We received positive feedback regarding last week’s article explaining the maximum displayed length of the email from line on different clients, so this week we thought of refreshing an older article of ours (dealing with the all-important subject line). The subject line in an email, almost as much as the from line, is one of the most important deal-breakers: either the recipient will be interested in the new message or not… from this simple and quick choice come sales, increasing numbers of interested people and of course, unsubscribe rates. That’s exactly why Spam emails with the subject “Hey! Check this out!” are always fooling people!

Tip: If you’re sending out a periodic email, give it a sense of identity – repeat a certain phrase (preferably a keyword) so that users can search their Inboxes based on it.

So, I’m sure that you’re currently taking care to write a good email subject even though there aren’t many specifics describing how to do this on the web! Well, to help you out, we created a “cheat-sheet” for different email clients on a variety of platforms, so that you can tailor all your future communications accordingly. This way, you can make up your own mind regarding how long it should be or what should appear in the subject line before it’s cut off and replaced with a … or [...].

Tip: Always try new things with the subject line! See which one gives you the best result and then stick to the formula (try out both informative and actionable ones).

Sadly, these are all the platforms we could get our hands on, so if you have an older generation iPhone/iPod (with 480x320px resolution), an iPad (both old gen. and new), a newer generation Android phone or tablet or any other such device, please let us know and help us improve this article.

As always, please leave your feedback either in the comments section below or at support@emailaddressmanager.com.

If you’re viewing this on a mobile phone on which images may be disabled, or compressed, here is the data in text form as well.

Maximum displayed length of the email subject line on mobile email clients

Android 480x320px (portrait orientation) – 27

Android 480x320px (landscape orientation) – 46

Android 800x480px (portrait orientation) – 30

Android 800x480px (landscape orientation)- 62

iPhone 4&4S/iPod 4 960x640px (portrait orientation)  - 41

iPhone 4&4S/iPod 4 960x640px (landscape orientation) – 64

Windows Phone 7 (portrait orientation) – 42

Windows Phone 7 (landscape orientation) – 61

Maximum displayed length of the email subject line on PC Desktop-based email clients*

Outlook 2010 1024x768px (compact view)** – 54

Outlook 2010 1024x768px (preview view)** – 73

Thunderbird v.12 1024x768px** – 66

Maximum displayed length of the email subject line on Web-based email clients (viewed in browser)

Gmail 1024x768px- 70

Hotmail 1024x768px – 60

Yahoo! Mail 1024x768px (old view) – 58

Yahoo! Mail 1024x768px (modern view) – 46

* All desktop and web-based PC clients were tested with a 1024×768 px resolution. While it’s no longer the most widespread resolution used, you should tailor your from line to it since it’s the minimum resolution your recipients will likely use (the most common one is currently 1366×768 px).

** Also, please note that we tested all platforms on their default views. So, even if we tested on Outlook 2010, we chose the Compact and Preview views (similar to the interface in Outlook 2007 and 2003). Additionally, PC clients like Thunderbird and Outlook permit users to change the size of the displayed fields (so, we don’t think that any Outlook user will leave the subject line field on the default setting, since it’s quite small – what is provided above is just the default character limit).

Addendum 1. We didn’t include the Apple iMac platform since the resolution used in their desktop and laptop offers is well above the 1024×764 minimum limit.

(on mobile, desktop and web-based clients)

In last week’s article, we hoped to convince you that the from line is at least as important as the subject line in all your email communications. So, you should try to make it look as best as it should since usually it will be the first thing your recipients will look at, and the success of your newsletters is directly proportional to the time you take in tweaking each and every bit.

With this knowledge in mind, have you ever wondered what’s the maximum number of characters a from line should have before it’s cut off? You know, like if you’re reading an email from someone with a very long name, at one time the from line will be truncated and the rest of the characters will be replaced by either … or [...]. Since this is rather unseemly, making you look a bit unprofessional, we tested different platforms and came up with the following “cheat-sheet”. Feel free to download it and use it when coming up with your next from line or if you’re thinking of changing your current one!

Email from line TIP: some email clients display the email address, while others the First and Last name defined in the account. So, you should have similar entries so that your recipients will always know who is sending the message.

