In a discussion yesterday, in the Multifamily Insiders Forums, Ray Thorton asked if properties were contacting residents and prospects via email. Ray also mentions that they were blacklisted from Yahoo for spamming. Here are some resources to help improve your email deliverability and to reduce your apartment property emails being flagged as spam or blacklisted:

What is a Blacklist?

A blacklist usually refers to a list of e-mail or IP addresses known to send spam e-mails or some other type of unsolicited messages.This list is used by mail servers for filtering incoming e-mails and blocking the ones listed, in order to improve mail security and integrity.

Watch your attachments

• the type of attachment you send with your email can cause different spam filters to block your email and may result in reporting your I.P to a black list database.
• avoid using script or any type of attachment besides PDF. Many corporate mailboxes as well as virus filters block attachments that end in .exe, .avi, .swf, .zip, etc. Our mail server only accepts pictures in .jpg & .gif format.

Don't send bulk emails using the BCC field

• Sending mass emails using the BCC field is okay if you’re forwarding something of interest to your friends or co-workers, but don’t ever do this when sending your newsletters.
• Using a BCC field is a trigger for spam filters that you want to stay away from. Instead, your email program should send just one email to one subscriber at a time. Never send your newsletter to 200 subscribers using the “CC” and “BCC” fields.

Provide an unsubscribe option

• Every newsletter you send out should contain a way for the reader to unsubscribe (your email marketing software should generate an unsubscribe link for all emails you send). Not doing so is illegal in some countries and is an instant sign of spamming.
• You should also display your contact information (Phone, Website and Address) clearly, as this greatly increases confidence in your email and your company, as well as conforms to spam laws in the United States.
• Many people will report an email as spam if there is not an unsubscribe option available. Gmail has recently added a Unsubscribe and report spam button which will make it easier for your residents to report you, if they can not find a way to remove themselves.
• Sending to email addresses that have bounced repeatedly can result in a blacklisted IP address. You want to make sure that each bulk email you send goes out to legitimate, working email addresses.

Watch your words

• Many spam filters work by analyzing the email based on its content and the words used. Many words -- such as free, call now, free gift, Limited time offer, etc -- are very heavy spam trigger keywords.

Format Matters

• Excessive use of different colors, fonts, sizes, images, ALL CAPS and so forth will result in a higher spam filtering rate.
• Use a template if you plan on sending newsletters consistently. This will make sure that all your newsletters look and feel the same. Your potential readers will learn to expect your email, adding professionalism and often improving open rates, also reducing accidental spam flagging as well.

Additional Resources: Axigen, Interspire

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Elysa is a marketing and social media consultant with Ellipse Group, based in Dallas, TX. Ellipse Group proudly services the Multifamily Industry with cutting edge websites and email tools to turn your everyday chores into worry–free automated processes.