Is your e-mail mistaken for spam?

Is your e-mail mistaken for spam?

by

Tim North, http://www.scribe.com.au

How many e-mail messages do you receive in a week? How many of these are unsolicited advertising (spam)? If you're anything like me, the answer to both questions is "Too many!"

An unfortunate side effect of this tide of spam is that many people now delete any message that they suspect of being spam without reading it. This means that your e-mail's subject line will make or break you.

A good subject line is vital to prevent your e-mail being inadvertently dismissed as spam by some readers.

It is even more important when you consider the increasing use of rule-based e-mail filters that use very unforgiving software to classify incoming messages as spam or not-spam.

Here then are some simple tips to help you prevent your e-mail being mistaken for spam:

1. Don't use money in the subject line; e.g.

        Can we cut $500 from the budget?

    Many of your readers will have spam filters that kill off anything with a dollar sign in the subject line.

2. Don't include advertising words like best selling, cash, free, guaranteed, make money, opportunity, order, satisfied, saving or special offer.

    Such words are frequently used in spam subject lines. Keep in mind that they can easily sneak through:

        Can we free up some money from the budget?

3. Don't leave the subject field blank. Not only are you failing to capture your reader's attention, but this is a common spammer technique to trick you into opening the message.

4. Don't send work messages from private addresses like yahoo.com or gmail.com. A significant percentage of all spam comes from such addresses.

5. Don't send unsolicited attachments. People have become very wary of them as many are infected with viruses or contain other malicious software.

6. DON'T SHOUT. Don't send a message in which the subject is in full capitals. This is a common sign of spam.

7. Don't use words that may have an inadvertent adult meaning.

8. Ensure that the date is set correctly on your computer as an incorrect or missing date is a common sign of forged e-mail headers -- another common spammer trick.

Armed with these tips, your e-mail should get through every time.