Sadly, these are all the platforms we could get our hands on, so if you have an older generation iPhone/iPod (with 480x320px resolution), an iPad (both old gen. and new), a newer generation Android phone or tablet or any other such device, please let us know and help us improve this article.

As always, please leave your feedback either in the comments section below or at support@emailaddressmanager.com.

If you’re viewing this on a mobile phone on which images may be disabled or compressed, here is the data in text form as well.

• Maximum displayed length of the email from line on mobile email clients

Android 480x320px (portrait orientation) – 19

Android 480x320px (landscape orientation) – 19

Android 800x480px (portrait orientation) – 25

Android 800x480px (landscape orientation)- 25

iPhone 4&4S/iPod 4 960x640px (portrait orientation)  - 23

iPhone 4&4S/iPod 4 960x640px (landscape orientation) – 41

Windows Phone 7 (portrait orientation) – 18

Windows Phone 7 (landscape orientation) – 29 1/2

• Maximum displayed length of the email from line on PC Desktop-based email clients*

Outlook 2010 1024x768px (compact view)** – 11

Outlook 2010 1024x768px (preview view)** – 15

Thunderbird v.12 1024x768px** – 33

• Maximum displayed length of the email from line on Web-based email clients (viewed in browser) ***

Gmail 1024x768px- 24

Hotmail 1024x768px – 25

Yahoo! Mail 1024x768px (old view) – 29

Yahoo! Mail 1024x768px (modern view) – 23

* All desktop and web-based PC clients were tested with a 1024×768 px resolution. While it’s no longer the most widespread resolution used, you should tailor your from line to it since it’s the minimum resolution your recipients will likely use (the most common one is currently 1366×768 px).

** Also, please note that we tested all platforms on their default views. So, even if we tested on Outlook 2010, we chose the Compact and Preview views (similar to the interface in Outlook 2007 and 2003). Additionally, PC clients like Thunderbird and Outlook permit users to change the size of the displayed fields (so, we don’t think that any Outlook user will leave the from field on the default setting, since it’s so small – what is provided below is just the default character limit).

*** Some email clients display the from line as the email address, others as the First and Last name of the account. We chose the name fields to be identical to the address (thereare30charactersinthisline), since it is irrelevant which of them is displayed – the minimum character limit remains the same.

Addendum 1. We didn’t include the Apple iMac platform since the resolution used in their desktop and laptop offers is well above the 1024×764 minimum limit.

Addendum 2. While the email account name (thereare30charactersinthisline) does contain 30 characters, the email address (and thus, the from line on the clients which display it instead of the First and Last name fields) will contain 40 characters (in our example, thereare30charactersinthisline@gmail.com).

In their 2011 study, Epsilon – a well-known and respected email strategy consultant – concluded that over 68% of Americans base the opening of a received email on the From line. (While I don’t know the statistics for the rest of the world, most likely the percentage is comparable in any well-developed nation.)

So, that’s quite a number, right? Since the piles of Spam are ever-increasing and we find ourselves having to be even more vigilant, the from line can either bring us a sense of familiarity or of bewilderment in regard to the sender. If the first is true, then we’ll open that email (maybe even straight away) and eagerly peruse its contents… if the latter, then it’s either the “Report as Spam” button or the Unsubscribe one. If you’re interested in numbers, then note that when trying to reduce the amount of Spam, 77% of Americans unsubscribe, 73% send the email to the Junk folder and 66% report it as Spam.

What does the from line have to do with it? Well, it lets us see straight away who sent us a message – even more so on mobile devices, where usually a new email just pops up as “You have 1 new email from …”. Then, based on what we see, we can make up our mind regarding the message – is it important or at least worth wile, or just junk? So, the email’s from line comes into play even before the subject line, and is at least equal in importance to the latter. With this in mind, you should never change your from line, since if your recipients don’t recognize you immediately then your newsletter will likely go the same path as that Nigerian Princesses’ offer. Even so, there are a couple of cases where it’s allowed, even advisable to change a from line, only take care to notify everyone beforehand so that they’ll know what to expect; for example:

-          If the from line refers to an individual who no longer works there (that’s why newsletters usually have the from line in the likes of news@[...] or subscription@[...] etc., so that no matter who sends the emails it looks like they’re coming from the same person);

-          If the from line becomes unusable (at the beginning it was fun to send out emails from boingy_boingy@[...], but you’re grown up now and have to act likewise);

-          If you are changing the profile of your future emails (say, from a special offer email to a timely newsletter).

