recommend that you try to avoid nested tables at all costs. This may mean a reworking of how you want to make the page. Most of the time it is possible to achieve the same result with a little rethinking of the way to make it.
     
11. Go ahead and use the <title> tag.  Keep titles short.
     
12. Do not use keywords or description tags. Most META tags are pretty useless in an e-mail. Just don't use them to be safe.
     
13. Do not use POP UP / BEFORE / AFTER pages. These are annoying at the best of times and will just make your potential client upset with you.
     
14. Be creative.  The most exiting the e-mail is the more likely your audience will read it.
     

Although HTML e-mails have all these limitations it is a VERY powerful advertising medium. Once you get use to the basics you will be able to create very powerful and pulling content that will get you the response you want to your efforts.

Step 2. Sending a HTML e-mail with the TITAN LIST SERVER (ver. 3)

Internet Matrix is now in the third revision of our TITAN list server software. This powerful contact tool is 100% created by our programming staff to provide you the very best in on-line contact tools.  Our system is 100% web based. No longer do you need to send e-mails to a majordomo account or cryptic passwords at the beginning of an e-mail that may end up in the wrong hands.  Here is how to send a HTML e-mail with our system: 

1. Login to the system.   To login to the HTML TITAN simply go to http://cat.internetmatrix.com .   Click on the LOGIN TO LCS link and a username and password box like the one below will come up in your web browser.
    
   
    

   Enter the name and password that was provided to you when you were setup in the corresponding boxes: and click on OK. You will then be taken to the LIST MANAGEMENT screen.
      
   Note: The name and password are case sensitive and must be entered exactly as provided to you.
    

2. After you have logged in you will see a list of options for controlling the list server. There is an instruction link on how to use all the areas at the bottom of that page. 
    
   To send an HTML message you must click on the link that looks like this:
    
   
    
   Please be sure you click on the link called HTML LISTSERVER and not LISTSERVER. 
    
    
3. This will bring you to the HTML sending page which looks like this:
    
   
    
   What you do at this point is type in your subject line in the appropriate area and them paste your HTML CODE into the message box. 
    
   Note:  You must paste the raw HTML CODE into the box.  Do not paste the result of the code that you would view in a browser window.   Here is a sample of HTML CODE that is properly formatted:
    
   <html>
    
   <head>
   <title>GRANDMA'S RECIPES</title>
   </head>
    
   <body bgcolor="#728BA7">
   <div align="center"><center>
    
   <table border="3" cellSpacing="0" width="600" bordercolor="#3E5BA8" cellpadding="0"
   bordercolorlight="#A3B1DA" bordercolordark="#004080">
   <TBODY>
   <tr>
   <td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"
   background="images/lines.jpg" width="598">
   <tr>
   <td colspan="4" height="10" width="598"></td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
   <td width="138"></td>
   <td width="137"><img src="http://www.grandmasrecipes.org/images/logo1.gif" width="200" height="50"></td>
   <td width="50"><p align="center"><img src="http://www.grandmasrecipes.org/images/grandma2.gif" width="50" height="64"></td>
   <td width="275"><img src="http://www.grandmasrecipes.org/images/logo2.gif" width="150" height="50"></td>
   </tr>
   </table>
   </td>
   </tr>
   </table>
   </center></div>
   </body>
   </html>
    
    
   The above example shows how to properly format a HTML message for e-mail sending. Note the simple and clean code, no meta tags, and the absolute URL's that call up the images.
    
    
4. Once you have the HTML CODE pasted into the proper area you have the option to send yourself a test copy by checking the box at the bottom of the page that says:
    
   SEND YOURSELF A PROOF COPY OF THIS MESSAGE
    
   Sending yourself a test is always a good idea so you can double check your work and make sure that there are no mistakes in the HTML code.
    
   If the HTML code is correct and you want to send a message simply repeat steps 2 and 3 in this guide and then click on the SEND button without checking the PROOF box.
    
   The SEND button looks like this:   
     

REVIEW:

The best way to learn how to use this software is by looking around at every function in the control area. Please read the entire HOW TO USE guide in the list server software.

Enjoy your new service!