How To Make Sure Your Email Blast Isn’t Flagged As Spam
The term email blast has become synonymous with spam for some people. This is unfortunate because by following a few simple rules, you can avoid most spam pitfalls.
The most important way to avoid being labelled a spammer is to only send to people who have signed up for your opt-in list. That means that they asked to receive information from you and are not likely to be surprised or annoyed when they get your messages. If you plan to use any other list (like a qualified list that you purchased), send an opt-in message first that says something like “You are receiving this message because you expressed an interest in XYZ… Periodically we send e-mails with special offers and news about XYZ. If you would like to receive these messages, please select here. You may opt-out at any time. Otherwise you will be unsubscribed from this list. Have a great day!”
The subject line of your message is also very important. Ideally it should state clearly what the point of your message is. Be aware that certain words and phrases can either trigger a spam filter, or turn the potential reader away. In general avoid one word subject lines like “Hello” or “Help”. Also avoid words that spammers use like “you’re a winner”, “free”, “gift”, “deals”… anything that has a too good to be true sound to it. Obviously you want to steer clear of anything that even remotely relates to X rated materials. Even though using words like ”urgent” or “open immediately” may sound like a good idea, they are not. It is a big red flag that usually results in a quick delete.
Most e-mail blast systems will automatically create an unsubscribe button on your messages. This is VERY important. Make sure it is easy to find on every message, that it really works and that the user gets an immediate confirmation that they have been unsubscribed. If there isn’t one, create one yourself. Nothing upsets people more than receiving messages they don’t want and not having any way to stop them.
Include your company’s name, a mailing address and a working phone number on every message. You need to show that you are a legitimate organization and not some shadowy spammer.
One last thing – make sure your “From” email address is valid. Most systems will allow you to change what the receiver sees in the “From” field. Either leave it alone, or change it to the name of your company. Don’t try to get fancy here – simple is good.
By following these simple guidelines, you can avoid many of the problems that could result in being shut down as a spammer. Remember the goal of any email marketing plan should be to build a solid list of people who are interested in your product or service.
