Email services firm Return Path's Sender Score unit recently launched an upgraded version of its Campaign Preview tool, which is part of its Sender Score Monitor suite and includes for the first time mobile rendering. The Web-based tool will show mailers exactly how their email messages will look in different mobile email clients, alongside popular desktop and Web-based email clients.

Return Path chairman/CEO Matt Blumberg discusses with Mobile Marketer editor in chief Mickey Alam Khan the need this new Campaign Preview tool serves as well as the state of mobile email. Excerpts:

Who does the upgraded version of Campaign Preview target?
Understanding how messages render on a mobile device is important for anyone sending mass email, whether a consumer marketer, a B2B marketer, a content publisher or any corporation. The enhanced service is part of Return Path's Sender Score Monitor solution, which provides global email deliverability, reputation and rendering solution in the market.

What need does it serve?
To start, our mobile offering covers the three leading mobile operating systems: Windows Mobile 5, Windows Mobile 6 and BlackBerry. It's no surprise that more and more people are checking email on their handheld devices. With the further proliferation of handheld devices in the future, email senders have to make sure their messages are readable no matter where and how their customers and prospects are reading their messages.

Return Path is currently the only company offering any mobile rendering service, and we will continue to include additional operating systems and mobile email clients in the future.

Why launch now?
Have you tried to read your favorite email newsletter on a handheld lately? Almost all of them -- despite the best intentions -- get it wrong. HTML code shows up instead of HTML. Headlines are mangled. There is way too much text. Images are missing. Mailers are dying for a solution today, and we always get our best product ideas from our customers.

The mobile phone is the most prevalent personal use device on the market today. Eighty-nine percent of mobile phone users either send text or photo messages, use instant messenger or send or receive email on their devices. This is a wireless world and marketers need to have the tools and services that will help them effectively communicate to a culture that is constantly on the go.

Who is using the upgrade?
Our client base, now nearly 1,000-strong, is very diverse. The product will be used by B2C marketers, B2B marketers, content publishers, companies sending transactional email -- you name it.

Certainly our B2B clients are very focused on the mobile market, and we anticipate quick adoption by that group. Also, agencies have been very excited about this development as their clients are asking for it as well. Ultimately, we expect the majority of our clients across all industries to want to use this tool in their campaigns.

How does it work?
Mobile rendering is part of Sender Score's existing Campaign Preview tool. Campaign Preview allows you to send a test email to our system and, within a few minutes, see exactly how it will look across the major Internet service providers and email readers before you press the "send" button to your entire database. It also provides reporting for HTML errors, dead links, suppressed images and spam.

We've added these same preview capabilities for BlackBerry and Windows Mobile 5 and 6 operating systems. If the email content or design is causing problems that will make it difficult for subscribers to read it or will lead to delivery issues, mailers can fix the formatting before their campaigns begin.

What's the opportunity for mobile email?
The stats tell it all. According to JupiterResearch, 85 percent of households have mobile phones. Another study found that 45 percent of U.S. mobile phone users will be looking for better or enhanced Internet capabilities when they purchase their next phone.

With more people checking their email untethered from their computers for both business and personal use, this "always-on" channel is one that marketers can't ignore. We've now made it easier for smart marketers to develop and design for this channel so they can optimize their campaigns and take full advantage of the mobile opportunity.

And what's the challenge for mobile email?
Mobile brings new layers of complexity to rendering mainly due to the sheer number of operating systems, devices and screen sizes that are on the market. Developing technology to accommodate these variations and respond readily to future changes is a real challenge.

However, Return Path is committed to investing in this critical area to ensure our clients can optimize their response rates from the millions of consumers checking email via mobile devices.

Anything else to keep in mind?
Just like with all marketing communications, choose the right message for the medium and be relevant. Email should be used as part of a broader marketing strategy.

Also, continue to follow best practices when using mobile email. Obtain the right permissions, make sure your unsubscribe process is clear and simple, monitor your reputation and pay close attention to your deliverability rates. In the end, you still want your message delivered to the inbox as intended no matter where it's been read.

Reach Matt Blumberg at .