Need quite a bit of help

Hi All,
I’m sorry if I’m posting this is the wrong location. Please let me know if I should post this somewhere else. Thanks!
Now on to the tough stuff!
I’ve taken over an electronic newsletter and I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m using Dreamweaver to update the template. These are my issues:

  1. Why is there so much space above and below each header in the body of the newsletter?

  2. Is there any way I can add 10px of padding to the right and left sides of the navy blue box under “Congratulations to Our Home Buyers and Sellers”?

  3. When I open the file in Safari the right side bar goes out of the border line as does the “Connect with Us on Facebook” link. This doesn’t happen when I open it in Firefox. My boss uses IE and I have no idea what it looks like there. It does need to look correct in all browsers.
    That’s it for now. Thank you in advance for any help.

Below is the code:

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					  <p class="small left">&nbsp;</p>						</td>
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							<p class="small right"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rogers-Realty-Coldwell-Banker-Residential-Brokerage-Fort-Collins-CO/349348505178" target="_blank" title="Connect with us on Facebook">Connect with us on Facebook</a></p>						</td>
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							<a href="http://www.rogersrealty.net" target="_blank" title="Rogers Realty - Alice P's Market Update"><img src="http://www.rogersrealty.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/RogersRealty_newsletter_1000px11.4.13.jpg"/></a>						</td>
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					   Market Update for November 2013
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<div class="justListed"> <!-- Just Listed Section Start -->
								<h2>Featured Listings</h2>
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                                      <img src="http://www.rogersrealty.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/1Perfectly-nestled-on-a-huge-corner-lot.jpg" alt="House" width="240" height="168" />
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                                    <h3 align="center" class="price style3 style4">NEW PRICE!</h3>
                                    <h3 class="price">$593,000</h3>
                                    <h3>5407 Trade Wind Drive</h3>
                                    <h3>Windsor, CO</h3>
                                    <p>This Grand Ranch paradise awaits! Backing to private Open Space this Unique wide open flowing Ranch was masterfully designed for ultimate entertainer, chef &amp; gardener! Custom natural cherry cabinetry throughout, exotic slab granites, huge walk-in Master shower! <br/>
                                        <br/>
                                      MLS#684759<br/>
                                      4 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms, 4,990 Square Feet</p>
                                    <p><a href="http://www.rogersrealty.net/our-listings/5407-trade-wind-drive-windsor-608500" class="style2">Click here for more info</a></p>
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                                      <img src="http://www.rogersrealty.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Overlook.jpg" alt="House" width="234" height="164" />
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                                    <h3 align="center" class="price style5">NEW PRICE!</h3>
                                    <h3 class="price">$79,900</h3>
                                    <h3>620 Overlook Drive</h3>
                                    <h3>Loyons, CO</h3>
                                    <p>Just APPRAISED for $112K! Walk-out basement lot sold with soil report and full builder plans from award winning architect John Dengler. See for miles, gorgeous views overlooking beautiful Lyons and the foothills! Live in a postcard with the amazing natural beauty and magic of this area.<br/>
                                        <br/>
                                      MLS#691411<br/>
                                      10,456 Square Foot Lot</p>
                                    <p><a href="http://www.rogersrealty.net/our-listings/620-overlook-drive-lyons-125000" class="style2">Click here for more info</a></p>
                </div>
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									<center><img src="http://www.rogersrealty.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/2Huge-concretepatio-perfect-for-private-summer-diners.jpg" alt="House" width="236" height="165" />
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									<h3 class="price">$789,000</h3>
									<h3>837 Vista Grande Circle</h3>
			                        <h3>Fort Collins, CO</h3>
									<p>This gorgeous 2 Story Main Floor Master and Carriage House backs to Private Open Space and boasts some of the best unobstructed Colorado Mountain Views around! Almost 6,000 finished square feet total including the additional Suite, showcasing a huge separate private office.<br/>
									  <br/>
									MLS#683551<br/>
7 Bedrooms, 6 Bathrooms, 3,768 Square Feet</p>
			                        <p><a href="http://www.rogersrealty.net/our-listings/837-vista-grande-circle-fort-collins-799000/">Click here for more info</a></p>
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					    <div class="trivia">
					      <h2>Trivia</h2>
							  <center><img src="http://www.rogersrealty.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/trivia-300.png" alt="Trivia" width="254" height="101" />
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								<h3 align="center" class="darktext">Friendly natives from which tribe were invited to the Pilgrims' Thanksgiving celebration?</h3>
						  <h3 align="center" class="darktext">Find the Answer on our </h3>
						  <h3 align="center" class="darktext"><span class="style3"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rogers-Realty-Coldwell-Banker-Residential-Brokerage-Fort-Collins-CO/349348505178" class="style3">Facebook Page</a>!</span></h3>
