"Digital Stationery®'s ability to take our website look and assist us in spreading that ... to all of our communications has helped increase our brand."

    - Dave Erdman
      Vital Learning

 

Frequently Asked Questions and Tips for Using
Digital Stationery®

Special Instruction Sheets
We have special instruction pages if you use one of the mail programs listed below.

 Frequently Asked Questions  

  1.   Is Digital Stationery® easy to use? 
          Yes! Simply open the template and start typing, just as you would with a normal message today. [more...]

  2.   Once I install Digital Stationery® can I still send messages on a plain white background? 
          Yes! Like traditional office letterhead, you can select when you want to use your stationery. [more...]

  3.   Can I use my Digital Stationery® as much as I want? 
          Yes! With a valid license you can use your stationery for an unlimited number of messages. [more...]

  4.   Will my stationery look good to my correspondents? 
          Yes! Digital Stationery® is designed to look great in all business, consumer, and mobile email readers. [more...]

  5.   Will my messages get through corporate security firewalls? 
          Yes! Many business email messages use the HTML format and are not blocked by firewalls. [more...]

  6.   Will my messages get through spam filters? 
          Yes! Spam filters are designed to block high volume advertisements, not personal and professional messages. [more...]

  7.   Can I use my Digital Stationery® in email marketing services like Constant Contact, iContact, and others? 
          Yes. Digital Stationery® can be used in all major email marketing services. [more...]

 Tips for Using Your Stationery  

  1.   Can I create my own template messages with common content, like directions to my office? 
          Yes, it's easy to create extra copies of your stationery with content that you want to send to many correspondents. [more...]

  2.   My signature block appears below my stationery. How can I remove it? 
          Turn automatic signature insertion off. [more...]

  3.   How do I insert hyperlinks into my messages? 
          Highlight the link text, click Insert >> Hyperlink, and type or paste in the web address. [more...]

  4.   How can I test my stationery messages to make sure everything looks and works correctly? 
          Yes. Simply make a copy of your message and send the copy to yourself. [more...]

  5.   What if the images in my stationery don't appear when I open it to compose a message? 
          This can happen if you are working offline or if the Internet connection to our server is temporarily down. [more...]

  6.   Why are the images in my stationery missing on some replies or forwarded messages? 
          Some internet providers, like AOL, do not automatically include images in replies or forwards. [more...]

  7.   Can I set up Outlook to use my stationery by default for all messages? 
          Yes, it's easy to set up your mail reader so that it automatically inserts your stationery for new messages, replies, and forwards. [more...]

  8.   I'm using Outlook 2010 or 2013. Why does it sometimes take 10 seconds or more for my stationery to appear when I compose a new message? 
          With Outlook 2010 you may want to set up your stationery as a "signature." [more...]

  9.   How do I find the Link Activity Report for my stationery? 
          Your link activity report is located at this web address - http://digitalstationery.com/reports/link_activity_report.php?UserID=nnnn - where "nnnn" is your 4-digit customer ID number. [more...]

 Installing Your Stationery  

  1.   How do I handle the error message, "Error opening file for writing."? 
          See our more detailed trouble-shooting instructions. [more...]

  Frequently Asked Questions: (detailed answers)

1. Is Digital Stationery® easy to use?
Yes! It is just like composing a normal email message. You select your stationery and simply start typing. The stationery expands automatically to accept messages of any length, short or long. Think of the analogy to plain white paper and your office letterhead. Is it more difficult to type a letter on your office letterhead? Of course not - typing is typing.

2. Once I install Digital Stationery® can I still send messages on a plain white background?

Yes, you can easily select a plain white background or your stationery.

When you click on the "New" button in either Outlook or Outlook Express, you will get the usual blank white page on which you can compose a simple, informal email.

