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We all hate spam and get way too much of it, okay? Now that we’ve fixed that, it’s important to realize that in everyone’s enthusiasm to minimize your spam, we’re removing legitimate emails, and those emails could be YOUR business messages! There are two factors at play: not checking the trash before emptying it, and sending emails with flags that trigger spam filters.
When sending commercial email, it is essential that you make some effort so that your email is not inadvertently perceived as spam. Multiple times a day, legitimate email lands in my Junk/Trash because the sender does or doesn’t do certain things that trigger most spam filters. These are issues to be aware of so your email has the best chance of reaching its intended recipient.
Your initial contact and making sure your email comes across as a serious business entity can make the difference between being read or being discarded. Here’s a simple checklist of things you should put into practice so your emails aren’t misidentified as spam and deleted before you read them:
=> Always include an appropriate, short and precise SUBJECT:. Many times spam doesn’t have a SUBJECT: or it’s malformed without the proper text. Many email programs automatically send emails without a subject to Trash/Trash. You also want to avoid using the words: hello, hello, help, new, or the recipient’s name or email address, as doing so can trigger spam filters.
=> Refrain from using common terms abused by spammers in your subject line and/or first paragraph of your email. You know what they are, you see them every day. Many spam filters track these terms and may inadvertently send your email directly to Trash.
=> Write your topic with proper capitalization and structure. All uppercase or lowercase gives the impression of spam (and lack of online knowledge/education).
=> Make sure your full name, not your email address, is formally displayed in the FROM: field. Example: Jane A. Doe is correct, not jane a doe, not Jane, not [email protected]. FROM: fields with lowercase, only your name, or lack of punctuation indicates a lack of online knowledge that is typical of most spammers, indicating that your email could also be spam. Not using your last name gives the impression that you have something to hide. You always want to use your full, formal name in all business emails.
=> Refrain from using any formatting just for the sake of it. Formatting can also trigger spam filters if not done correctly. Think of company letterhead. If you don’t want to have your name in big, blue, bold letters on your company letterhead, don’t do it on your company email.
=> Unannounced attachments look suspicious. Do not send attachments without a specific request to do so and you are expected to do so. If you are sending attachments over 200K, show extraordinary courtesy and ask the other party FIRST when would be the best time to send your collateral. Then go ahead and send it at the pre-arranged time so the recipient on the other end is available to download your files and keep your inbox clear.
=> When using any type of spam software or filtering system, before deleting the junk, it doesn’t hurt to take a quick look to see if any emails are from people you know or recognize.
By keeping the above issues in mind, you have a better chance of getting your email to the other end and of business emails that could make the difference between making a sale or not.
