As with every other online marketing strategy out there, creating effective email campaigns is not so much about 'What you do' as 'How you do it.' Let's kick off this blog series on 'how to create effective email campaigns' by looking at how to make sure your email actually hits the 'in-box' not the 'spam box'…
Did you know? In 2010 107 trillion emails were sent – that's a rate of over 294 Billion emails every single day!!! ….
That immediately raises two things:
Number one: Obviously, email marketing must work or people wouldn't be doing it, and
Number two: How do you make sure Your email marketing campaign is the one that generates all the attention?
I am always ranting on about the importance of having a proper Strategy in place before you head off and do anything online, and email marketing is no different. Assuming you have a well-thought out strategy in place, the next question becomes "How do I make sure my emails actually land in the in-box, not the spam-box?"…
Tips on How To Create "Effective Email Marketing Campaigns"
Have you ever wondered how email spam filters 'think' and exactly what triggers them to think 'Spam Alert'?
I came across a great article by Mail Chimp that goes a long way to answering that question. Basically, spam filters have a long list of criteria and use a 'points system' to score your email. If your email campaign's total "spam score" exceeds a certain threshold, your email is sent to the junk folder. For example, spam filters might look for spammy phrases like "CLICK HERE!" or "FREE! - BUY NOW!". They'll assign points each time they see one of those phrases.
Words That Trigger Email Spam Filters:
| Free! | 50% off! | Click Here |
| Call now! | Subscribe | Earn $ |
| Discount! | Eliminate Debt | Double your income |
| You're a Winner! | Reverses Aging | "Hidden" |
| Information you requested | "Stop" or "Stops" | Lose Weight |
| 50% off! | Click Here | Call now! |
| Subscribe | Earn $ | Discount! |
| Eliminate Debt | Double your income | You're a Winner! |
| Reverses Aging | "Hidden" | Information you requested |
| "Stop" or "Stops" | Lose Weight | Multi level Marketing |
| Million Dollars | Opportunity | Compare |
| Removes | Collect | Amazing |
| Cash Bonus | Promise You | Credit |
| Loans | Satisfaction Guaranteed | Serious Cash |
(There are of course also all the well-known Viagra and Sex connotations but I presume they are not likely to crop up in your average email wording unless of course you are marketing either of those things, in which case, Stop reading, there is no help for you, I'll see you when I go to empty my Spam folder!)
Common Mistakes To Avoid:
Mail Chimp give a checklist of common mistakes new online marketers often make, including
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Using spammy phrases, like "Click here!" or "Once in a lifetime opportunity!"
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Going crazy with exclamation points!!!!!!
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USING ALL CAPS, WHICH IS LIKE YELLING IN EMAIL (especially in the subject)
-
Coloring your fonts bright red, or green
-
Coding sloppy HTML (usually from converting a Microsoft Word file to HTML)
-
Creating an HTML email that's nothing but one big image, with little or no text (since spam filters can't read images, they assume you're a spammer that's trying to trick 'em).
Top Tip:
Most autoresponders have a 'test email' facility so you can test your email campaigns before they go 'live'. Make sure you use it! In addition, set yourself up a Gmail or Yahoo account – both of which have fairly ferocious spam detectors in place – and before you start you email campaigns, make sure you send an email to yourself. If it lands in your inbox, there's a fairly good chance it will land in someone elses. If you have to dig it out of your 'spam', there is work to be done!
I hope that helped.
Next time, I'll be looking at how to make sure your emails get opened!
Until then,
Happy Email Marketing,
- Don’t forget to leave me your questions and comments & the top tips you use below … and Please, if you found this advice valuable, take a second to hit the 'share' button. I appreciate you.
To your Email Marketing Success 
November 13, 2011 at 9:54 pm
Hey Mandy, great tips. I’m not surprised with those figures because I know how many emails i delete without ever opening them. I especially like your tip about testing – I know I test every single email I plan to send my subscribers not just to make sure they go through, but I also want to make sure they look good and the links work properly. Ok – I see you have a second article posted about this subject so I’m going to jump on over there. Thanks!
marquita herald recently posted..It Takes Courage to Become Who You Really Are
November 14, 2011 at 10:39 am
Hi Marquita, thanks for substantiating that for me
And great point about checking the formatting. Looks really ugly when an email comes through all out of sync!
