CMS options for HTML Email template

[ktomasso]

I've got a client that wants an HTML email template, and (naturally) wants to be able to update and send it themselves. The way the contract is written, I will hand everything over to them, and won't have any updating capabilities, and they will be sending the mailings out themselves (I do not know how they plan to do that, nor do I know if they do either).

That being said, are there any good solutions to the following problems:

A) They need to be able to update the template themselves without any HTML knowledge or software

B) I won't have remote access to their server, so where would be a good place to host the images that the template would contain. Something along the lines of a Google Sites account? I also am behind the wagon on Wordpress, and don't really know anything about it. Is there a solution there?

I'd like to have no connection to the hosting of anything after the job is complete, so keeping anything on my server is not an option.

[dgroves]

Wordpress it. It is your answer, if you need a hand with wordpress PM me.

It should do the trick, you could even download a plug-in to integrate a mailing list. I think their a few plug-ons out their somewhere.

[ktomasso]

Thanks, I've been meaning to see what all the Wordpress hoopla is about. I've just downloaded it and set it up on my server, but what would your suggestion be for this particular situation where I don't wanted it hosted on my site (and neither I, nor my client wants to purchase new hosting)?

I quickly searched in the plugin section for a mailing list app, but didn't have any luck.

I'm not sure what my problem is, but when it comes to server-side programming my mind turns to mush. I'm lucky my host had an automatic install for Wordpress, because I couldn't get it to work with "simple" instructions it gave me, despite how many times it kept reassuring me how "simple" it really was. How do people with no web programming experience whatsoever seem to set these up??

In any event, I'm starting to get my feet wet, and would appreciate any pointers in the right direction for using this as a CMS solution for HTML email, possibly with a mass mailing option. Again, having this freely and externally hosted with the ability for the client to login is the goal.

[dgroves]

Thanks, I've been meaning to see what all the Wordpress hoopla is about. I've just downloaded it and set it up on my server, but what would your suggestion be for this particular situation where I don't wanted it hosted on my site (and neither I, nor my client wants to purchase new hosting)?

Trying using Wordpress.com. You could create an account their and redirect the domain name to the domain they provide you with. They run off wordpress MU, which is a slightly different version of wordpress, it allows you hosting of unlimited Blogs/Websitye under one installaton.

I will have to look into the mailinglist, i have a possibility in mind, but I need to check it out: ill do it once ive had lunch, im kinda hungry right now.

These simple instructions, do you mean where it asks for MySql info and such?

[dgroves]

try this out for wordpress, it should do your emails

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/email-users/

[ktomasso]

After reading more about Wordpress and how to customize templates and themes, I'm not sure this will work for an HTML email CMS.

HTML emails are most stable and universally displayed by using tables and inline styling. It doesn't seem that Wordpress will allow you to create a template or theme using anything but an external style sheet, let alone using tables and inline styling.

Am I missing something that can be used, or am I going to have to look for another alternative?

[dgroves]

Try verticalresponse.com