To use your Digital Stationery®, go to the "Actions" menu and select "New Mail Message Using." Then select your stationery. (Note: the first time that you do this you will need to select the "More Stationery" option and then select your Digital Stationery® template from the Microsoft stationery folder. After you have done this once, your stationery will automatically appear in the menu so you can select it much more quickly.)

3. Can I use my Digital Stationery® as much as I want?

Yes, it never runs out as long as your license is valid!

4. Will my stationery look good to my correspondents?

Yes! An independent third-party email marketing company tested Digital Stationery® in 20 of the leading PC and mobile mail readers and it came through beautifully!

Original Stationery

Digital Stationery® in 20 mail readers!

5. Will my messages get through corporate security firewalls?

Yes, security systems do not block HTML formatted email. Security systems scan for viruses, worms, or unauthorized attachments (such as files with .exe extensions), but they don't block HTML.

6. Will my messages get through spam filters?

Yes! Spam filters are designed to block high volume advertisements, not personal and professional messages. We have run our stationery templates through the spam filter evaluator used by Constant Contact, a big email marketing firm. Our design came back with a rating of "0" indicating that it had almost no chance of being filtered out based on its structure and design.

Of course, spam filters also examine the content of incoming messages. You should avoid using words and phrases, like "make money," "free ...," or "$$$," that are popular in spam messages. When these are detected in many spam filters, these increase your chances of being blocked. (You can read a more detailed explanation of the spam filter issue here.)

7. Can I use my Digital Stationery® in email marketing services like Constant Contact, iContact, and others?

Many of our customers use iContact, Constant Contact, and similar web-based email marketing and list management tools. When we deliver your Digital Stationery® we store it in an easily accessible folder in the "Documents" or "My Documents" area on your PC.

If your email marketing service allows you to upload your template as a file, then you can go to their site and use the "Browse" button to locate and upload the template you want to use.

If your service requires that you paste the code into a text box on their website, the easiest way to get the HTML code on your clipboard is to do the following.

  1. Use Windows Explorer to locate the files in your My Digital Stationery folder
  2. Double-click on the template you want to use - this will open it in Internet Explorer
  3. Right-click over a white area in your stationery and select "View source"
  4. In the window that pops up, type <Ctrl>-A to select all and then <Ctrl>-C to copy all of the selected code to your clipboard
  5. Go to your service's website and paste it into the text area for the template.

  Tips for Using Your Stationery: (detailed answers)

1. Can I create my own template messages with common content, like directions to my office?
Yes, it's easy to create and save a series of templates with customized content for common messages, like directions to your office, the pricing of your products or services, etc. Here are some detailed instructions for Outlook users. If you use another mail reader it is easy to accomplish the same thing with similar commands.

  1. To create and save a new, personalized content template:

    1. Open your basic (empty) Digital Stationery® template (Action >> New mail message using...).
    2. Type in the content you want to reuse (directions, pricing, product details, etc.).
    3. Select File >> Save As... and save the file in the My Digital Stationery folder in HTML format.
    4. Give it a filename like "XYZ-Stationery-Directions to Office.htm".

  2. To use a new, personalized content template:

    1. Open a new message file with no stationery or click "Reply" to a message you have received.
    2. If a reply, make sure the message is in HTML format (in the Format menu, HTML is checked).
    3. Place your cursor in the message area and select Insert >> File.
    4. Navigate to the My Digital Stationery folder and select the template name.
    5. Click the down arrow on the Insert button and select "Insert as Text."
    6. You now have your stationery with your standard answer. Personalize it as needed and click Send.

Please note that the content template can be used both as a new message (for outbound marketing) and in a reply to messages that you receive.

2. My signature block appears below my stationery. How can I remove it?

You have Outlook set to insert your signature block automatically on all new messages. This is not necessary when you use your Digital Stationery® since your stationery includes your business contact information. To turn off your signature, please go to:

Tools >> Options >> Mail Format

and set your signatures for both new messages and replies and forwards to "<None>".

3. How do I insert hyperlinks into my messages?

It's really very simple. Just follow these steps.

