Watch out for phrases like: Click here - For free - Great offer - Order now - Check or money order - Cancel at any time - Cash Bonus Congratulations - Dear friend - Amazing - For only - Guarantee - Special promotion -Winner - Increase sales

Blacklist - SPAM filters may identify locations on the web that send large amounts of emails. If a source or server is sending SPAM, the location is "blacklisted" – added to a blacklist of unacceptable sources of email. Internet Service Providers use these

Did the word SPAM just fly through your thoughts? It is a common concern among small business owners who are considering whether they should venture into using email as a way of communicating with their clients.

If you are reading this communication, you are probably versed in the basics of standard email tools, such as Outlook or online email. You may even use these tools now to contact customers, on a one on one basis. There are many other tools available, such as auto-responders, which make email communication more versatile.

Email can be an inexpensive and easy tool for connecting with customers. If you take the proper approach bulk emails to customers is not SPAM. A bit of knowledge can help alleviate any fears you may experience, so here are some definitions that pertain to this critical business skill.

SPAM - unsolicited email sent to an individual without asking their permission. Many times the intent is commercial, but it can range from jokes to advertising. The legislation in this area is becoming quite strong. Fines and other criminal consequences exist in most countries.

SPAM Filter - software programs that attempt to stop SPAM. They search for phrases and words that would suggest that the email is SPAM. The program then decides if the message is okay or deems it SPAM and disposes of it. These SPAM filters are not just in your mail program, but also instituted into corporate networks and even at the ISP level. The filters on your email program, gets rid of offending mail by putting it in your “junk” folder. Suspect email filtered by a corporate network or ISP filter, will be blocked completely, so you will never see it.

SPAM triggers – words that can cause anti-spam software to block your emails. You will want to avoid these words so that your emails have a higher chance of arriving to the intended recipient’s inbox. Filters vary in sensitivity with many operating on a point system. You need to realise that use of these words (or overuse) will cause anti-spam filters to mark even legitimate email as SPAM. This means that your email never reaches the intended recipient.

Watch out for phrases like: Click here - For free - Great offer - Order now - Check or money order - Cancel at any time - Cash Bonus Congratulations - Dear friend - Amazing - For only - Guarantee - Special promotion -Winner - Increase sales

Blacklist - SPAM filters may identify locations on the web that send large amounts of emails. If a source or server is sending SPAM, the location is "blacklisted" – added to a blacklist of unacceptable sources of email. Internet Service Providers use these

Email can be an inexpensive and easy tool for connecting with customers. If you take the proper approach bulk emails to customers is not SPAM. A bit of knowledge can help alleviate any fears you may experience, so here are some definitions that pertain to this critical business skill.

SPAM - unsolicited email sent to an individual without asking their permission. Many times the intent is commercial, but it can range from jokes to advertising. The legislation in this area is becoming quite strong. Fines and other criminal consequences exist in most countries.

SPAM Filter - software programs that attempt to stop SPAM. They search for phrases and words that would suggest that the email is SPAM. The program then decides if the message is okay or deems it SPAM and disposes of it. These SPAM filters are not just in your mail program, but also instituted into corporate networks and even at the ISP level. The filters on your email program, gets rid of offending mail by putting it in your “junk” folder. Suspect email filtered by a corporate network or ISP filter, will be blocked completely, so you will never see it.

SPAM triggers – words that can cause anti-spam software to block your emails. You will want to avoid these words so that your emails have a higher chance of arriving to the intended recipient’s inbox. Filters vary in sensitivity with many operating on a point system. You need to realise that use of these words (or overuse) will cause anti-spam filters to mark even legitimate email as SPAM. This means that your email never reaches the intended recipient.

