As Internet and email service providers employ increasingly aggressive spam filters, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get an email all the way to a prospect’s email inbox.
Before I describe four steps I use at Envision Works to make this email journey less difficult for our clients, here are some of the reasons why your emails don’t always get through.
- The more traffic going across an Internet Service Provider (ISP) network, the more it costs them. So, obviously, they will be working hard to eliminate unnecessary stuff.
- Paying customers don’t like spam, and ISPs like paying customers. So, the less of it that gets through to their customers, the better.
- There is a ton of real spam out there (not from you, of course). Spam filters, then, are necessary – but not perfect. If you understand how these filters work, however, it will increase your chances of getting through.
Now that you have a better understand of today’s email issues, let’s get into the solutions.
1. Follow the Law
We’re not just talking about a generic etiquette law, here. There is a real, specific, subject-to-fines law on the U.S. books, the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, which established the rights of email recipients and the limitations of Internet advertising. Each violation could mean fines of up to $16,000.
Staying within the boundaries of the law, and getting through more spam filters, is as simple as using accurate sender information, writing honest subject lines and offering an opt-out method. The best “from” email addresses include a company’s domain name and not a Hotmail or Yahoo domain. As far as subject lines, deception is simply illegal. More importantly, if you trick someone into opening an email, and they find content that is unrelated to your tricky subject line, they’ll be less likely to open future emails or mark you as spam themselves. Finally, according to the CAN-SPAM Act, all unsolicited email must be explicitly labeled as advertisements and include a valid physical postal address. Not only does following these rules keep you fine-free, they add credibility to your communication.
2. Build a Great Reputation
Building trust with prospects is not a new idea. Figuring out how to build trust with ISPs, however, is an entirely different challenge. To do this, you have to build a strong, well-established sender reputation. Some ways to do this include:
- Maintain a low bounce rate – under 5% of your overall email volume.
- Maintain a complaint rate below .2%.
- Create your own opt-in list (as opposed to a purchased list).
- Keep your list updated.
- Send emails at a consistent volume and rate.
- Avoid switching IP addresses too often.
3. Send Better Emails
If you are truly trying to get through to your prospects (both email-wise and emotion-wise), quality content is the most important factor. Your email must be useful and/or relevant or, even if it gets to the inbox, it will be ignored.
Before you hit “send,” make sure you follow a few guidelines. Customize and/or segment your emails as much as possible; this is the best way to strengthen relationships. Use strong subject lines that are honest, yet click-worthy. If you want your email to be read, keep the copy short and to the point. Finally, avoid obvious spam triggers such as “free,” “guarantee,” “credit” and, of course, “be your own boss.”
4. Outsource the Service
Maintaining your own email server is expensive in terms of both time and money. Outsourcing your email delivery to a hosted service gives you instant credibility with the spam filters and allows you more time to focus on strategy and content.
When you go to an email service, the benefits far outweigh the costs.
- You’ll be using a clean, proven IP address.
- They will monitor your bounce and complaint rate for you.
- They will negotiate with ISPs on your behalf to help ensure your emails get to the right places.
- They will help you maintain a strong sender reputation.
If your emails aren’t getting through, these four steps should help. If you are still getting filtered more than you’d like, call me (Lauren Cleveland) at Envision Works at 817-283-0101. Or, if you prefer, talk to your newly outsourced email service; they should be able to help you, as well.