#junkfolder

The first thing to do before getting to the point of a phone call is to check your spam or junk folder. Often the email will have erringly found its way into that place.

And if you’re calling someone because they didn’t reply to you yet, gently suggesting they look in their spam folder is often the best way to start.

If you’re in business, it’s a good idea to check your spam folder regularly. I recommend every second day at the minimum. It will ensure important communications are received and sent.

It’s astounding how many times even presumably safe contacts have their emails mistakenly filtered into the spam/junk category by various servers and email providers.

So why is your email going into someone’s spam?

There are various reasons. It could be that you have the wrong buzz words in the subject line or body of the email, you have previously used your email address to send mass marketing promotions, or your server requires maintenance.

Here are some tips which can be helpful in preventing important communications from being filtered as junk.

Make sure clients and colleagues “whitelist” or mark your emails as “safe.” And you should do the same for them. This means when either email is coming through, it will go into the appropriate location.

Gmail users should check their promotions or social tabs/folders as well. If you find an email from someone who is a client or colleague hiding there, drag it into your inbox and you will see their future emails in the right spot.

Always ensure your outgoing emails have a proper subject line. Subject line messages can end up getting filtered because they are used in scam/spam emails. Whatever the subject matter may be, make sure it’s clear: Season’s Greetings or Welcome to the Club are good as long as the message in the email is a match. And don’t use the word “Urgent” in the subject line – unless of course the subject matter is truly urgent.

Whenever your email is used as the main contact in a campaign, there is a risk it could end up in spam folders in the future. Sending too many bulk emails yourself can get your email address tagged as spam. By using a reputable email marketing service such as Mail Chimp to send email campaigns – one which follows strict rules – you’ll be reducing the chances of it happening.

If possible, avoid spam trigger words. Extensive lists are available online – or ask your IT person – and try not to use them in the subject line or body of your email messages. Some typical spam words and phrases to avoid include click here, congratulations, dear friend, free or toll-free, great offer, guarantee, order now, winner and – of course – this is not spam.

If you find that using these techniques have not helped avoid important messages from ending up in spam or junk folders, it’s best to call in your IT expert as it could be a server issue.