					    </div>					    
					    <div class="trivia">
                              <h2><img src="http://www.rogersrealty.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Thanksgiving21.jpg" alt="pats" width="260" height="792" /></h2>
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						<td colspan="2"><div align="center" class="sectionHeader">
						  <h2 align="left" class="style8">5 Most Dangerous Hazards in a Home</h2>
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							<p>Home owners beware: Several dangers may lurk in a home. If you&#8217;re not careful, they could make you sick. Pillar to Post, a home inspection company, reviews how to spot these dangers in the home and encourages you to contact a home inspector if your home may be at risk for any of these potential dangers.</p>
							<p>
							  <strong>1. Radon:</strong> a colorless, odorless gas that can seep into the home from the ground. Radon has been called the second most common cause of lung cancer.<br />
						  What to look for: Basements or anything with protrusion into the ground offer entry points for radon. The Environmental Protection Agency publishes a map of high prevalence areas for radon. A radon test can determine if high levels of radon are present.</p>
							<p>
							  <strong>2. Asbestos:</strong> a fibrous material once popular in building materials because it provides heat insulation and fire resistance. But asbestos was banned in 1985. It may still be found in older home&#8217;s insulation materials, floor tiles, roof coverings, and siding. If disturbed or damaged, it can enter the air and cause severe illness.<br />
							  What to look for: Homes built prior to 1985 are at risk of having asbestos within construction materials. Home owners should especially be careful when remodeling because disturbing insulation may cause the asbestos to become airborne.						  </p>
							<p><strong>3. Lead: </strong>a toxic metal used in home products for many years that can contribute to several health problems, especially among children. Exposure can occur from deteriorating lead-based paint, pipes, or lead-contaminated dust or soil.<br />
						  What to look for: Homes built prior to 1978 may have lead present. Look for peeling paint and check old pipes. To get a HUD-insured loan, buyers must show a certificate that homes built prior to 1978 are lead-safe.</p>
							<p><strong>4. Hazardous products:</strong> stockpiles of hazardous <br />
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							<!-- START SECOND COLUMN CONTENT HERE -->
                            <p>household items &#8212; such as paint solvents, pesticides, fertilizers, or motor oils &#8212; that can create a dangerous situation if not properly stored or disposed. They can cause illness or even death if small amounts are ingested.</p>
<p>
                              What to look for: Make sure these items aren&#8217;t tucked away in corners, crawl spaces, garages, or garden sheds. Home owners often don&#8217;t realize these products can pose a danger and may forget they&#8217;re storing them. But buyers don&#8217;t want it to become their problem &#8212; and expense &#8212; <img src="http://www.rogersrealty.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/MP900448699.jpg" alt="House" width="147" height="186" hspace="0" align="right" />to dispose of. If these products are found, make sure the buyer requires their removal and gets a disposal certificate prior to closing, which proves the products were disposed of properly and not just dumped in the backyard.</p>
                            <p>
                              <strong>5. Groundwater contamination:</strong> the result of hazardous chemicals that are illegally disposed of and then seep through the soil and enter water supplies. A leaking underground oil tank or faulty septic system can contribute to this.<br />
                              What to look for: Look for any conditions that may be conducive to leakage. Homes near light industrial areas or facilities may be at risk.</p>
<p> Also a concern: areas once used for industry that are now residential. Pillar to Post offers a Neighborhood Environmental Report that details any dangers or remedies of environmental incidences and sources of contamination that have occurred at a specified address and within its vicinity.<br />
                              Source: Pillar to Post stopping you from getting into the market? </p>
                      <p>Source: <a href="http://realtormag.realtor.org/sales-and-marketing/handouts-for-customers/for-buyers/5-most-dangerous-hazards-in-home">Realtor Mag</a></p></td>
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						  <h2 align="left" class="style9">Congratulations to Our Home Buyers &amp; Sellers</h2>
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<ul>
								<li>Linda and Jerry Thompson  #9018 Sandpiper Drive</li>
			<li>Julie and Doug Patti   #4827 Prairie Vista Drive.</li>
			<li>Franklin Jones  #1809 Fromme Prairie Way</li>
			<li>Mark and Suzie Silverman    #3500 Patterson Ct.</li>
			<li>Odi and Steve O&#8217;Hara  #2722 High Plains Ct.</li>
			<li>Amber and Colby Manes   #3027 68th Ave.</li>
			<li>Steve and Stephanie Sigler   #338 Cajetan St.</li>
			<li>Brenda and Joe Kirschner #8655 Blackwood Drive.</li>
            <li>Nichele and Bryan Bruntz  #304 Kalkaska Ct.</li>
            <li>Travis and Cindy Paternoster #655 Clarendon Drive</li>
            <li>Kim and Ellen Karst  #5900 Greenridge Circle</li>
                                <li></li>
						  </ul>
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						  <h2 align="left" class="style8">November Home Maintenance Tasks</h2>
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							<p>1. When setting clocks back to Standard Time, change batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.<br />
						    </p>
							<p>2. Inspect automatic garage door opener and lubricate according to the <img src="http://www.rogersrealty.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/MP900384699.jpg" alt="House" width="153" height="144" hspace="0" align="left" />manufacturer's directions. Make sure all bolts and screws are properly tightened and secured.<br />
