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Write E-mails that Get Opened, Pass the Filter Test
Write E-mails that Get Opened, Pass the Filter Test
Marketing Tip, February, 2006
Did you know that 22 percent of nonspam e-mail doesn't get delivered?
That means two e-mails lost for every nine sent out. It's because the
spammers have killed e-mail both by burying the real stuff and by
causing most ISPs to filter the mail.
We've already talked about the From and Subject lines. The third key in
writing e-mails that get opened is to send e-mails that don't get caught
in spamcatcher filters--because if you want your post to be opened, it
has to be seen. If the filters grab it, your recipient may not ever have
the chance to see it.
In the above paragraph, I reworded two bits to avoid that trap. I said
"not ever" because the one-word version that begins with "n" and ends
with "ever" is one of the trigger words. So are the words you get if you
drop the first letter off "where" or "know.." And I did the word that
begins with "sp" and ends with "catcher" as one word, because the first
four letters would ring a filter bell.
And you may have wondered why you sometimes see spaces in the middle of
words in my newsletters--it's to avoid triggering these robots' appetite
for e-mail.
Learn to phrase things differently. Instead of the word that begins "fr"
and continues "ee," for instance, I might say "no-cost," "without
charge," etc. For me, writing to beat the filters has become automatic
(and given that I write about marketing and pro fit, it's a challenge).
I still run my stuff through a checker, and there will be a few items
that I miss, but even my first draft scores are pretty low.
Most filters will rank a piece of mail, and those above a certain score
will be blocked entirely or held for review before delivery. So,
typically, you can have a few of the filter hooks but not too many.
In addition to word traps, some filters are set for format traps.
Fortunately, those are easy to avoid--if you know what they are. This
isn't a complete list, but it'll get you started:
* Html formats (see next month for a full explanation)
* Strings of all-capital letters (this is why I am violating grammar and
not capitalizing every letter of Html)
* Multiple exclamation points and/or dollar signs
* Documents that are excessively long (yes, I'm guilty, I confess)
* Double-high priority flag
OK, so how do you know? Run it through at least one of these:
http://www.ezinecheck.com/check.html (this is the one I use most often,
because it's extremely easy to use and tells you the results right
away--but it flags fewer words than some others)
http://spamcheck.sitesell.com/ (follow the instructions *exactly*--and
you'll get a report by e-mail within a few hours)
http://www.lyris.com/resources/contentchecker/ (another one that e-mails
the report)
Use a Professional Signature
Use a Professional Signature This is an important tip to use on every
email that you send. Even your friends may not always remember your
website address or business phone number and will quickly look to an old
e-mail to look it up.
When preparing an email signature it’s important to include Your Name,
Company Name, and your Physical Address or Website Address. You may also
include your phone number.
Creating Demand
with Email Newsletters
By Julia Hyde
Your Web site is live, and you have implemented a public relations
campaign and have purchase advertising in trade journals, magazines, and
newspapers. But your site's daily visitors are still in single digits
and your sales are ... well, let's just say that early retirement is no
longer an option.
Now what?
It's time to try email marketing; more specifically, an email
newsletter. Email newsletters are cheap an easy to create and send, and
they are proven to increase sales.
Of course, there are many other reasons why email newsletters make good
business sense. Here's just a few of them:
Create a marketing campaign on a shoestring budget.
Measure the results and find out what works and what doesn't.
Build personal relationships with a large group of people.
Track customer behavior and collect user information.
Starting your email newsletter campaign
Before you start any type of marketing or advertising campaign, you need
a plan. You don't have to put together a 200-plus page document
outlining all your goals and objectives, but you do need to define some
basics before you begin.
At the very least,
your plan should:
Identify your audience. It's not enough to say, "They're people who like
widgets". Take your cue from magazine publishers. They know exactly who
their target audience is, how much money they earn, what social group
they fit into, and what motivates them to buy. Find out who your
customers are, then tailor your newsletter around their needs and
desires.
Check out your competition. Every business has competition. Find out
what they are doing by researching their product or service. What could
you do better? Is there a gap in their service you can fill?
Identify your newsletter's purpose. What do you hope to achieve with
your newsletter? Do you want to give your subscribers information about
your product to help them make purchasing decisions? If so, you must
first show them how it can make them smarter, healthier, wealthier, or
more successful.
Do you want to position yourself as an expert in your field? Your goal
here is to provide your subscribers with well-written articles that
address issues in your industry. Whatever your objectives, your purpose
will determine what content goes in to your newsletter.