Twitter: monadvexp
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November 15, 2011 at 3:19 pm
Great advice here Mandy. Isn’t it amazing that we spend so long creating filters to make sure that the junk email we receive goes to where it deserves to and yet, for our own marketing campaigns, we hardly ever spend time checking that our’s will drop in the inboxes.
Your article should put us on the right track to do just that.
Trevor Barrett@Money Advice recently posted..Twenty First Century Money Making
November 16, 2011 at 8:37 am
hi Trevor, yes it is definitely a 2-way street isn’t it. That’s why it’s really important we don’t send emails we wouldn’t want to receive. I hate ‘useless’ emails and once I know who the sender is, i.e. what content they normally provide, I will just go down my inbox and delete dozens of ‘can’t be bothered to read that’ emails every day. I guess the acid test we should ask ourselves (and preferably get someone else to answer!) is ‘Would I put that in the junk folder or would I open it?’
Thanks for your input
November 16, 2011 at 12:46 am
Hello Again!
Well, couldn’t resist digging into the other parts of your Email Marketing series. Although I’m fortunate to have a SPAM Assassin Score through my Autoresponder Service (Aweber) which tells me what words I shouldn’t use, this is really interesting.
I didn’t realize that “Click Here” was one of those words- kind of crazy! I guess I’ll stop doing that, although I don’t think it necessarily set off the SPAM Assassin thing.
I’m curious, how do you like Mail Chimp? I’ve heard about it, but you’re the first person that I know of that uses it….what has your experience been? I want to be able to give my clients feedback on some of the other autoresponder services out there besides AWeber.
Keep up the great work! : )
Natasha
Natasha Nassar recently posted..Let’s Put The “Giving” Back Into Thanksgiving
November 16, 2011 at 8:57 am
Hi again Natasha,
)
Yeah, it is not necessarily any one word that will instantly trigger Spam (although I suspect Viagra on it’s own might!) it’s how it fares in the overall ‘spam score’. Interestingly, even emails that pass individual autoresponders’ ‘test’ sometimes fall short. I sometimes find even the ‘top’ internet marketers land in my spam and I am guessing they did score their email before they sent it. It’s just the vaguaries of email
You asked about Mail Chimp. Actually, I don’t use them, I just liked their explanations when I was doing my research.
I have heard mixed reactions. Some say the free version doesn’t have the best delivery rate… I’m can’t comment on that. I know others that use the full version and have very substantial lists so I am guessing they wouldn’t use it unless it worked!
I think one of the major pulls of Mail Chimp was the free version. Constant Contact now have a free version if your list is under 500. I personally use them (one reason being they don’t require a double opt-in … another whole subject in itself!) They were recommended to me by Ian Chapman and Robert Grant of Crowd Conversion…
I don’t know but I am guessing the reason why AWeber is so widely recommended is because they do have the best affiliate pay-out … or am I just being skeptical?
I know a lot of people with very big lists use InfusionSoft because they like the additional advanced features, although it is more pricey.
The only one I think that doesn’t get such great reviews anymore is GetResponse.
So, other than that, I guess it is take your pick!
Hope that helps
(p.s, I think you just gave me my next Email blog post: Single or double opt-ins, pros and cons … so thanks
November 21, 2011 at 8:35 pm
WONDERFUL Post. thanks for sharing…
November 22, 2011 at 2:06 am
thank you for your article, My problem has been resolved.
February 1, 2012 at 7:43 am
Good day I loved your informative blog post on Effective Email Campaigns. wonderful template and superb article.
Sammy recently posted..How Do You Lose Weight In Your Stomach
February 3, 2012 at 7:24 pm
hi Sammy, thanks for stopping by, glad you enjoyed