					        </p>
							<p>3. Check for leaks around washing machine. A prime suspect for leaks are the water supply hose washers. Inspect hoses and replace if necessary.<br />
					        </p>
							<p>4. Clean dishwasher, trash compactor and countertop appliances. </p>
							<p>Source: <a href="http://www.weather.com/outdoors/home-improvement/home-tips/november-home-maintenance_2010-08-24">Weather.com</a></p>
					  <p>&nbsp;</p></td>
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						  <h2 align="left" class="style8">5 Keys to Successful Negotiation</h2>
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							<p>Whether you're a buyer or a seller you want to succeed in the realty marketplace. That's natural and reasonable, but what are the steps you need to triumph?<br />
							  Negotiation is a complex matter and all transactions are unique. Both sides&#8212;buyer and seller&#8212;want to feel that the outcome favors them, or at least represents a fair balance of interests. In the usual case there is a bit of bluff, some give-and-take, and neither party gets everything they want.<br />
							  So how do you develop a strong bargaining position, one which will help you get the most from a transaction? Experience shows there are five basic keys which will determine who wins at the negotiating table.<br />
							  1. What does the market say?<br />
							  At various times we're in a &quot;buyers&quot; market, a &quot;sellers&quot; market, or a market where housing supply and demand are roughly equal. If possible, you want to be in the market at a time when it favors your position as a buyer or seller.<img src="http://www.rogersrealty.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/MP900448478.jpg" alt="House" width="255" height="170" hspace="0" align="right" /><br />
							  Because all properties are unique&#8212;it is possible to buck general trends and have more leverage than the marketplace would seem to allow. For instance, if you have a property in a desirable neighborhood with few sales, you may be able to get a better deal than elsewhere. Or, if you're a buyer who can quickly close, that might be an important negotiating chip when dealing with an owner who just got a new job 500 miles away.<br />
							  2. Who has leverage?<br />
							  If you're on the front page of the local paper because your business went bust&#8212;and the buyer knows it&#8212;you have little clout in the bargaining process. Alternatively, if you're among six buyers clamoring for that one special property, forget about dictating an agreement&#8212;the owner can sit back and pick the offer which represents the highest price and best terms.<br />
							  3. What are the details?<br />
							  A lot of attention in real estate is paid to transaction prices. This surely makes sense, but the key to a good deal may be more complex.<br />
							  Consider two identical properties that each sell on the same day for $275,000. The houses are the same, the sale prices are the same, but are the deals the same? Maybe not. For instance, one owner may have agreed to paint the property, replace the roof, purchase a new kitchen refrigerator, and pay the first $3,000 of the buyer's closing costs. The second owner made no concessions.<br />
							  In this example, the first house was actually sold at discount&#8212;the $275,000 purchase price less the value of the roof repairs, closing credit, and other items. If you're a buyer, this is the deal you want. If you're a seller, you would prefer to be the second owner and give up nothing.<br />
							  4. What about financing?<br />
							  Real estate transactions involve a trade&#8212;houses for money. We know the house is there, but what about financing? There are several factors that impact the money issue:<br />
							  Has the buyer been pre-qualified or pre-approved by a lender? Meeting with a lender before looking at homes does not usually guarantee that financing is absolutely, unquestionably available&#8212;a loan application can be declined because of appraisal problems, title issues, survey findings, and other reasons.<br />
							  But, buyers who are &quot;pre-qualified&quot; or &quot;pre-approved&quot; (these terms do not have a standard meaning around the country) at least have some idea of their ability to finance a home and know that they are likely to qualify for certain loan programs.<br />
							  The result is that pre-qualified buyers represent less risk to owners than a purchaser who has never met with a lender. If the seller accepts an offer from a buyer with unknown financial strength, it's possible that the transaction could fail because the buyer can't get a loan. Meanwhile, the owner may have lost the opportunity to sell to a qualified buyer.<br />
							  The lower the interest rate, the larger the pool of potential buyers. More buyers equal more potential demand, good news for sellers.<br />
							  Alternatively, high rates or even rising rates may drive buyers from the marketplace&#8212;and that's not good for anyone.<img src="http://www.rogersrealty.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/MP900448494.jpg" alt="House" width="279" height="186" hspace="0" align="left" /><br />
							  It used to be that downpayments were a major financing hurdle&#8212;but not anymore. For those with good credit, loans with 5 percent down or less are now widely available. In fact, 100 percent financing, mortgages with nothing down, are now being made by conventional lenders. Reduced downpayment requirements are good for both buyers and sellers.<br />
							  5. Who has expertise?<br />
							  Imagine you're in a fight. The other guy has black belts in 12 martial arts&#8212;and you don't. Who's going to win?<br />
							  Brokers have long represented sellers, and now buyer brokerage is entirely common. In a transaction where one side has representation and the other does not, who has the advantage at the bargaining table?
						  
