If your email newsletter is ending up in your customer’s spam box, your efforts at producing excellent communication are all in vain. How can you develop an email marketing strategy that will prevent this from happening?

As many of us know, email is a great marketing tool, allowing you to engage your customers and keep them informed about things they might be interested in, and many companies put considerable effort into their e-newsletter content.

Consider these three tips:

1. Obey the Rules

If you are sending emails that are classified as spam, even your legitimate communications are likely to end up in the recipient’s spam filter. Many companies don’t realize that an email doesn’t have to be regular advertising to be classified as spam. Simply put, spam is any unsolicited commercial email. In other words, you can’t add your contact list to your email distribution list without having them opt-in to receive your email newsletter.

Additionally, each email must comply with the CAN-SPAM Act. This means you must have a way for recipients to unsubscribe within the email and take care of those requests promptly. CAN-SPAM requires that you include your full mailing address as well.

2. Communicate Clearly

Sometimes customers simply do not remember adding themselves to a distribution list. It’s a good idea to send a verification email after the initial opt-in request. It can simply say, “click this link, or reply to this message to be added to our list.” This process reminds your customer who you are, establishes that you are a trusted sender and verifies that they gave you a correct email address. Lastly, it gives you two ways to prove to a service provider that the person requested your communication if you get reported as a spammer. On another note, people are unlikely to report you as a spammer if it’s obvious how to unsubscribe. Make sure this feature is clearly communicated and not hidden.

3. Be Proactive

If you do receive an email bounce indicating your message was classified as spam, be proactive. The bounced message will usually contain the name of the service provider that bounced you. Visit their website or call customer service and inquire about the process for being removed from the blacklist.

If you enjoyed this article, you may also want to check out these others:

Email Marketing Trends for 2014
Five Marketing Questions You Need To Ask Yourself
200 of Google’s Website Ranking Factors [Infographic]
Combining Blogging and Social Media into a Truly Effective Strategy
5 Ways You Can Benefit By Using LinkedIn
How To Amp Up Your Visibility With Facebook

This article is published by Will Sherwood | The Sherwood Group |Website Design | Graphic Design | Marketing Communications: The Sherwood Group has over 30 years of experience working with all sorts of companies, small and large. Our clients range from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 firms, in nearly every business sector, from across the street to around the world (and yes, even Europe, China, and South America). Our goal is to create advertising,  graphic design, website design, and marketing communication that still looks fresh and relevant 10-15 years later. Our mission is to stir your imagination and leave your competition shaken and wondering,  Now what do we do?”  We are located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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