Of course, you can add your own cases to the ones above, but remember to only change your from line when it’s absolutely needed – and, as with any change in email sending habits, expect an increase in unsubscribers. Another good idea is sending everyone who has just subscribed a “Welcome” email, so that your recipients will immediately associate your from line with the service they just signed-up for.

If you’re already taking the plunge and picking out a new from line, then make it as short and as memorable as possible, so that it’ll be easy to be read and recognized on all email clients. To help you out, next week we’ll post a table detailing the maximum number of characters the from line has to have so that it’s not truncated with an unseeingly … or [...].

As always, be sure to check out our Outlook add-in line-up on our website, since they can make your email experience more enjoyable and give you that extra amount of flexibility we all come to crave after a few days with Outlook (for example, Bells&Whistles lets you send emails to certain addresses only from specific accounts – so, they’ll never receive a message with a wrong from line).

Please be sure to check out next week’s post, in the meantime please leave feedback either in the comments section below or at support@emailaddressmanager.com.

, since they can make your email experience more enjoyable and give you that extra amount of flexibility we all come to crave after a few days with Outlook (for example,

This has been bugging me for quite some time, and in recent light I finally decided to write something about it. If you are a normal user, like me, aren’t you annoyed as well by emails sent from do not reply or no reply at whatever.com? What provoked me to dedicate this post to a matter that appears so simple was that in the last week I received no less than 7 do not reply to emails, most of them having no real reason behind the behavior. Really now, unmentioned online store, you personalize your emails and call me by my first name, take care to include bright, colorful images of your products and people using them happily, but if I want to say anything you just don’t want to hear it, right? You are allowed to bother me, but it doesn’t work the other way around?

Please, if you’re a business and are currently using this method of contacting your subscribers, just stop!

The best way to describe the feeling one gets when receiving a do not reply to email is that the person/business just doesn’t care! These days, when everything’s about connecting to people, knowing your customers and tailoring to their needs, no reply emails seem more like a blast from the past than a real part of a marketing strategy. No reply emails clash with any customer-oriented image a company tries to create, since there is no actual reason why I can’t reply normally to the message, just like I’m doing for all other emails I receive. Even more, some messages don’t even include the information needed to contact the sender, so most likely I will have to go to their website, browse around, find an online form and add all my relevant data, which takes time I’m sure none of us have to spare!

The do not reply to email stems from an outdated mentality that considers emails as a cheaper billboard or pamphlet, but I’m pretty sure that it can and does alienate potential customers… Whereas on the road we have no alternative but to look ahead and peripherally see a particular vendor’s offer, in our Inboxes we are kings! So, when I see a message that has but a minor relevance to what I’m interested in and to which I am specifically told to not even bother replying to, I have to fight the urge to mark it as spam, something that I’m sure many do straight away!

Don’t take me wrong, there are cases where it doesn’t matter if a do not reply to email address was used; for example, one of the messages I received last week was from Google, informing me that their Wave app will expire. This is OK because Google has such a large customer base that it doesn’t matter if I take offence – they know that I’m hooked to their services and so, take this precaution so that they don’t receive thousands of emails pertaining to the Wave app or unrelated stuff from their portfolio. They sent me a short notification and that’s it – they didn’t try to sell me anything and they provided all relevant info. This is actually how it should be done! But, when I receive an offer from an online store, or a notification from a company I am personally dealing with (my mobile provider, for example), I believe I have all the right to get offended!

In the end, it’s simple: businesses should stop using do not reply to emails – it makes them seem rude and distant! It’s a much better idea to encourage communication, and if you’re currently using this type of message why don’t you just create another address and forward the emails received to the appropriate departments? People will reply even to do not reply to addresses, and if you don’t have the time to manage this type of centralized contact then take a look at Auto Reply Manager for Outlook which can scan and automatically forward each message to the appropriate person. You can choose to scan the subject lines and bodies of all incoming emails, and can also set-up a rule that replies with a “thank you for contacting us, we’ll get back to you as soon as possible” message and many more. In fact, if you promise to stop sending no reply emails, we’ll even throw in a $10 discount (so, the price for a license would be just $29.95)!

