Okay, you buckled down, worked hard and gotten your newsletter or alert campaigns underway for the past few months.  Congrats!

For some reasons, though, they aren't making the impact you'd planned.  Your open rate is low, they're getting caught in spam or bulk mail folders, or even worse they are being reported as spam.  Help!  It's a mystery.  Or is it?

Some recent studies show that many folks consider unwanted or unrecognized email as spam, no longer just unsolicited email.  ReturnPath found that 44% reported they get "junk" from senders they know. The same study found that while 55% simply delete unwanted emails, 27% report them as spam. Here's the shocker:  Someone who joins your list may still view your email as "junk", then turnaround and report your email as spam!

This is bad news, since the big email service providers such as Hotmail, Yahoo, Google and AOL use this info to determine your "sender reputation".  Your email deliverability moving forward depends much on a sterling reputation.  You don't want to be viewed as a bad boy (or girl)!

Want to ensure your best chance at having your emails make it to your recipient's inbox?  Follow these guidelines and you'll put the odds in your favor:

• Use a clear subject line.  Concisely represent what the email is about so they know it's legitimate.  Avoid using terms associated with spam such as "free", "offer" and "guaranteed".  To raise interest, my newsletter alert uses the title of one of the articles as the subject.
• Make sure they recognize your "From" name.  Often this is your or your company's name.  I use my name "Chuck Bowen".
• Make sure your content is relevant.  If your audience is interested in what you have to say, they appreciate your campaigns.  Don't bombard your list constantly as you try to "fish" for business.  Eventually, they'll tire of the same old bait and ignore your completely.  Or worse, report you as spam.
• Authenticate your email account.  Many ESPs (Email Service Provider) such as Topica and Constant Contact allow you to register your account and help give it a positive reputation with the ISPs (Internet Service Provider).  This is a good reason to use a provider rather than sending directly from your Outlook, Eudora, Roadrunner, Yahoo or other account.
• Clean up your list.  It's like the Post Office getting tired of returning your undeliverable mail.  They notice, and so will the ISPs.  And they won't be as nice to you as the USPS.
• Use a confirmed, double opt-in process.  If you do, the ESP will send out your email via a special server that has been "qualified" by the ISPs.  It will have a much higher chance of being delivered.  Be sure to let your subscribers know that if they don't respond to your confirmation email, they won't be added to your list.

Will these steps absolutely guarantee your emails will make it to the Inbox?  No.  The average email campaign open rate hovers around 25-30%, right about where I was until implementing these recommendations.  Now our rate is about 45%.  It works.