  1. Go to the web page to which you want to link and copy the address into your clipboard
    (This step is not technically necessary, but it's always safer than trying to type the correct address in!)

  2. In your stationery, highlight the words you want to be the link.

  3. In the "Insert" menu, click "Hyperlink"

  4. Paste the contents of your clipboard into the address field and click "OK"

That's all there is to it. (Please note that although the phrase you highlighted will now look like a link, it will not be active in the Outlook edit window. That's one of the idiosyncrasies of Outlook that can be confusing. As always, if you want to make sure that you've done everything correctly, make a copy of your message and send that copy to yourself. When you receive it the links will be active and you can test that they take you to the right pages.)

4. How can I test one of my stationery messages to make sure everything looks and works correctly?

If you are a new user of Digital Stationery®, before sending a message to a large number of people, it's a good idea first to send a copy of the message to yourself. In that way you can see what your recipients will see and you can fine-tune anything that may need it.

To send a message to yourself, follow these steps.

  1. Compose your new message.
  2. When you are finished, exit and save your message before you send it.
  3. Highlight your message in your "Inbox" or "Drafts" folder.
  4. On the "Edit" menu, select "Copy to folder" and then select the folder where your original message is stored. You will now have two copies of the message.
  5. Open one of the copies, address it to yourself, and click "Send." In a minute or two that message will appear in your inbox.
  6. Open the message you received and check that everything looks good.
  7. Open the original message, make any desired changes, and send it to the intended recipients.

Naturally, you can repeat this process as many times as you want to ensure that your message will be exactly as you want it to be.

5. What if the images in my stationery don't appear when I open it to compose a message?

Since the images for your stationery are stored on the internet, there are two reasons why the images may not appear.

  1. You are working offline (that is, you are not connected to the internet) or
  2. You are connected to the internet, but the connection to the Digital Stationery® server is temporarily down.

If you want to compose a message offline and then connect to send the message, you may do so, but you will not see the images when you are typing the message. Your stationery will still work properly and your recipient(s) will see the images when they open your message - provided that they are connected to the internet at that time.

If you are connected to the internet and are still not seeing the images in your stationery, we suggest that you move on to another task for a few minutes and then try again. The Digital Stationery® server is almost never down, but in the event that it is or that the internet is unusually congested, these problems are usually corrected in a matter of minutes and normal operation is automatically restored.

6. Why are the images in my stationery missing on some replies or forwarded messages?

Sometimes the images in your stationery will not be visible when one of your correspondents replies to you or forwards a message to a third party. This is very rare and it could be caused by a couple of things.

  1. The recipient could have an older mail program that only displays and sends plain-text messages. In this case the recipient would see the body of your message, but the images (usually just the banner image) would not appear. (Most people today use mail readers that display Digital Stationery® correctly.)

    Or

  2. The recipient could have seen the original message with images, but some systems, like AOL, automatically remove images in replies. In this case they would have seen what you wanted them to see, but it would not look the same when they reply to you.

7. Can I set up Outlook to use my stationery by default for all messages: new messages, replies, and forwards?

To set up your mail reader so that it automatically inserts your stationery just follow these steps.

1. To Use Your Stationery for All New Messages

  1. Go to Tools Menu >> Options >> Mail Format tab.
  2. In the middle of the page, click the "Stationery Picker" button.
  3. Select your stationery, and click "OK".

Now every time you click on the new message button you will get an empty message with your stationery.

2. To Use Your Stationery for All Replies and Forwards

To do this you need to "trick" Outlook by using your stationery as a "Signature."

  1. Go to Tools Menu >> Options >> Mail Format tab.
  2. At the bottom of the page, click the "Signatures" button.
  3. On the next window, click the "New" button.
  4. On the next window, click the option for "Use this file as a template" then browse and select your stationery from the "My Digital Stationery" folder.
  5. On the main Mail Format tab, select your stationery in the dropdown list next to "Signature for replies and forwards"
  6. Click "OK"

Note: In Step 4 is your version of Outlook does not allow you to select a file as a template, you can try pasting your stationery into the signature composition area. To do this, follow these steps.

