Are Your Subscribers Receiving Your Newsletter?

In my e-mail one day, I received the following message: "Hello, I am a subscriber to your ezine and received the attached e-mail. Please advise if this is actually from your website. Thank you."

The attachment was from my mailing list program. It was informing my dear subscriber that since her mail kept bouncing, "I`m not going to try again; this message has been in the queue too long."

1. The Problem

Why was my newsletter bouncing? My mailing list program reports receiving this message: "...The information presently available to AOL indicates this server is transmitting unsolicited e-mail to AOL. Based on AOL`s Unsolicited Bulk E-mail policy at http://www.aol.com/info/bulkemail.html AOL cannot accept further e-mail transactions from this server. Please have your ISP/ASP or server admin call AOL at 1-888-212-5537, or visit http://postmaster.info.aol.com for more information."

Basically, I was being accused of sending unsolicited commercial e-mail. This was a double opt-in subscriber. I don`t do spam!

America Online, Inc. (AOL) had blocked my subscriber from receiving the e-zine she requested. About fifteen percent of my subscribers use an AOL e-mail address. Not only am I adversely affected, but my AOL subscribers are not getting their e-mails.

In contacting AOL sales and technical support, I found myself against a brick wall. Although, I was repeatedly offered a free trial to their service, they were unable to help me regain my subscriber.

"Why don`t you contact your subscriber and have them whitelist your e-mail address?" How? All I have is her AOL e-mail address and everything I send to her fails. Believe me, I`ve tried. (You could use another e-mail address, I suppose, to trick AOL, but why should you have to?)

Of course, they absolutely refused to remove the block against me. (If you would like to learn more about AOL, try the search terms "AOL" and "AOL sucks" in a major search engine.)

By the way, it isn`t just AOL that is doing this. Some other major Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are doing the same thing. As well, some popular e-mail software programs also filter out wanted e-mails.

2. Some Solutions

If your subscribers are not receiving your newsletter, here are some things you can do to alleviate the problem.

1. Warn your subscribers. On your newsletter signup page, explain why they might not receive your e-zine. Explain about e-mail filters; ask them to whitelist your domain, not only to bypass the ISP spam filters but also to allow mail through any e-mail software they may have.

2. Try to avoid using words that trigger spam filters. Personally, I don`t like this one; it smacks of violating my right to free speech, freedom of the press, et cetera. (Yes, I know. With rights come responsibilities. However, I am acting responsibly!) As a practical matter, though, it`s something you have to consider. (I had my newsletter checked by a popular spam checker and it passed with flying colours.)

3. Send a text e-mail informing your subscribers that the current issue of your newsletter is available online at your website. (It could also be a good move to have an archive of past issues there, too, to boost your content and search engine rankings).

4. Consider using alternative ways of communicating. For example, you might try Really Simple Syndication (RSS).

Oh, by the way, my replies (with read receipt requested) to my dear subscriber`s e-mail address appear to never have made it. To her I say: "If you`re out there somewhere, please re-subscribe. You might want to think about using a different e-mail address, though."

RESOURCE BOX:

J. Stephen Pope, President of Pope Consulting Inc., http://www.popeconsultinginc.com/ has been helping clients to earn maximum business profits for over twenty-five years.

For valuable Work at Home Small Business Ideas, visit: http://www.yenommarketinginc.com/

