The art of legitimate newsletter e-mailing

[RFH Reseller: nick]

Can anyone provide some tips and tricks that I can use when sending legitimate e-mail newsletters to avoid them ending up in user's junk folders.

The domain has an SPF record and although the emails are html, they do not contain any spam-esque text. It's just frustraiting when many people are missing the e-mail they signed up to see because providers like hotmail are delivering it directly into their spam box.

Thanks

[RFH Customer: Ourpcman]

Can anyone provide some tips and tricks that I can use when sending legitimate e-mail newsletters to avoid them ending up in user's junk folders.

The domain has an SPF record and although the emails are html, they do not contain any spam-esque text. It's just frustraiting when many people are missing the e-mail they signed up to see because providers like hotmail are delivering it directly into their spam box.

Thanks

Don't use bcc for a start.
Use "proper" mailing software that generates individually addressed emails.
And make sure your ISP knows what you're doing and allows it.

[Staff: Warren Ashcroft]

For really professional mailing - use a company like Constant Contact, they have arrangements with all the major email players to ensure your messages get through.

[RFH Reseller: nick]

For really professional mailing - use a company like Constant Contact, they have arrangements with all the major email players to ensure your messages get through.

Cheers I shall have a look into that. Still means additional monthly costs though, so I continue to be interested in anyone's tips and tricks.

[RFH Customer: Reactivate]

Have a look at the regular emails other companies send to you.

Viking Direct for example have this at the top of all their emails:

Can't see this email properly? Click here to view this email online.

Don't forget to add email@vod-uk.ruk1.com to your contacts or buddy list

So upload a copy of the newsletter to your webspace for people to view if the images are blocked or if they can only view the newsletter in text only, ie via a webmail program.

[RFH Reseller: nick]

Have a look at the regular emails other companies send to you.

Viking Direct for example have this at the top of all their emails:

So upload a copy of the newsletter to your webspace for people to view if the images are blocked or if they can only view the newsletter in text only, ie via a webmail program.

Thanks, good advice. This is already pretty much the case.

The problem is mainly the mail never spending any time in the recipient's inbox, and the increasing likelyhood that people don't bother checking the junk box.

[RFH Reseller: askjim]

For really professional mailing - use a company like Constant Contact, they have arrangements with all the major email players to ensure your messages get through.

Hotmail and others will deliver email to a persons inbox rather than the spam box for a small fee. Very naughty hotmail...

[RFH Reseller: JohnnyW]

Would be worth having a look at phplist for sending them out Nick. It's got HEAPS of settings to make sure the emails sent out aren't going to get marked as spam.

There's settings such as batching the emails so it doesn't blast out too many at once and limiting the emails going to a certain domain over a specified period of time e.g. hotmail.com to stop the mail server getting blacklisted. PHPList will hold them back until it safe to send more to that domain.

[RFH Reseller: nick]

Would be worth having a look at phplist for sending them out Nick. It's got HEAPS of settings to make sure the emails sent out aren't going to get marked as spam.

There's settings such as batching the emails so it doesn't blast out too many at once and limiting the emails going to a certain domain over a specified period of time e.g. hotmail.com to stop the mail server getting blacklisted. PHPList will hold them back until it safe to send more to that domain.

That's what I'm using

I could make the settings even more 'friendly' but I don't think they are bad settings right now. Thanks for the comments though; probably I ought to have a look at domain specific throttling again.

[RFH Reseller: MWF]

I use KMailer and know most of our emails get out.

The thing is a lot of people don't regard their own material as spam when to some people it might be, I think you have to be very objective with what you send out. I've seen a few people, spam haters, who will try to send out to every email address they can get hold of with their own message.