As always, we welcome your feedback! Please reply either in the comments section below or at support@emailaddressmanager.com.

The email is as familiar to us as the back of our hands, right? It’s actually pretty straightforward; you have your subject line, email body and signature but that’s about it! Well, as always, there’s so much more to it… even if you take care and compose a really good subject line, pick and choose your words carefully for the body and add the signature you’ve worked on for so long, there’s still more you can do! Don’t take me wrong, if you do all of the above you’ll stand a much better chance of surviving the Inbox crowd, but to get ahead in this game you’ll have to tweak each and every detail of your marketing email – how do you think the big players are so successful when launching an email campaign?

Here are 3 parts of an email message that you may not know about or just didn’t take into consideration until now… They are the icing on the cake for your email marketing newsletters, so remember them for your next mail blast and I’m sure you’ll see a difference!

1. The email preheader

The email preheader is the little line of text at the beginning of the message that asks us “Is this message not displayed correctly? Click here to view it online“. Most of us don’t even see it, since we’re much more interested in the content of the email, but if someone is reading it on a mobile device or if the email client blocks the images, then the email preheader pops out like a beacon. No one says that the only thing it should contain is a link to a web version of your email, so if you’re sending out a commercial message why not add a short snippet detailing your special offer here, as well as in the email’s body? A one-sentence description of the content will be a discrete call to action, and many are using it for this purpose as we speak!

2. The email sidebars

The modern email looks very similar to a webpage and shares some of its characteristics (they’re both HTML after all). So, a new thing that is starting to catch on is providing related content in the sidebars of the email, just like most websites out there. Since it’s a good idea to keep your marketing emails to the point and detail only one of your offers in each of them, you should always add additional links to promotions and other useful info to the right or left. I suggest including a right sidebar, since most email clients have the folder structure to the left; additionally, this will make your commercial email resemble a normal webpage so your readers won’t feel like you’re forcing them to click on and view your links.

3. The email footer

Just like its up-top cousin, the email footer usually plays an uncelebrated role in your marketing campaigns. Even so, you can tweak it so that it adds to the commercial message and doesn’t just protect you from the CAN-SPAM Act by letting readers unsubscribe. While the email preheader should work as a direct marketing note (detailing the offer below), you can use the email footer to add special functionalities to your message (Facebook or Twitter buttons, contact us or about us links), or just add your company motto or something that will leave a good impression on your readers.

Have we missed anything? Do you have anything to add? Please let us know of your experiences with modern email campaigns either in the comments section below or at support@emailaddressmanager.com.

I truly believe that 10 years ago no one could have predicted how much the humble mobile phone would change us; this increasingly complex gadget has brought upon a revolution not unlike the first call across the Atlantic, and is still going strong! With this in mind, you should design all your future mass emails for mobile phones as well as desktop view.

Why?

• Because the no. of mobile phone users is increasing daily. Currently, there are over 5.9 billion mobile subscribers (that’s 87% of the world population).
• Because smartphones amount to more than 1 billion mobile phones, from a total of 4 billion that are actively in use.
• Because about 4 years ago, 60% of the decision makers in corporations around the world were reading emails on a Blackberry or other smartphone (that was the situation 4 years ago, nowadays the percentage of businessmen emailing from their phones has surely increased).
• Because by 2015 it’s estimated that mobile internet usage will surpass desktop usage.
• Because one half of all local searches are made on mobile phones.
• Because on average, we spend more than twice the time fiddling our phones than we do eating (Americans, for example, spend roughly 2.7 hours/day on their phones).

I could go on, but I think I made my point: email on mobile phones is the way to go for email marketing, and with statistics as optimistic as these, you should get on the wagon as soon as possible!

Before you rush off to send your new mass mail though, here are a few quick tips so that designing and composing your email for mobile phones will start off smoothly:

1. The all-important subject line.

Because your recipients are seeing your email on a mobile phone, it’s a good idea to compose your subject line so that it reflects the content of your message. So, the ones that are on a limited data plan can see your email and put off reading it until they’re on their computer. Also, try to design your email subject lines so that they’re recognizable and easier to find (Sprocket Newsletter #34: Best Sprockets of 2011, Sprocket Newsletter #35, 36 and so on). If you want to read more about this topic, just go here:

How to write a good email subject line

2. Optimize the images in your emails for mobile phones

This refers mostly to their size (always take care to balance quality with file size), but also to their names. Since some phones can’t display images in emails, most of your recipients will be put off by seeing image3.gif. Rather, name all the pictures accordingly: Red_model_Sprocket.gif, Sprocket_logo.gif etc.

