I am also a fan of their email. Recently I discovered that they have a new twist on a common email feature. The HTML and TEXT version of their emails have the common “This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view” feature which opens a hosted version of the HTML email.

Most email marketing programs simply display the hosted version of the email and stop here when this link is clicked. Not diapers.com. Their hosted version also contains this message in the header: “If you are still having problems viewing this message, please click here for additional help.”

When this second “help” link is selected a troubleshooting web page displays. This area of their site helps the subscriber understand and troubleshoot common image rendering issues. It’s a nice little feature for those subscribers who, for whatever reason, cannot figure out how to display images. Diapers.com does not give up on these subscribers and provides them with the support they need.

We’ve all heard the expression “double opt-in” – maybe we could call this technique “double help me!”

Like diligently saving pocket change, there are some easy additions you can make to your email campaigns that can bring large rewards in the long run. Today we’ll look at two of these tactics that can yield long-term success.

View a hosted version of an email

Providing the opportunity for a subscriber to view an online or hosted version of a message will enable those who might have images blocked or have email rendering issues to be able to view the message. A hosted version, often linked via the text Having trouble viewing this email?, is typically used for HTML and text versions of a mailing.  A great place to put this link is in the top or header of an email.

Subscribers now have one less excuse as to why they should not read the content of an email. If the email can be viewed by the subscriber despite content rendering issues, then the email marketer has overcome a significant technical challenge.

View an email easily on a mobile phone or other mobile device

Mobile devices are everywhere. Wirefly.com (who boasts to be the Internet’s #1 authorized retailer of cell phones) recently reported that “the sales of touchscreen mobile devices increased by 56 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2009.” Despite the availability and popularity of mobile devices, there are some drawbacks when it comes to viewing email in the palm of your hand.

One of the most common issues is the rendering and loading of HTML-heavy emails. Inserting a mobile view link into an HTML email will ensure that all mobile users will have the opportunity to view the content of the email. The mobile link should open just the text or rich text versions of the email for ease of viewing. As a general practice, presenting a text version of an email is a much better option than not presenting anything at all.

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Remember to use these simple tools consistently, wisely and appropriately. These little wonders can take time to have noticeable and meaningful impact on overall email performance, so be patient. With the proper use, tracking, testing and reporting, you will eventually reap the fruits of your labor. Little things can make a big difference!