Sometimes a simple picture or design accompanied by compelling copy does the trick better than a flashy design. This is especially true in e-mail marketing.

I get several marketing e-mails – both out of professional and personal interest. The e-mails are from companies that know how to market themselves – Apple, Air Tran, Canon, Lumber Liquidators.

In a noble effort to present the brand well, many of these rely too heavily on HTML design. The problem is that many e-mail interfaces, like Outlook, block the images to make retrieving the e-mail faster.

As a result, the e-mail loses its impact. The reader just sees a blank box with the dreaded red “X” in them. This makes the reader go through the extra step of right-clicking to download the images.

This does not give a good impression. At best, the reader is annoyed. At worst, they delete the e-mail before reading.

For e-mail marketing campaigns, marketers should consider simplifying. Graphics and images should be minimal – enough to complement the brand message. Short, attention-grabbing copy instantly communicates the message and entices readers to download the images.