Additionally, you should also include Alternative Text for all your images, since some mobile email clients will display a blank box instead of the filename.

3. Always include a plain text version of the email

Since not everyone can afford a smartphone that can display HTML, including a plain text version just shows that you care and take time thinking about your recipients. Even between smartphone users, there are many on limited data plans and “text-only email” advocates, so this little amount of effort will go a long way.

4. Design your email with smaller screens in mind

You no longer need to choose between having a good-looking email and one that is displayed accordingly on all devices, since resolutions are getting quite similar between the two main contenders (handhelds and desktops). Along with the increasingly complex and feature packed applications for mobile phones, emails will generally look as great in Outlook as they will on your gadget of choice, but since the screen sizes will be different you should take care in the layout of your messages. This means that including links to all useful websites in your emails for mobile phones is a must (your homepage, contact email, product page and so on); take care not to crowd them in the same place, though (they’re harder to click on with a finger than they are with a cursor)! Likewise, try to keep the layout as fluid and simple as possible (no special bullet points, paragraph spacing etc.), so that no matter where and on what, your recipients will always be able to read your emails.

5. Always test your email designed for mobile phones

It doesn’t matter if you don’t own a smartphone, tablet or other gadget – chances are that you know of someone who does! So, try out your first email designed with the above points in mind on any and all configurations you can – different browsers, mobile phones with and without HTML capability, smartphones with as many OS flavors as possible! This will ensure that the majority of recipients will be able to read your email, and you only need to do it the first couple of times. After each test you will learn something new, and in a small matter of time you’ll grow adept at the new art of designing emails with mobile phones in mind.

Lastly, if you’re looking for an easy to use tool to get your email newsletter going, just take a look at Easy Mail Merge for Outlook. You’ll be able to create your subscriber list, compose, personalize and manage all your mass mailing needs with just a few clicks, and at $29.95 it’s a steal (the normal price is $39.95, but if you email us at support@emailaddressmanager.com we’ll throw in a $10 discount coupon)!

Do you have any information about designing emails for mobile phones? Please let us know either at the email address above or in the comments section below, we’re always happy to hear from our readers!

There you are, probably saving another damsel from alien robots (don’t know about you, but that’s how I usually start off my days), when the first interruption appears… What’s that *DING!* you hear and where does it come from? Oh, my, you think to yourself, I have a new email… I wonder what joyous news it brings! Then, after requesting a time-out from arm-wrestling Godzilla or whatever, you bring up Outlook only to find a special, super-secret offer for that thing you never-needed, a one-time deal that lasts only until 2015 or some other message from your friendly and intrusive email marketer of choice. Having lost too many damsels because of email marketers and their shady dealings, here’s my list of the worst 5 types of offenders, in no particular order, so that you can watch out for them in the future:

Worst type of email marketer #1 – the Curious Stranger

Out of nowhere, a wild email marketer appears! You don’t know his company and aren’t really interested in one-of-a-kind sprockets, no matter if they’re scientifically proven to bring miracles! This type of email marketer gets the job done with a big ol’ list of email addresses bought with a discount from China, then using them with any and all customers. This, to your advantage, is actually illegal, so if the company seems genuine just contact them and say the magic word: pleas… erm, lawsuit (the CAN SPAM Act of 2004 has your back). I’m pretty sure they’ll reconsider their 30+ million email address list and not bother you again.

Worst type of email marketer #2 – the YELLER!!

No, I’m not referring to any ol’ dog – I’m still on the topic of email marketers (although some could be taken to the back of the shed). This is the guy that, in order to grab your attention, HAS TO SHOUT!! HE HAS TO STAND OUT!!, probably because he was raised by howler monkeys and that’s how they do things in the rainforest… He will most likely send you an incoherent mess of text, leaving you to wonder why keyboard manufacturers still include the CAPS LOCK key. SINCE ALL OF THE EMAIL WILL BE IN CAPS, he’s easy to spot straight from the subject line, so just ignore his descent into schizophrenia and delete the emails at first sight.

