As an email analyst, I found it hard to believe that there is an actual benefit in text based email. When you review thousands of emails a day, flashy or creative websites seem to stick in your mind more than text based email. Researching this further, I didn’t know that HTML mail will get twice the response as text based email. I also didn’t realize that 30% of people who receive email are unable to receive HTML email. In text based email, You see more of a relationship being developed through the email to drive the customer to cut and paste that URL to actually get to the site and see what the email is all about. Then, that hit is where the flashy email might come and draw the consumer in even further.
Security and bandwidth issues are definite bonuses with text based emails. Personally, I wouldn’t go through the trouble to cut and paste a URL just to see what a company is trying to sell me. After doing a little research, I think that it is a quality way to get into the inbox but probably not the best as far as response. People are lazy and so am I. Give me hyperlinks and colorful images to catch my eye (If you want my money).
~Reerun