Watch out for phrases like: Click here - For free - Great offer - Order now - Check or money order - Cancel at any time - Cash Bonus Congratulations - Dear friend - Amazing - For only - Guarantee - Special promotion -Winner - Increase sales

Blacklist - SPAM filters may identify locations on the web that send large amounts of emails. If a source or server is sending SPAM, the location is "blacklisted" – added to a blacklist of unacceptable sources of email. Internet Service Providers use these

SPAM Filter - software programs that attempt to stop SPAM. They search for phrases and words that would suggest that the email is SPAM. The program then decides if the message is okay or deems it SPAM and disposes of it. These SPAM filters are not just in your mail program, but also instituted into corporate networks and even at the ISP level. The filters on your email program, gets rid of offending mail by putting it in your “junk” folder. Suspect email filtered by a corporate network or ISP filter, will be blocked completely, so you will never see it.

SPAM triggers – words that can cause anti-spam software to block your emails. You will want to avoid these words so that your emails have a higher chance of arriving to the intended recipient’s inbox. Filters vary in sensitivity with many operating on a point system. You need to realise that use of these words (or overuse) will cause anti-spam filters to mark even legitimate email as SPAM. This means that your email never reaches the intended recipient.

Watch out for phrases like: Click here - For free - Great offer - Order now - Check or money order - Cancel at any time - Cash Bonus Congratulations - Dear friend - Amazing - For only - Guarantee - Special promotion -Winner - Increase sales

Blacklist - SPAM filters may identify locations on the web that send large amounts of emails. If a source or server is sending SPAM, the location is "blacklisted" – added to a blacklist of unacceptable sources of email. Internet Service Providers use these

SPAM triggers – words that can cause anti-spam software to block your emails. You will want to avoid these words so that your emails have a higher chance of arriving to the intended recipient’s inbox. Filters vary in sensitivity with many operating on a point system. You need to realise that use of these words (or overuse) will cause anti-spam filters to mark even legitimate email as SPAM. This means that your email never reaches the intended recipient.

Watch out for phrases like: Click here - For free - Great offer - Order now - Check or money order - Cancel at any time - Cash Bonus Congratulations - Dear friend - Amazing - For only - Guarantee - Special promotion -Winner - Increase sales

Blacklist - SPAM filters may identify locations on the web that send large amounts of emails. If a source or server is sending SPAM, the location is "blacklisted" – added to a blacklist of unacceptable sources of email. Internet Service Providers use these

Watch out for phrases like: Click here - For free - Great offer - Order now - Check or money order - Cancel at any time - Cash Bonus Congratulations - Dear friend - Amazing - For only - Guarantee - Special promotion -Winner - Increase sales

Blacklist - SPAM filters may identify locations on the web that send large amounts of emails. If a source or server is sending SPAM, the location is "blacklisted" – added to a blacklist of unacceptable sources of email. Internet Service Providers use these blacklists as a tool to block SPAM, by preventing email from the listed addresses from getting through. If your address appears on a blacklist, the majority of your email messages will never get through to the recipients.

Whitelist - a list of allowable email addresses, domains or IP addresses. Some ISP’s use whitelists to identify legitimate servers or companies that send bulk emails. Bulk emails are allowed from those identified, as it has been verified that they are sending information only to people who have requested it.

Email software also contains both white and black lists of senders, as an aid for filtering SPAM. Many subscription services request people to add the sender to listing of allowed senders in their email programs, to assure a better chance of delivery.

Auto-responder – A software program that monitors an email address, sending out a preset automatic response upon receipt of an email message. This type of software often has a number of facilities such as sending a sequence of emails, selecting an appropriate response from a variety of email messages, or allowing for subscriptions to be added or removed from a database.

Mail Server - A software program that transfers email from one computer to another computer. The program on your PC “talks” to a mail server that manages a large number of user accounts. It sends and receives your email, passing it across the web.

eZine - an electronic magazine containing information of value to the subscriber.

Subscriber - a person who gives a service permission to send them email.

Double-Opt-In - A subscription method that requires a user who has made a request to become a subscriber, to confirm that they want to receive the information they have requested. This could be by clicking a link in the email or replying to the confirmation request with another email. About 40% of people who subscribe will also follow through and double opt in if asked to do so.

Now let’s get to the nitty gritty of this valuable skill.

Communicating with your customers by email is a skill. Using email allows you to keep in touch with your customers on a regular basis, without breaking the bank. If you use your o