Worst type of email marketer #3 – the Car Salesman

Hello, new best friend! Stay and be amazed at our wonderful selection of doodads and thingamabobs, all for the low-low price of 599.99$ (first payment, without taxes; we may require your first child as deposit)! This here sprocket will baffle and amaze your family and friends, and it will only consume as much electricity as a small town… a mere village, actually! Well then, how about this thing? Or this? Or this other thing, that also comes in sunset blue and matches your beautiful eyes?!

You know this type of email marketer, don’t you? He will nag you with 3 emails before breakfast and another 10 until the end of the day, making a big fuss for each color option every item in stock has. OK, we get it! Both the Sprocket 9000 and the 9000B models come in sassy pink, you don’t have to send me an email for each one! The good news is that this email marketer will represent a real company, so just unsubscribe from the flood and never look back!

Worst type of email marketer #4 – the One With the Kid Inside

Have you ever received an email that looks like it was used as a mop on the Crayola factory floor? Primary colors, bright pinks and oranges, fonts thrown together with no regard to decency (or your lunch), all inhabiting the same email space… Yuck! These would-be email marketers never got over their finger-painting stage, so proceed with caution… there may be glittery kittens around! Just tell them sternly tat you aren’t interested in hand-crafted wicca supplies, nor in that new album of college band X. This type of marketer will surely leave your Inbox alone from then on, and may even reconsider their status as email marketers altogether (depends on the tone in your reply).

Worst type of email marketer #5 – the Loner With the Garage Sale

Ok, so your decadent part got the better of you and finally purchased a dozen cat sombreros, right? All seems fine and dandy, until Outlook starts DING!-ing like there’s no tomorrow. What do we have here? Oh, 3% off of garden hoses… and if I buy Grandma Bo’s 2-pack of Curiously Strong Magnets I also receive a week’s supply of MuscleCars Weekly?

DING! DING! DING!

Not only that if you would buy the other items you would quickly find your way on the FBI watch list, the constant chaotic flood of emails will soon take a toll on your sanity. Who are these guys and why do they sell kitchenware and intercom systems? Why do I get a discount for 2 pounds of vitamins if I buy the Lawn-minator 2012? This email marketer relies on impulse buys, so he’s both underestimating your calm, dignified approach to internet shopping and chipping away at your wallet until there’s nothing left. Cancel your order, dear reader, and learn to make your own cat sombreros – if you receive any more messages from this email marketer, be sure there’s someone holding your hand or else who knows what will arrive at your doorstep in the morning?

Well, that’s about it for my experiences with bad email marketers… Of course you can have divisions and inbreeding (the YELLING CAR SALESMAN! comes to mind), so please drop us a line either at support@emailaddressmanager.com or in the comments section and tell us of your tales!

Now, if I could only find that coupon for the Original Native American Humidifier…

The question of when to send an email or what the best time for your recipients to see your offer is, although asked and debated many-a-time, still doesn’t have a straight, go-to solution. This is because, as always, when dealing with people there are no universal answers; even so, one can appeal to the majority, so this week we’ll see why it’s a good idea to send email newsletters at a specific time.

If you’re familiar with the idea of product placement and email timing, then you may have heard that the best day to send an email blast is Wednesday. This is because Wednesday is at the middle of the week and people are at the peak of their productivity, so they will probably take the time to read your offer. Well, I’m afraid it’s a little more complicated than this…

Let’s take it from the top, shall we?

Is Monday the best time to send email newsletters?

Most definitely not! On Monday most of us are still in the weekend mindset, and your recipients will likely see your email as an intruder in their already-crowded Inbox. When a person is just starting the week and has to catch up, it’s not a good idea to send your timed email since they will be either too busy to notice it or irritated that it’s taking time from more important matters. This is most true for commercial offers, since it’s a well-known fact that people are more open with their wallets by then end of the week, when they start relaxing for the weekend.

Is Tuesday the best time to send email blasts?

Not as strong a “no” as a timed email sent for Monday, but still not a good idea I’m afraid. The reasons are similar to the above – people will have work to do (tasks received the previous day) and will most likely get annoyed by your intrusion. In fact, Tuesday is the day with the most unsubscribes for email newsletters, followed by Monday.

