Request for Knowledge - Welcome to the SWAMP

[James Mann]

[Tam]

[James Mann]

[Lynn Terry]

Hi James,

How do you plan to send out your newsletter? Do you have a mailing list installed through your web hosting company? This is the option that I use, and simply send the email out through Outlook (or you can use any other email program). Other options include Topica, Constant Contact, Yahoo or MSN Groups... and there are tons more, I am sure. Do you know yet which one you will be using?

You'll want to save a record of all subscriptions - name, date & time at least, in the case that a spam complaint does come up in the future.

I would recommend writing up your first issue, if you havent already, and sending it through Ken Evoy's free Spam-Check. Directions, as published in a previous issue of Self-Starters Weekly Tips, are:

STEP 1: Copy-and-paste your subject, but start your subject with the word "TEST" (without the quotes, in UPPER CASE) so that we know this is a test e-mail. (If the subject does NOT start with TEST, we'll assume it's REAL spam and delete it). Here's a sample subject... "TEST Self-Starters Weekly Tips 4-21-03 - Happy Monday"

STEP 2: Copy-and-paste the rest of your e-zine and simply send it, exactly the way you would send it to your recipient, to: spamcheck-wsn@sitesell.net

You'll get a report back (in seconds, perhaps a few minutes if volume is heavy) telling you how good or bad your e-mail is, from a spam-detector's point of view. You will receive a full, free report of all corrections that you should make to your zine, in order to stay out of the junk folders.

[James Mann]

Thanks for the help Lynn



I am a 5 Pillar Member and I used Site Build It! to create my
Beacon eBooks Web Site (BTW I got my first member last night)
and I had Ken's Spam Checker.

I have been so busy using Site Build It! that I did not even pay attention
to Spam Check.

But I wonder how long I would have gone without using it if you had not
mentioned it.

thank you

Next I have Group Mail Pro from Infacta and I was planning on sending
my newsletter directly from my computer.

At this time I only have a little list. It's only 3 week or so old.
Just a baby.

I have quite a list going for my eCourse though for the length of time
it has been up.

I have a folder that I keep my subscribers reply emails in and I have
their details listing in Group Mail.

Let me know if I am doing this wrong.

Thanks Lynn

[James Mann]

I ran my newsletter through Ken Evoy's Spam Checker.
Without modifying anything and here is my score.

In order of importance, here are the mistakes that we found
in your e-mail...


(2.8 points) BODY: Targeted Traffic / Email Addresses
(2.8 points) BODY: Mailer is against spam -- aren't we all?
(2.6 points) BODY: Get a million email addresses
(1.5 points) BODY: Information on how to work at home (2)
(0.9 points) BODY: No such thing as a free lunch (3)
(0.5 points) BODY: List removal information
(0.5 points) BODY: No such thing as a free lunch (1)
(0.4 points) URI: Includes a 'remove' email address
(0.1 points) URI: Includes a link to send a mail with a subject
(0.1 points) Asks you to click below


It is NOT important to remove every single item. Any score
under 5 is great. And 5-8 is likely fine.

Thanks again Kim for putting my brain back in gear.

But Just In Case I am still missing something let me Know.

[Lynn Terry]

Here are a few great tips from the SiteSell page regarding the Spam-Check tool:

The SpamCheck Report reports ONLY on mistakes you're making. Use the Report to eliminate that bad stuff....

Avoid any of the "telltale" triggers that might label your mailing as spam. Some of the most obvious negatives to avoid in your e-mails...


The excessive use of ALL CAPS in the subject line and message body of your e-mail.

The use of trigger words like "free" (used alone, or in combination with any number of words like "trial," "money," "quote," "sample," "membership," "access," and so on), "***," "XXX," "spam," "$$$," "checks," "money orders," "extra income," "as seen on TV," and so on. Even using seemingly harmless words like "search engine listings," "cable converter", and "reverses aging" will penalize your e-mail, so you must be exceptionally vigilant in the analysis of your SpamCheck report.

The excessive use of punctuation "!!!"
... and finally, a very special thing NOT to do...

If you think of using a trick to avoid detection (like putting a * in certain words to disguise them or adding 50 spaces in your subject to push a code out of sight), it's only a matter of time until you are ESPECIALLY determined to be a spammer. Because "normal business people" don't use tricks -- they just do business.

On the other hand, there are certain elements of an e-mail that qualify it as being "bona fide" correspondence. With that said...

Here are some tips for staying on the "good" side of the various spam checkers, filters, etc. that stand between your e-mail and your reader's INBOX. Use as many of these "good triggers" as possible, to prove that yours is a real, justifiable mailing...

Use of the words "news", "newsletter", or "list" in your subject line

Indication of publishing frequency in the subject line -- weekly, daily, monthly

Inclusion of date of newsletter in the subject

Inclusion of the issue number in the subject line

Make sure your newsletter has some substance -- when was the last time you saw spam that had more than a few lines of text?

Above and beyond that, use your own common sense. You know what spam looks like -- do not make your e-zine look like spam. And you know what a "VALID, GOOD" e-zine looks like -- that should be your role model! And especially...

... NO TRICKS. Just do your business and keep it real.

[James Mann]

I did not add Newletter to my subject but I did add the issue #001

I will add Monthly Newsletter in the subject line.

I really tried to avoid anything while creating my newsletter that would
trigger.

I have McAfee SpamKiller and I checked the list it has of killer words.

That help me quite a bit.

I did however use S*P*A*M and J*U*N*K in my second newletter.

I has a section on how to handle junk mail and spam.

How would I deal with this. I do not want to just take it out. That is
part of what I am talking about.

I'll be ready by July with all your help.

[Steve MacLellan]

[James Mann]

[Lynn Terry]

[James Mann]

[Lynn Terry]

[James Mann]

[James Mann]