E-mail Whitelist Etiquette

A big-time dilemma is brewing online. In an understandable attempt to bypass all that annoying spam, e-mails that onliners want to receive are getting lost in the shuffle. Newsletter subscription requests are not being completed and important e-mails are not getting to their intended parties.

Your "Whitelist" is the list that contains the e-mail addresses of those you do in fact want to receive e-mail from. Some services require the accepted addresses be in one's address book to be added to the whitelist. While other software/services call this list the approved or allowed senders list and require you manually add those you want to accept e-mail from to your list. Regardless of what this feature is called, it is clearly not being utilized correctly and in many cases, at all.

What can be done about this? A little user education and E-mail Whitelist Etiquette is in order!

=> When signing up for an online newsletter, mailing list or Web site service, immediately add their e-mail address or dot com to your approved or white list. This will ensure smooth communications with you and that e-mails will get through with the information you requested or confirmations necessary for you to acknowledge your request.

=> If you initiate the request, it is your responsibility to promptly add the other side's e-mail address or dot com information to your whitelist. This extra step will reflect that you are courteous and tech savvy! In addition, doing so will avoid those who you have requested information or services from, from having to follow verification e-mail instructions just to get you the information you requested. Besides, you cannot count on everyone responding to those verification e-mails-many simply don't or can't (automated subscription systems).

=> Before getting upset because you perceive someone didn't respond, check to see if their e-mail was inadvertently deleted or sent to your Trash or Junk folder. Then, upon finding these e-mails in your Trash or Junk folders, add their information to your whitelist straight away. Too many onliners become belligerent about a supposed lack of response when in fact a response was sent and because they didn't clear the way for the e-mail to be accepted it was diverted to trash or not allowed through.

=> Web sites and newsletters should have a response or thank you page that clearly requests site visitors and subscribers to add the required e-mail address to their whitelist right then and there. If onliners know the address to expect e-mail from, it is much easier to expect that they will add that address to their whitelist and your e-mail will get through.

It is important that every onliner make a conscious effort to become aware of the above issues and integrate these suggestions into their day-to-day activities. Only then can an informed online community use e-mail for the efficient and convenient communication tool it was meant to be.

About the Author:
Judith Kallos is an authoritative and good-humored Technology Muse who has played @ http://www.TheIStudio.com for over a decade. Check out her E-mail Etiquette Web Site and Book @ http://www.NetManners.com

In The News:


Google News
Updated : Tue, 14 Oct 2008 05:55:52 GMT

Michigan: Ruling on Voting Rights - New York Times

Michigan: Ruling on Voting Rights
New York Times - 1 hour ago
By AP A judge has ordered state election officials to stop automatically canceling a voter’s registration if the card is returned as undeliverable.
Federal judge orders 1438 names restored to Michigan voter rolls Detroit Free Press
Judge Says Mich. Policy Violated Voting Law Washington Post
Connecticut Post - The Standard - DetNews.com - The Associated Press
all 68 news articles

Publ.Date : Tue, 14 Oct 2008 04:05:24 GMT

Wildfires threaten LA homes; two people dead - Reuters


CBC.ca
Wildfires threaten LA homes; two people dead
Reuters - 4 hours ago
By Steve Gorman and Alex Dobuzinskis LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Deadly wind-driven brush fires roared out of the foothills and canyons on the northern fringe of Los Angeles on Monday, destroying dozens of homes and threatening hundreds more dwellings.
Video: LA Fire Officials Try to Get Ahead of Blazes AssociatedPress
REGION: Fire alert remains in effect North County Times
New York Times - BBC News - AFP - The Associated Press
all 3,443 news articles

Publ.Date : Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:27:17 GMT

Same-Sex Marriage and the Rights of Citizenship - New York Times


ABC News
Same-Sex Marriage and the Rights of Citizenship
New York Times - 1 hour ago
The Connecticut Supreme Court deserves praise for acknowledging, as other states that allow same-sex marriage have not, the constitutional principles that compelled the justices to guarantee all consenting adult Americans the right to enjoy the ...
Gays rush to wed ahead of election Washington Times
google news commentComment by Evan Wolfson Executive Director, Freedom to Marry
National Review Online Blogs - News10.net - WCAX - Catholic Weekly
all 1,913 news articles

Publ.Date : Tue, 14 Oct 2008 04:41:27 GMT

Excess Drinking Shrinks the Brain - Washington Post


Canada.com
Excess Drinking Shrinks the Brain
Washington Post - 8 hours ago
By Amanda Gardner MONDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) -- The more alcohol you drink, the more your brain shrinks, a new study has found.
Study: Drinking alcohol associated with smaller brain volume Xinhua
Alcohol Consumption Can Shrink Your Brain WCTV
Inventorspot - Telegraph.co.uk - MedPage Today - Canada.com
all 51 news articles

Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:09:07 GMT

Canada's Harper May Face Similar Gridlock After Today's Vote - Bloomberg


Voice of America
Canada's Harper May Face Similar Gridlock After Today's Vote
Bloomberg - 1 hour ago
By Theophilos Argitis and Alexandre Deslongchamps Oct. 14 (Bloomberg) -- When Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper called today's election six weeks ago, he complained that opposition calls for more spending were putting the economy at risk, ...
Rivals crisscross Canada ahead of elections Los Angeles Times
Global turmoil dominates Canada election Financial Times
AFP - Voice of America - Crosscut - Aljazeera.net
all 951 news articles

Publ.Date : Tue, 14 Oct 2008 04:37:49 GMT

Vitamin D Supplementation Guidelines for Youngsters Doubled - Washington Post


ABC News
Vitamin D Supplementation Guidelines for Youngsters Doubled
Washington Post - 9 hours ago
By Amanda Gardner MONDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) -- The leading children's medical organization in the United States on Monday announced that it has doubled the amount of vitamin D recommended for infants, children and adolescents.
Video: HealthWatch CBS
Vitamin D recommendation for kids is doubled Los Angeles Times
WebMD - ABC News - New York Times - KEYC
all 609 news articles

Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:11:02 GMT

Morgan Stanley Can't Please Everyone - Forbes


Wall Street Journal
Morgan Stanley Can't Please Everyone
Forbes - 2 hours ago
Morgan Stanley and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial may have pleased investors, but they failed to reassure the ratings services. Morgan Stanley (nyse: MS - news - people ) shares surged more than 85.0% Monday after it received a $9.0 billion investment from ...
Mitsubishi UFJ Gets Better Terms From Morgan Stanley (Update1) Bloomberg
Fitch cuts Morgan Stanley's default ratings to 'A/F1' MarketWatch
New York Times - Reuters - Washington Post - St. Louis Post-Dispatch
all 1,706 news articles

Publ.Date : Tue, 14 Oct 2008 03:40:53 GMT

Rss Feed Reader
Increase Web Traffic


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

Adsense websites

Signature File Dos and Donts

Signature files have been around since, well, before most current... Read More

Autoresponder Tips

An autoresponder is useful for, well, responding to people who... Read More

Guarantee Recipients Opening Your Emails With These Secrets To Successful Subject Lines!

You've done the hardest part; you've captured your prospect's email... Read More

How to Laser Your Email Messages

If you're in business and use email, you've likely learned... Read More

Writing Effective Emails

Sometimes email messages can get quite long, especially when you... Read More

Ten Tips for Email Marketers

Here are the ten most important tips to ensure you're... Read More

Email Laws That Could Bring You to Jail Even if Youre Not Spamming

First things first, I'm not a legal expert and so... Read More

Say More Than Thank You

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

How to Deal With Rude E-mailers

Rude and crass e-mail seems to be at an all... Read More

Email Scam Warnings

Most people online are very familiar with the Nigerian Email... Read More

Realtors ? Is Your Newsletter Increasing Sales?

If you are a REALTOR focused on residential sales who... Read More

Taking Care of Busines... E-mail

In this digital day and age, communicating through email is... Read More

Converting More Free Downloads to Paid Customers

Do you give web site visitors the opportunity to download... Read More

Is Your Autoresponder Hungry?

Do you know how to feed it, so that it... Read More

Proven Techniques For Building A Responsive List

We've all heard those who have Internet business-success stories proclaim,... Read More

What Is An Email Signature And What Do I Do With It?

You hear it all the time... email signature, sig file,... Read More

How to Choose the Autoresponder Right for Your Business?

Let's give a definition to autoresponder first. So, what is... Read More

Make All Your Mailing Lists Double Opt-In

Accusations of spam can be so harmful to your business... Read More

Ways to Use Autoreponders To Increase Your Profits

When I was first introduced to an autoresponder I thought... Read More

How To Set Up an Ezine Encyclopedia

Do you read all your Ezines? Or do you file... Read More

Save Time By Creating Email Signature Templates

If you're like me, there are certain types of email... Read More

Who Is Your Real Competition?

If you design kitchens, is another kitchen designer your competition?... Read More

What A Newsletter Can Do For Your Business

Newsletters are often thought of as easy, do-it-yourself communications projects.... Read More

My Emails Are Not Being Delivered. Black Lists and White Lists Explained.

Over 40% of all emails within your marketing campaign are... Read More

How You Can Automate Your Business Using Autoresponders

What is an Autoresponder?An Autoresponder is a program or service... Read More