Is Wednesday the best time to receive a timed email?

If you’re after the simple answer, then yes! It’s certainly a better idea than not to think about your emails’ timing, since people are more relaxed on Wednesdays and will take the time to at least open your message. If you’re just sending a newsletter about something your recipient’s interested about (say, articles about sprockets), then your timed email may even come as a welcome pause from the hectic work schedule.

How about sending a timed email blast on Thursdays?

Since we’re approaching the week-end, your recipients will be more relaxed and so, Thursdays are also a good idea for your timed email blast. You can’t really go wrong with the middle of the week!

Oh, happy day; it’s Friday!

I think most of us find the above statement true, right? So, don’t bother your recipients with special offers, articles about the many uses of sprockets or whatnot, since they’ll already be in the weekend mindset and, even if your email will be opened, it won’t be paid much attention to. It’s a much better idea to…

Time your mass emails for Saturday!

Did you know that 88% of the people you are going to send a timed email newsletter use their work email for everything? What this means is that they don’t have different email addresses for personal matters and for work, rather they just have different Outlook folders. So, your newsletter will be seen and opened; your recipients are relaxed and have the time to properly browse their Inbox so, in my opinion at least, Saturdays are right on top along with Wednesdays! Actually, since people tend to spend their money in the weekends and Saturdays have the lowest unsubscribe rates of the week, it may even be the best time to send all newsletters and offers!

And finally… we come to Sunday!

Just as the previous day, your timed emails will be read; it’s still a good idea, but I’d rather go with Saturdays, especially if you’re sending a commercial email detailing something that costs money. This is because people tend not to make any major decisions on this day (knowing full well that a new work week awaits). Additionally, your recipients’ attention will be drawn towards family matters, so the new 2012 model of the Super-Sprocket will not hold the same interest as on a Saturday (a day we all reserve for personal matters).

One last thing: you should try to time your mass emails so that they’re the first thing your recipients see in their Inbox (they’re on the top of the email list). This means that the best time to send commercial emails is between 6:30 and 8 AM, although taking time zones and server lag into consideration, this isn’t that important. If you’re interested in such a precise timing for your emails though, note that unsubscribe rates rise after 11 AM.

You know, a study I read some time ago stated that the majority of people (over 70% actually) read all their emails! Maybe not attentively, but they zap through them at least; so, don’t delay your email blast just because it’s not the right day! Send your followers exclusive offers, articles based on their interests, make them feel special and you’re sure to grab their attention; and, if you’re searching for a tool that lets you set-up specific time frames for your mass emails, then look no further than Easy Mail Merge for Outlook! With it you will be able to customize all your email blasts as well as manage their timing for the best results possible!

As always, we are always interested in your feedback, so you can contact us either at support@emailaddressmanager.com or in the comments section below.

No one is baffled anymore by the quantity of spam emails sent over the Internet because, unfortunately, hundreds of unwanted messages reach our Inbox regularly (especially if the email address is publicly available, on a blog for example). Because of this, all manner of scams and hoaxes have been invented, every new iteration being more cunning than before. I believe that most of us have built up a natural resistance to clicking strange links and so on, but even with a keen eye you can still be duped, so here are a couple of quick steps to take for a safer email experience.

1. Set up junk email options to prevent against a hoax or scam

This is really easy to do, and the best part is that it’s fully automated – so you’re protected (to some degree) for as long as you leave it on! In Outlook 2010, just go to your Home tab then click on Junk -> Junk Options (in the Delete section) and choose between the different options.

I suggest testing between the Low and High levels, which will offer you a decent protection against unwanted scam or hoax emails, and keeping the other settings as they are displayed above.

2. Set up safe senders/safe recipients/blocked senders lists to prevent email scams

If you’ve got access to the company email address list, then it’s a good idea to add it to the Safe Senders and Recipients list. This will ensure that emails from your co-workers will not be regarded as hoaxes or scams, and you can always add to the list by right-clicking an email -> Junk -> Never block sender.

Tip: if you’d like to extract safe addresses from a particular folder in Outlook, then look no further than Email Address Collector – you can filter and save a list of safe senders in just a few clicks!

