It IS possible to avoid spam filters…assuming you’re willing to put in the effort when developing your email campaigns. Try starting with these ideas:
- GET PERMISSION. Asking readers for permission before sending them materials decreases chances you’ll be marked as SPAM. They still may not read it, but you won’t get dinged.
- DON’T BUY LISTS. Even If someone claims their email list is clean and guaranteed, RUN THE OTHER WAY!
- USE GOOD SUBJECT LINES. Avoid words like free, don’t write in all caps, and lose the exclamation points.
- BE RELEVANT. Send interesting items to your readers, then watch what they read. Sending the wrong stuff is a guaranteed ticket to the garbage folder.
- DON’T BE ANNOYING. Sending too many emails upsets people. Set a regular, reasonable schedule (monthly, bi-monthly, etc.) and stick to it.
- BE INTERESTING. We’ve all got subscribers who don’t read. Keep content interesting to retain more readers.
- TAKE A REALITY CHECK. Being invited into someone’s mailbox is a privilege. If you believe you deserve to be there, they’re guaranteed to unsubscribe.
- CLEAN YOUR LIST. Readers who haven’t opened your email in 12 months should be pulled off the list. Delete bounced and non-existent email addresses. Remember: even if you’re not looking at the effectiveness of your email list, email service providers are.
- IMPOSE QUALITY CONTROL. Before pushing the button, proofread materials for typos, HTML errors, and mis-directed links.
- WATCH YOUR CREATIVITY. Image-only emails are immediately classified as junk, so be sure you have balance between pictures and words.
- WARNING: BILL GATES ALERT! Using Microsoft Word to create an email campaign is guaranteed to add useless coding that spam filters watch for.
- RESOLVE PROBLEMS QUICKLY. Fewer SPAM complaints, lower bounce rates, and higher reader engagement rates will keep your account clean and your email out of the junk folder.
Email marketing is increasingly a science, and just sending anything willy-nilly doesn’t work anymore. Getting into the IN box, getting it read, and getting a response are the three challenges of your email campaign.
Naturally, nothing guarantees success. Still, following these guidelines should get you much further down the road than you currently are.
Want to learn more about how to successfully market your book? Talk with Rob Weinberg.