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We used to encourage everyone to send a text and HTML image simultaneously. You had to create a plain-text "alternative" version of your HTML email, then embed both messages into one email as a multipart-alternative MIME. This was done because if a recipient's email program couldn't view HTML email, the plain-text would show.

Now many people ignore plain text altogether and just send HTML. This is such a big mistake that we automatically create and send a text version with your emails even if you don’t. All the text email says is: If you cannot read this please click on this link.

Articles on Deliverability

Why send plain text emails

How not to be labeled a spammer

Here are two reasons why you should create and send plain text with each email:

1.	Spam filters don't like it when you send HTML-only. They want to see HTML along with a plain-text alternative, because only a "lazy spammer" would skip the plain-text step. Also, the plain-text email should be roughly the same content as the HTML email (not just the "visit this URL to see our HTML email in your browser!" that we attach for you).


2.	Mobile devices. More and more people are checking email on Blackberries and cell phones. Not all of them display HTML properly. Some of them only display the text portion of HTML (removing your images, or stacking them vertically). Some of them only display plain-text. Play it safe and make your plain-text back up message for every campaign.

Here’s how to creatie Plain-text Emails:
	Do NOT copy paste from Microsoft Word. Use a simple plain-text program. Simple text editors like NotePad are free, and they're already installed on your computer. They’re simple: no formatting, no color and no frills, but they won’t add unwanted code like Word will.

	Use bullet points. Plain-text emails are harder to read, so break it into chunks that are easier to skim and scan. Use characters like (*) to make bullet points, and use ====== as line separators.

	If you have GraphicMail set to create a text version with each HTML email after you close the editor a second editor will open that looks like this: Click on this button and the text editor will paste your content from your HTML email into the text editor where you can easily reformat it.

	Spam filters will look for differences between the content in the multipart versions. Plain-text emails are never exact replicas as the HTML email versions, but do spend an appropriate amount of time on them---people do read them.

	In plain-text emails, you can't code hyperlinks like, you just enter a URL like: http://www.myurl.com/clickhere.aspxl and the user will see it.