SPAM and your Email
Is your Email sending the wrong message?
Email is an efficient and affordable communications channel to your customers and potential customers alike. Unfortunately many times the Email Communication sends the wrong message, even with our best intentions.
There are two big issues with creating an effective Email communication.
First, make sure it's not Spam. That may sound simple, but it's becoming harder and harder to conform to the new Spam rules and standards everyday.
Second, build your Email so that it looks professional, legitimate, and has a clear message. Email is a communication channel and should be respected as one. Fortunately for us, there are Best Practices for developing Email communication that; doesn't show up as Spam, jumps the hurdles of Email deliverability issues, and is a clear communication tool.
Of all the Email that is sent Spam has grown to be 80% of all Email*.
Due to the large number of Spam messages, users as well as Internet Service Providers (ISP's), put measures in place to block unwanted bulk Email. With all these software and hardware roadblocks in place, 18% of legitimate bulk Email gets blocked. That means your Email communication may have just gotten thrown in with SPAM Emails being sent from pornographers, discount software, cheap drugs, and others. The goal of your email is for your recipient(s) to read it. That's why it's vital that it's not SPAM and doesn't look like SPAM to all the filters out there trying to stop SPAM.
Fortunately for us the major Email providers have rules and regulations for us to follow to ensure our Email goes through. For example, AOL has a two stage white list program that tells you the steps to take to make sure your Email goes through. The program is fairly cut and dry, with technical issues to work on for the Email sender and guidelines on building your Email. Other companies use similar programs; Yahoo, MSN Hotmail, Google Mail, and more. Each of them use slightly different programs or set of programs and guidelines. It's important to know all the different rules and prepare your communication properly. It sounds like a lot to know doesn't it? Fortunately you don't have to know all the boring technical mumbo jumbo, but you should understand the bigger picture. Let us worry about the boring technical details for you.
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* Excedent Reports that Spam Traffic has Grown to 80% of Email; 31 March 2004
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