---

Google News Updated : Thu, 16 Oct 2008 02:44:32 GMT Movie Review - Entertainment Weekly Wall Street Journal Movie Review Entertainment Weekly - 4 hours ago DUBYA Josh Brolin stands out as the soon-to-be former president in Oliver Stone's W. By Lisa Schwarzbaum As his second term as the 43rd President of the United States concludes in national financial upheaval, the real George W. Bush is a figure more ... Video: George Bush on the Big Screen AssociatedPress Where's Dubya? The Star-Ledger - NJ.com The Week Magazine - San Jose Mercury News - Los Angeles Times - New York Times all 469 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:01:30 GMT McCain brings up '60s radical in questioning Obama - The Associated Press ringsidereport.com McCain brings up '60s radical in questioning Obama The Associated Press - 30 minutes ago NEW YORK (AP) - Republican John McCain is raising rival Barack Obama's link to a 1960s radical in the final presidential debate. What We Want to Hear Washington Post Where is the room for John McCain to Succeed? CNN Political Ticker AsianWeek - Kansas City Star - Wall Street Journal Blogs - ringsidereport.com all 286 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 16 Oct 2008 02:13:48 GMT Drinking and the Shrinking Brain - Washington Post Canada.com Drinking and the Shrinking Brain Washington Post - 15 hours ago Nobody wants to think about their brain's shrinking. But our brains do so as we age. They decrease in size by about 2 percent per decade; and the brains of drinkers may shrink more quickly, according to a study published Monday in the Archives of ... Alcohol shrinks your brain! ...True, sad story CollegeOTR Is Drinking Shrinking Your Brain? FOXNews ChattahBox - eFluxMedia - CNN - dBTechno all 165 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:02:40 GMT Hill's late jumper lifts Suns past Hawks, 102-100 - USA Today CBC.ca Hill's late jumper lifts Suns past Hawks, 102-100 USA Today - 33 minutes ago ATLANTA (AP) - Grant Hill made an 18-foot jump shot with 5.6 seconds left and the Phoenix Suns beat the Atlanta Hawks 102-100 in a preseason game Wednesday night. Nash leaves preseason game vs. Hawks Sports Network Suns superstar Nash leaves pre-season game with sprained ankle The Canadian Press HoopsWorld all 38 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 16 Oct 2008 02:10:47 GMT US infant mortality ranks lower - San Jose Mercury News Chatter Shmatter US infant mortality ranks lower San Jose Mercury News - 2 hours ago By Mary Engel After a century of declines, the US infant mortality rate barely budged from 2000 to 2005, causing the United States to slip further behind other developed countries despite spending more on health care, according to a report released ... Infant Mortality: US Ranks 29th WebMD Infant Deaths Drop in US, but Rate Is Still High New York Times Washington Post - MedHeadlines - Bloomberg - MedPage Today all 37 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:11:36 GMT Madonna, queen of reinvention, to divorce again - Reuters Reuters Madonna, queen of reinvention, to divorce again Reuters - 1 hour ago LONDON (Reuters) - The key to Madonna's enduring appeal has been to stay one step ahead of the game in the famously fickle world of pop. Video: AP Exclusive: Madonna, Guy Ritchie to Divorce AssociatedPress Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie announce plans to divorce Reality TV World E! Online - Financial Times - People Magazine - China Daily all 2,013 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:53:05 GMT New MacBooks Shine Light On Nvidia, Intel, SSDs - CRN DailyTech New MacBooks Shine Light On Nvidia, Intel, SSDs CRN - 2 hours ago Apple launched its new family of MacBooks to great fanfare at its Cupertino, Calif. headquarters Tuesday. After the initial flurry of speeds and feeds, here are some thoughts about the new lineup and what it means for the industry. Enterprise Mac | Tom Yager InfoWorld New Macbook lineup to feature GeForce 9400M GPUs Neoseeker PC World - IGN - Slashdot - PC Magazine all 1,228 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:07:24 GMT Clickbank Content Easy Work At Home Opportunity

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Viral Marketing Tips: Greeting Cards

When we speak about viral marketing, we are not talking... Read More

Opt-In Email to Increase Website Traffic and Boost Online Sales

Sending messages and information to people who have given you... Read More

Six Tips for Nonprofit E-mail Success

An opt-in e-newsletter is one of the most effective marketing... Read More

Email Microtargeting

Email marketing is undergoing rapid changes. Now, more than ever,... Read More

Free Email Accounts ? Pros and Cons

Free email accounts are great if you want to hide... Read More

Autoresponders - One Simple Trick That Will Improve Your Results

Autoresponders, or responders, are simply programs that allow you to... Read More

Can You Win The Battle By Using A Toothpick?

Every business needs a low cost way to reach targeted... Read More

FIVE ADVANCED and Essential features of Your Follow up Autoresponder

If you are not using a follow up autoresponder until... Read More

The Flu and List building Go Hand In Hand!

What does the flu have to do with building your... Read More

10 Tips for Effective Email Sales Letters

1. Write Your Objective - Before you write your sales... Read More

Email Marketing: How Much is Too Much?

I have a special new email address. It's in addition... Read More

How Autoresonders Can Put Your Business On Autopilot

Owning your own online business is a lot of work.... Read More

Are Your Subscribers Receiving Your Newsletter?

In my e-mail one day, I received the following message:... Read More

Say More Than Thank You

Most Websites are gathering e-mail addresses. When you submit your... Read More

5 Things You NEED to Know About Your AOL 9.0 Subscribers

In Fall 2003, America Online (AOL) released its brand new... Read More

Success Guaranteed With Your Opt In List

Some time ago I was thinking about the best and... Read More

Five of the Most Powerful Elements In Opt-in Marketing

Lack of trust is the biggest problem marketers have on... Read More

Harnessing the Power of Email Marketing

Given the inherent problems with traditional marketing techniques, it`s important... Read More

Is Your Email Address Blacklisted?

A lady emailed me yesterday very upset over the fact... Read More

Grab Those Emails! ? 11 Key Ways to Get Your Visitors to Hand Over Their Email Address

If you are trying to get an opt-in email list... Read More

How Can You Be Sure That Your Marketing Efforts Will Generate Profits?

There are several ways to ensure that your adverts are... Read More

Taking Email Marketing To The Next Level

How to use the latest e-messaging strategies to increase profits.Many... Read More

6 Simple Ways to Manage Your Emails Better

E-mail, a wonderful communication tool is also the greatest challenge... Read More

How to Structure Your Follow-Up Sequence for Maximum Profit

Before I do this, let me describe how autoresponders work.... Read More

Choose Your Email Marketing Software Wisely

Successful online business can't be led without email marketing. Many... Read More