Don't Flash Your E-mail
So you have a fantastic idea for an e-mail campaign, you are going to send your clients and prospects an animation that will jump out, entertain and wow them as they view their e-mail.
Good idea? No, the technology just does not support it. E-mail environments are unruly and are not standardized. Combine the lack of standardization with the constant battle against spam and it is easy to realize how hard it is to get your message through using even simple text or HTML. (HTML is a simple programming language used to create web pages that allows you to put images in your email and format the text.) Popular animation programs like Flash, a popular software product of Macromedia, are not the solution either, fairly comprehensive tests covering the most popular email programs indicated that all but MacMail failed to display the animation. The results of the test can be found at http://www.campaignmonitor.com/blog/archives/2006/01/the_truth_about_flash_in_email.html.
One technique, I suggest to get around the e-mail limitations and execute the animation is to separate the animation from the e-mail. Animations are made to work with most browsers, e-mailing a link to the animation lets the recipient transfer to the animation online. In order to make this work I suggest designing your e-mail in a fun or humorous manner. As an example, build the e-mail using HTML to display an image from the animation to act as an invitation to come visit the link. Adding an image or text link in an eNewsletter could add the element of surprise and help you can feel confident that your email will be delivered increasing the chance for your animation to be viewed.