  1. With Windows Explorer, navigate to your "My Digital Stationery" folder (in your Documents area).
  2. Double-click on the stationery template that you want to use. This will open it up in your web browser.
  3. Right-click over a blank area of your stationery and click on "Select all." This will highlight all of your stationery.
  4. Type <Ctrl>-C to copy this to your clipboard.
  5. Now return to the steps above and in Step 4, place your cursor in the new signature composition area and type <Ctrl>-V. This will paste your stationery into the signature window.
  6. Follow the rest of the steps to save this "signature" and to use it for replies and forwards.

8. I'm using Outlook 2010. Why does it sometimes take 10 seconds or more for my stationery to appear when I compose a new message?

With Outlook 2010 Microsoft started doing some sort of checking on images that are downloaded from websites into email. In most cases this checking takes only a couple of seconds, but in other cases it can delay the opening of the stationery by 10 seconds or more which can seem like forever in PC time.

One solution to this problem is to fool Outlook by installing your stationery as a "signature." Microsoft does not check the images in signatures so your stationery will appear immediately, but there is one downside: it also does not check the spelling in signatures. So if you load your stationery as a signature it will appear immediately, but you will not have the benefit of spell checking.

To install your stationery as a signature, follow these steps.

  1. Use Windows Explorer to go to your "My Digital Stationery" folder
  2. Double-click on the template you want to use. (This will open it in your web browser.)
  3. Type <Ctrl>-A to select all and then <Ctrl>-C to copy your entire template to your clipboard
  4. Back in Outlook, go to File >> Options >> Mail options >> Signatures and select new signature
  5. Paste your template into the new signature area and verify that it looks good
  6. Set your signature to appear automatically for new messages and, if you desire, for replies and forwards
  7. Click OK several times to exit from the Options area.

Note: Make sure that you have remove your stationery from the Stationery/Theme field under Mail Options or you will get two copies of your stationery in your new messages.

9. How do I find the Link Activity Report for my stationery?

The Link Activity Report for your stationery shows how many times your correspondents have clicked on the links in your stationery. (Click here to see a sample Link Activity Report for one of our customers.)

Your link activity report is located at a web address that has this form

    http://digitalstationery.com/reports/link_activity_report.php?UserID=nnnn
where "nnnn" is your 4-digit customer ID number.

We included your customer ID number in the email message that we sent you right after you purchased your Digital Stationery®. It was the message with instructions on how to install your stationery. If you no longer have that message, you can find your ID number by following this simple procedure.

  1. Use Windows Explorer to navigate to the "My Digital Stationery" folder in your Documents area.
  2. Double-click on one of your stationery templates. This will open it in your web browser.
  3. Right-click in the white area of your template and select "View source" or "View page source."
  4. In the HTML code that appears, you should be able to see a line that contains "UserID: nnnn" where "nnnn" is your UserID number.
  5. Write it down and close the source window.

You can now use the address above with your UserID number and you will see your report.

  Installing Your Stationery: (detailed answers)

1. Why do I get this error - "Error opening file for writing." - when I install Digital Stationery® on my PC?
Our "Instant-Install™" process is designed to store your new stationery files in two special folders on your PC. In order to store them in the folder that Outlook and Outlook Express use you must have administrator privileges on your PC; otherwise, that folder is locked.

Solution: Ask your IT support person to give your user profile administrator permissions or find out how to log in on your PC as the administrator.

You have to Stand Out to Be Noticed!
Digital Stationery International, LLC   ~   624 Enid Avenue   ~   Kettering, OH 45429
Tel: (937) 434-3267   ~   sales@digitalstationery.com
View our Privacy Policy
Designed by Digital Stationery®