Formatting Autoresponder Messages

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Dear Holly,

I'm writing messages for my autoresponder. How do I keep
the messages formatted correctly? Right now they look like
gobbledy-gook.

— Carol P.

Dear Carol,

You'll be happy to learn there are a couple of very easy,
simple tricks you can use to ensure your messages appear
in correct format in your reader's inbox…

1. Use a Text Editor

   A Text Editor is a program that keeps hidden spaces and
   other unwanted characters from being added to your message
   …so, what you see when you're typing is what will appear
   in your reader's inbox.

   If you are a Windows user, you probably already have
   "Notepad" on your computer. If you use this as your text
   editor, you want to make sure the word-wrap feature is
   turned OFF.

   Or, you can download a more powerful text editor for FREE. TextPad is the one I use…just download the free evaluation
   version, which you can use on an unlimited basis:

2. Use Hard Returns

   Since different email programs wordwrap sentences
   differently, you…

   • ALWAYS want to format your document so there are no more
     than 60 characters in each line. (A character is a
     letter, a number, a punctuation mark, or a space.)

   • When you get to the end of each line, insert a hard
     return by hitting the "ENTER" key…this will return you
     to the margin on the next line.

Once you have written your autoresponder messages using
the text editor, you can then copy and paste your properly
formatted messages into your autoresponder system…with
the full assurance that your messages will arrive in each
reader's inbox in correct format.

— Holly Cotter