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You Can be an Email Marketing Supergenius #110

Don’t Get Deleted
Issue # 110

1> Filters Delete Email That Contains Common Words
2> Consumers Delete Email They Don’t Recognize
3> ISPs Delete Email From Problem Servers

1> Filters Delete Email That Contains Common Words

Email filters block abusive email by searching email messages for specific words that are typically used by email abusers — and delete the message or file it in a “junk” folder. Unfortunately, many of these words are also words that any reasonable marketer or publisher would use frequently. We can’t list them here, or this message might get blocked too. Don’t be surprised if at least one phrase from your newsletter is on the list. Even a toll-free number or the words “Click Here” can get your entire mailing blocked. Check out this list to get a sample of words you should avoid:

http://www.spamassassin.org/tests.html.

2> Consumers Delete Email They Don’t Recognize

Consumers block, sort, and delete mail by looking at who an email is from and who it is addressed to. The best way to get your mail through is for readers to recognize your “From” address. Hopefully, they will add you to their list of approved senders. Always stay consistent; you want readers to expect your mail. Every time you change the From address you start over as an unrecognized sender — and probably go back in the junk box. Your only option for the “To” line is to address the email specifically to the individual, using “[email protected].” Don’t send it to the name of the list or to your own name. Many people delete all mail not addressed specifically to them. All email list servers offer mail-merge capability to correctly address each message.

3> ISPs Delete Email From Problem Servers

ISPs block abusive email primarily through a system that tracks the IP addresses of the computers that known email abusers are using. Once that computer is on a block list, all the email coming from that server is automatically deleted. This is problem for you: If your list-hosting company also hosts scumbags, your lists are going to get blocked too. Check out the reputation of your hosting company very carefully, and ask for a guarantee that they will kick abusers off their servers. Type your host’s URL into this site to check them out:

http://openrbl.org.

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