						  <p>Source: <a href="http://www.realtor.com/home-finance/real-estate/buyers/home-buyers-and-sellers-negotiation-tips.aspx?source=web">Realtor.com</a></p>							
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						<td colspan="2">						  <div align="center" class="style1 style5">	Open Space all around the ideal Colorado homesite! </div>
					      <h3 class="price"><img src="http://www.rogersrealty.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/1On-the-water-and-beautiful.jpg" alt="House" width="232" height="176" hspace="0" align="right" />4293 Tarryall Court, Loveland</h3>
					      <h3 class="price">$100,000</h3>
					      <p>NEW PRICE!! Ideal, private and peaceful! Breathtaking Walk-out Basement Waterfront Site! Backs to conservation easement and beautiful Horseshoe Lake.<br/>
                              <br/>
					        MLS#689698<br/>
					        4,800 Square Foot Lot</p>					      </td>
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							<p class="small"><strong>Our mailing address is:</strong></p>
							<p class="small">2120 Milestone Drive Suite 200</p>
							<p class="small">Fort Collins, CO 80525</p>
					  <p class="small">If you're like to unsubscribe please send an email to <a href="mail to: [email]sschilz6@gmail.com">clrogers@frii.com[/email]</a>. Thanks!</p>						</td>
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							<p class="small center">November 2012 - <a href="http://www.rogersrealty.net">http://www.RogersRealty.net</a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rogers-Realty-Coldwell-Banker-Residential-Brokerage-Fort-Collins-CO/349348505178" target="_blank" title="Connect with us on Facebook">Connect with us on Facebook</a></p>						</td>
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Hi Rahmamah. Welcome to the forums. :slight_smile:

