How to Create and Send an HTML Email Form Using PH

How to Create and Send an HTML Email Form Using PHP



An HTML email form is often used in email marketing to generate

a greater response from potential customers. However their is

not much information on how to actually create an interactive

html email form or template to achieve this.



Part 1 of this article discussed how to create and send simple

html email. In this article we will create an interactive html email form.



Benefits of creating an html email form



*generate immediate interactivity with your customers.

*use of visually appealing graphics, icons and forms.

*all the most popular email software now support html email.

*ability to track responses

*create interactive questionaires, surveys and newsletters.



Here is the step by step process how to create an html email

form:



1. Create your interactive html email form page in your favorite

html editor including any graphics or icons to make it look

attractive.



Make sure you always use absolute urls for graphics

(ie http://www.ihost-websites.com/htmlmail/header.gif ) and an

absolute link for your formmail script

("http://ihost-websites.com/htmlmail/formmail.php"), otherwise

they won't appear correctly.



Here's an example of an interactive html email form viewed as a

web page.



http://www.ihost-websites.com/htmlmail/newsletter.htm



If you want to see the html code used for the form, click on

Internet Explorer and go to: view - source.



2. Name your html formmail page (ie newsletter.htm) and save it.



Keep your html email simple by eliminating the meta tags (ie

title, description, keywords). Don't use large graphics as

these will slow down the loading time of your email plus quickly

fill your customer's inbox capacity.



3. Obtain a copy of the php formmail script and save it to the

same directory as your newsletter.htm page.



(You can get a copy of this script by sending an email

to htmlemailformscript@ihost-websites.com).



4. Name this script.. formmail.php - this script will process

the html form page (newsletter.htm) you created above. You can also

use this script in combination with an html form on your web site.



5. Edit your newsletter.htm page - make sure you have the correct

form action otherwise your form won't work ie



(form action="http://www.ihost-websites.com/

formmail.php" method="post" target="_blank")



Insert different titles and images for your newsletter or contact form.



6. Edit the php formmail script.

Replace the title, email and confirmation comments with your own.



7. Create a new directory on your current web site named

htmlmail (ie www.ihost-websites.com/htmlmail/).



8. Place your html formmail page, graphics and script into the

html directory. This will help keep all your files organized.



If you don't currently have a web site, then register a domain

name first, design your html email form and upload all files

(form, graphics, script) to your new web host (make sure your

web host carries the php feature).





10. Test the new html email form on your server first. Check that

your html email form page works corrrectly when submitting your

form - you should receive a confirmation immediately upon

submission.



You are now ready to send your html email.



11. Open your Email Software - in outlook express (since it's the

most popular) go to:



Create mail

Fill out the to and subject fields

Place your cursor in the body of your email message

Check insert - text from file

In "files of type" box scroll to "HTML Files"

In the "look in" box scroll to the saved html page on your computer.

(newsletter.htm)



12. Email a test to yourself and friends who have different

email programs before you send it to your subscriber list. This

will ensure your html email will appear correctly to all your

customers.



Now you have a template you can use to send out your html

emails. You then won't have to repeat this process again.



You can also alter the look of your html email template by

changing the graphics and/or fields, then uploading the changes

to your server.



Try using an html email form for your future questionaire,

survey, ad or newsletter.



You will be pleasantly surprised!



Resources



PHP formmail script

Send an email to: htmlemailformscript@ihost-websites.com to receive

a copy of the script.





Groupmail - free version allows a list of up to 100