Interesting... and a bit depressing...

PampChefJoy

I periodically run my newsletters through a spam-checker to see how I'm doing in terms of writing content that won't get flagged by ISPs. The trend I'm seeing lately is that it's getting harder and harder to pass legit email...

Here are the flags from the August newsletter:

(0.8 points) BODY: List removal information
(0.8 points) URI: Contains a URL in the BIZ top-level domain
(0.7 points) Contains a warning/disclaimer that your offer or recommendation is not a "get rich scheme". Consider rephrasing
(0.2 points) BODY: Stop the offers, coupons, discounts etc!
(0.1 points) BODY: Claims you can be removed from the list
(0.1 points) BODY: List removal information
(0.1 points) BODY: HTML link text says "click here"
(0.1 points) BODY: HTML font color is green
(0.1 points) BODY: HTML font color is blue
(0.1 points) BODY: HTML has a big font
(0.1 points) BODY: HTML font color is red

While I can control the font color (though it would look a bit more bland overall if it were the same color from start to finish), I can't control that our PWS end in .biz, I can't stop writing about our discounts (duh!) and I guess our biz opportunity is considered a 'get rich quick scheme' - (ha!).

It certainly makes me think about how to go forward in making sure all your emails get to your customers, but also how to get the info out and make it look interesting enough for people to want to read. It would be great if spammers didn't ruin it for the rest of us to begin with!

pampchefsarah

I always thought the list removal, et., info made it clear we ARE legit. Certainly, I've had people take advantage of this option.

I'm sorry it's getting so tough for you, Joy. We certainly appreciate all you do to make such an amazing newsletter for us to send to our customers (I hope it's safe for me to speak to so many of your clients).

Ginger428

Does this mean you won't be able to send my newsletter out?

Melissa78

Would it help for it to be a .pdf attachment sent out? I've been wanting to sign up for an e-newsletter (and have told all of my guests I plan on having one) but I've been wondering about how many will actually receive it as many of my hosts have stated they are not receiving the email from the PWS that i send yet when I send a personal email it goes thru (so I know I have their email address right).

Hope we can all figure something out. It's always the bad apples that spoil the bushel.

PampChefJoy

No problem... getting ready to send them out tonight.

PampChefJoy

I think even more people would NOT open a PDF attachment, for fear of viruses or simply because they don't want to wait for it to load, or think it takes too much time to read.

elijahstrust

I signed up for an IContact trial through your website and uploaded August's newsletter and before sending it out did the spam check and it came up with a total score of 0.7. it said that a score of 5.0 would definitely flag the message as spam. I wonder why their spam checker gave a different score?

BlessedWifeMommy

Joy I usually take out the removal info. I figure that icontact has a link at the bottom of the email for them to request removal.

I started to remove it when I had a problem months ago, icontact wouldn't send one newsletter because one of the recipes that was included used the word "remove". Like I said, It has been months since it happened.

PampChefJoy

I used a different spam checker...

PampChefJoy

Hmm... that's a good point! Maybe I can just ditch it on the icontact version, then...

Grandmarita

Reading this thread, makes me wonder if an invitation sent by a Hostess via my PWS,
ever got delivered. Can you believe she had a list of 480, and we have reminded
folks three times, and have only 6 orders? I had expected her to have at least a 10% order rate.

I had lots of wonderful Tech Support in getting this person's list up and running.

Saturday Gourmet

The last couple of hosts that have used my PWS were having problems with the invites being delivered. Only about 1/2 of what they invited actually got them.

PampMomof3

hey Joy, my newsletter won't send to me! I've done it like 7 times and nothing! Please help!

Thank you !

PampChefJoy

I don't know what's up with the sending this month... several people are having trouble. If I request it myself, it comes right through though I just added a 2nd copy of the same newsletter (#40) to see if there just a glitch with the coding on #39... do you want to give it a shot?

PampMomof3

You want me to try sending again? I will now!

PampMomof3

I see how you added the 8-3 and sent that one. I also clicked on the icontact tab and saw the fall flash and fall new products and sent that to me as well as the newsletter through icontact. I got the 2 flyers but no newsletter.

PampChefJoy

Do me a favor and try # 40 again (labeled "test - do not use") I shortened the code to include only a few articles. What I think is happening is related to how long the newsletter is.... just need to confirm my theory.

PampMomof3

it worked!! What should I do now?

chefann

Hey, Joy.... I'm having a problem with the Create your Own feature. Just thought you'd want to know.

Sheila

Speaking of the newsletter length, I thought you might like a little constructive criticism: I requested the sample from your web page reviewed it, forwarded it to my husband and he said the same thing that I was thinking "too much info". Neither one of us read the whole thing.

When my step-sister sold PC a few years ago, she sent out super long e-mails that would take a good 5 min's to read the whole thing. I quit reading her's too.