  1. Why is there so much space above and below each header in the body of the newsletter?

Running your code in my browser, I don’t see that. What browser are you using?

  1. Is there any way I can add 10px of padding to the right and left sides of the navy blue box under “Congratulations to Our Home Buyers and Sellers”?

That’s quite easy. You can change this:

#recentClosings {
	background: #000033;
	padding: 0px;
}

to this:

#recentClosings [COLOR="#FF0000"]ul[/COLOR] {
	background: #000033;
	padding: 0px;
	overflow:hidden;
}

However, there’s a big problem here: coding HTML email really sucks, and it just doesn’t work well in a lot of email clients. The only way to get things even close is to put all your styles inline instead of inside <style> tags, as some clients strip out everything except inline styles.

So the real issue is not that your boss will be viewing this in IE, but that he/she will most likely be viewing this in some version of Outlook (a program that Microsoft inflicts on the world out of sheer hatred for us all).

  1. When I open the file in Safari the right side bar goes out of the border line as does the “Connect with Us on Facebook” link. This doesn’t happen when I open it in Firefox. My boss uses IE and I have no idea what it looks like there. It does need to look correct in all browsers.

To be honest, there are lots of issues with this layou—the most fundamental being that it is far too wide for email in general, which is better kept at a max width of about 600px. I recommend you get a tried and tested email template, as this is a very tough area to do from scratch. Testing email clients is a major pain. CampaignMonitor has a great set of free templates that are well tested: http://www.campaignmonitor.com/templates/all/

Thank you so much! Actually the reason I’ve had to take over is because the previous web guy got so frustrated trying to tell my boss that this layout was a mess, including the fact that it is way too wide for email. So, lucky me, I get the burden. I do, sincerely, appreciate the help though.

So is the boss not listening? I can’t believe it when that happens …

No… boss not listening? You’re kidding. That never happens to me. Clients always do exactly what I recommend… I also recommend smattering clip art willy nilly about all of your marketing pieces and one should most definitely make a layout completely unfit for email and then ask me to use it every month. Mail Chimp, Constant Contact, hand delivering handwritten notes, anything would be easier than this. What can I say, the client is always right… right? I’m loyal to my boss (ex-boss actually, now she’s a client) because she has been loyal to me, a loyal pain in the bum, but loyal none the less. Plus there’s that measly check once a month.

He he … still, you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, as they say. What does she actually say when you point out this is not good as an email layout?

“Well, they click it and it opens the browser so it should be big to fill the window.” The battle to get her to switch to Mail Chimp was intense. The web guy fired her, she can no longer use him for any work. This gets a bit awkward when she says, “just ask Nick”. Poor, poor Nick. I will not, “just ask Nick” because I’m too embarrassed by her behavior. It’s kind of a bummer because Nick was a hugely valuable guy. I’m over it. I no longer care what her image looks like. I started my own business and I don’t use her as a reference, I don’t affiliate myself with any of her marketing. I can at least say that her marketing has substantially less typos then it had in the past. At least I helped with that…

I suspect the vast majority of people don’t open the email in a browser, though. Most don’t even open the email at all. If I were you I’d probably just let her go. I let go most HTML email requests these days, because as soon as anyone resists or disregards my advice, I just figure it’s not worth bothering with them, because email is such a pain to deal with anyway.

If someone really did insist on having a web page like this, I might suggest sending out a really simple email with a link to the page online and a simple call to action. If that were rejected, I’d just say no thanks to the job.

That’s the plan. It’s my biggest motivation to start marketing my business. Once I have enough clients I can drop her. Unfortunately, I’m a slave to the money.