When creating your marketing email templates in Lawmatics, you may be wondering which of your emails will be better suited as HTML vs. plain text. First, let's examine the differences between these two types of emails.

The main reason to use this type of email is for design elements like images, colors, buttons, blurbs, etc. These emails will be much more visually appealing and eye catching than a plain text email.

HTML emails still offer all the same functionality of plain text emails, like merging in fields, option to include attachments, etc, but they also include design and formatting elements. To create an HTML email template in Lawmatics, you will do so by selecting the New Email button, shown below.

After you select the option to create a New Email, you will be prompted to choose the type of email. HTML Emails are only available under the Marketing > Workflow/Campaign email type. You can also choose a template base. Once you select a base, as shown below, you will see a preview of that HTML base. Remember that further customizations can always be made to the base, this is just to get you started.

Once you click "Create" at the bottom of this screen, you will be taken to the HTML email editing suite, as shown below. At the top of this screen, you can give your email a name, subject, and (optional) preheader. You'll also have the options for assigning the email to a folder, whether this is a matter or contact type email, and any tags you want to apply to the email. Lastly, you'll have the Promotional Email toggle (to allow recipients to unsubscribe) and the Show/Hide Structure while editing.

More information on the design elements for these emails can be found here: HTML Email Templates - Using the Design Suite

While you are editing your email, you will see options at the bottom to preview the email and save it.

As a general rule, HTML emails will almost always be your go-to for marketing content-driven emails. These emails often contain graphics, links, buttons, etc.

One drawback of HTML emails is that they are slightly more likely to go to a recipient's spam folder. There is unfortunately no way to avoid this possibility, since most common spam checkers are scanning emails for HTML as the main method for looking for spam. Using Lawmatics to send automated emails does not increase your likelihood of going to spam, but since HTML emails are more likely to go to spam in general, it is a good idea to use plain text emails for emails that don't require design elements and content.

A further drawback of using HTML emails vs. plain text emails is that they are simply more time-consuming and labor-intensive to create.

A major benefit of creating a plain text email template is that it will appear to be personal and individualized to the recipient, it does not have the same "templated" appearance of an HTML email.

For that reason, plain text emails are a great option for any emails that you do not want to seem templated, such as appointment confirmations, reminders, check-ins, follow ups, etc. When your matters receive these types of emails from an automation, they are going to think that you just sat down and wrote them an email, since it will look like a regular email.

This is important to give your emails that personal touch, and it helps make each of your matters feel important and prioritized by your firm.

When creating a plain text email, you will not need to take any of the design elements into consideration, but you can still merge fields and use simply formatting elements like bold, colors, bulleted lists, hyperlinks, etc.

When deciding whether to create an email as an HTML or plain text email, ask your self: which is more important, the way this email looks (attention grabbing) or the transactional information I need to share with a lead or client? If the answer is the latter, then a plain text email is the way to go.

Can I change an email from HTML to plain text or vice versa after it has been created?

No, you cannot change an email from one type to the other. You would need to create the email as the other type.

Can I transfer HTML from an existing email template in another software to Lawmatics?

Yes. When editing an HTML email you will see an HTML block in the content section. Drag this into your email, and then paste in your HTML. More information on the design elements for these emails can be found here: HTML Email Templates - Using the Design Suite