Mailing List Etiquette
If your business or organization sends out group emails, there are some basic rules you should follow to reduce spam and keep your recipients happy.
Protect your recipient’s privacy
Use BCC instead of CC when sending to groups of people, unless there is a very good reason they should all have each other’s email address. That way if one of the recipients has a virus on their computer that harvests email addresses, it won’t get the whole list. This also prevents people from accidentally using ‘reply all’ and sending to everybody else.
Make sure your email has a subject, and that the subject is relevant
Anybody who receives large amounts of email will find it much easier to find your email if the subject is relevant and useful. Something like ‘This month’s specials’ isn’t nearly as good as ‘March specials from xyz company’.
Make sure the content is well written
Do check your spelling. Avoid all caps (it looks like you’re shouting) unless you really want to emphasize a particular word. Keep your signature short. Don’t forget to include a link to your website.
Make sure the content is accessible
Reduce or eliminate embedded graphics and HTML formatting, as well as excessive links. This keeps bandwidth down, ensures people viewing your email with HTML or images turned off can read it, and reduces the chances your message will automatically be marked as spam. If you have a snazzy newsletter or other content you want people to see, the email should include a summary, with a link to a webpage where they can view the newsletter in all its glory.
Allow recipients to opt-out of future mailings
Make sure you give people the option to NOT receive group mailings in future. Not only is it polite, it’s the law. If you’re doing your mailings using a ‘group’ in your regular email software, you can simply provide a ‘reply’ address they can use to request you remove them from the group (and if they request it, make sure you do it!). If you’re using email list management software, it should have a built-in system for opting out and removing their address from the database it uses.