10 Effective Email Communication Skills That Don’t Quack

10 effective email communication skills that will make sure your most important messages never wind up marked as spam.

Keeping the right emails in the right inbox sounds simple, but in reality it can be complex. Making sure that only junk goes to your junk folder… it isn’t completely up to you. Depending on your email provider: Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or Hotmail — each will have its unique rules.

It works the same way for your recipients. How can you be sure that your email ends up in your recipient's inbox, and not marked spam? GetResponse, an email marketing tool, created an infographic that says it all. “If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, swims like a duck, then it probably is a duck.”

With email providers using high tech programs to detect spam the key is to not let your email look like a duck. Here are 10 effective email communication skills that you should have before you send your next message. By putting these tips to work, your email will never be confused with spam.

1. Get Whitelisted

Make sure to add senders to a whitelist. A whitelist, spbetter known as a safe senders list, will ensure that a sender will never end up in your junk folder. If you are sending out a message to a lot of people, try adding a small hyperlink at the bottom that will encourage your recipients to add you to their whitelist. The steps to add a recipient to a whitelist varies by email provider, make sure your hyperlink includes many popular email services.

2. Use a well known ESP/EMS

Another way you can avoid falling into someone’s spam folder is to use a popular ESP (email service provider or EMS (express mail service). Here is a list of the top 5 email providers:

1. Gmail
2. Outlook
3. Yahoo Mail
4. GMX
5. AOL

3. Create a Realistic Email

Avoid using an email with a lot of numbers and symbols. Keep it simple. john.smith@domain.com is a perfect example of a simple email that is less likely to get marked as spam.

4. Stay in Contact

Keeping in constant contact with your recipients is important. The more you are emailing back and forth between recipients the better. Your email provider will recognize your email and know that you are not spamming or a spammer?.

5. Be in Their Address Book

If you have created a relationship with a recipient, ask them to put you in their address book. This is like asking someone to add you to their whitelist. If you are in their address book you are less likely to be considered spam.

6. Use Recipient's’ Name

It is equally important for you to do your part. Add your recipients to your address book. When you email, your contacts should have their name will be accompanied with their email address (Karen Bell <karen@vingapp.com>). This will decrease your odds of ending up in the wrong folder, both your email provider and your recipient’s provider will know that you’re addressing a known recipient.

7. Match the Subject Line

Make sure that your subject line matches the content of your message. If you are misleading with your subject line, your recipient may mark the message as spam. Losing the trust of a recipient can be impossible to regain. Avoid this altogether by creating subject lines that are engaging and relevant.

8. Don’t Use “Spam Lingo”

Your word choice may seem innocent but according to email providers, a few of the wrong words can set off a red flag. Here is a list of words you should try to avoid:

1. This isn’t junk
2. Clearance
3. Be Your Own Boss
4. Make Money
5. Best Price
6. Cards Accepted
7. Problem
8. Sample
9. Stop
10. Avoid

To get the full list from Hubspot click here.

9. Avoid all CAPS

All caps are a big NO! DO NOT USE ALL CAPS. This can be a huge mistake, and your emails are more than likely going to be flagged as spam. Caps are a beautiful disaster. They can be effective if used properly, but if used incorrectly, they will destroy your email.

10. Design Your Email

Emails with pictures, video, or HTML are harder to get past spam filters. Make sure that your picture to text ratio is equal, when the picture to text ratio is (high or low), the chances that your mail will send increased significantly.

Get ready to write! 10 effective email communication skills that will help you avoid the spam filter and not be mistaken for a duck. Check out the infographic by GetResponse’s infographic summarizes the best way to be effective in email communications.. If you are using Ving, start putting these tips to use with your Ving messages. If you are not using Ving, click below to sign up for our free 30 day trial. You too will be sending smarter, more engaging messages today.