3. Set up an anti-spam program on your email server

If you’re receiving your emails through a dedicated server, then it’s always a good idea to install a well-known anti-spam program on it. We here use SpamAssassin which works great at filtering out scam emails. Just make sure to create a rule in Outlook that deals with the emails flagged by your program as “spam” (for SpamAssassin, I have a rule that moves all emails with “X-Spam-Flag: YES” in their header to the Spam folder).

4. If you’re not sure if the email is a scam or hoax, always check the email header!

So, you’ve won the Spanish Lottery, right? You look at the email address and it is from the official website, so it’s not a scam, right? Well, one of the first things to do with emails that you aren’t really sure are hoaxes is to check the email header. Scammers can hide the origin of the message when viewed directly in Outlook, but if you open an email -> go to File -> Info -> Properties you can see the real info. In the newly opened window, just check and make sure that the email originated from a certain website and that it’s not just some hoax.

5. Always be suspicious of emails that look like hoaxes or scams

As I said above, in time, each of us develops a sort-of resistance to stuff like this… If it’s too good to be true, then it’s probably a scam! If you haven’t played in the Spanish Lottery, then it’s a hoax… the list goes on. Even so, not all scam emails are as clear as daylight – you may have an account with Bank of America and you may have recently had some issues with it, but that doesn’t mean that the message isn’t a hoax based on a lucky coincidence (that’s why you receive the same email scam over and over – sometimes, it just arrives at the perfect time for some).

Remember:

• no bank, payment service, online store will ask for private info over email;

• you should never send your account details to anyone;

• you can’t win contests that you haven’t applied to;

• there is no such thing as an Internet address draw, where your email was picked at random;

• there are no Nigerian princesses, Chinese businessmen, British attorneys that will send you half of a millionaire’s wealth;

• there are no respectable businesses that market their products by unsolicited emails;

• you should never click on links from unknown or dubious senders.

All of the above are email scams of course, and you should delete the messages as soon as possible. Clicking on links, downloading or opening attachments can compromise your privacy (and maybe even bank account), so take care! For an added level of security, Outlook automatically disables links in the messages it considers as spam, so you’re pretty safe from hoaxes while those emails are in that folder.

Unfortunately, as we all know, many will still wind up in your Inbox, with their links and attachments intact. And what happens in cases where someone else is using your computer, someone not as well versed in these things as yourself?

For your peace of mind, one of our best-selling add-ins, Bells&Whistles for Outlook, comes with a pre-defined list of attachments that it will block… and when we say block, we mean it! While Outlook just pops up a warning (which can be permanently turned off) when opening dubious attachments, Bells&Whistles will only display its name – and that’s all! The attachment can’t be downloaded, ran or anything else, no matter the folder it resides in! So, you can leave home and not worry that grandpa fell for on email scam and your hard-earned dollars are used to buying who-knows-what. You can define the types of attachments Bells&Whistles will block by their extension – the predefined list comes with all of the most used extensions used in email hoaxes, so you’re protected right away! Additionally, we have included the extensions for files that are known for spreading viruses, so you’ll be safe from email scams and malware as well!

If you want to give Bells&Whistles a try, then just download the latest version from here and take it for a spin (all features are working, so you get to test it out to the fullest), or go ahead and buy a full license for only $29.95 here (30 day money back guarantee, so no scam here ).

If you have any tales about email scams, if you’ve been the victim of a hoax or just want to say hi, then you can contact us either at support@emailaddressmanager.com or in the comment section below.

If you’re like me, you want to present yourself well to all persons you come in contact with – whether that contact is face to face or over the Internet. Usually, we don’t consider emails as more than a tool for communication, but if you start to think about it, emails can help create and define the image we have about a person – who they are, how they behave. This isn’t restricted just to the people we haven’t met in real life, so I believe that creating a great looking email will strongly tip the balance in your favor. A thought-out email implies authority, professionalism, something usually reflected in the creation of the signature. It’s the same as John Hancock’s signature on the Declaration of Independence – you remember it both because of the self-confidence it conveyed and its aesthetics, right? So why not apply that same train of thought and use a signature creator for your emails?

While researching this article’s idea, I came across quite a number of signature creators on the web, standalone programs with varying prices. This actually baffled me, since I’ve always thought that designing is the difficult part, putting it into practice being only a second thought. Also, the need of a separate signature creator is something I’ve never considered and don’t find very practical.

Now, if you want some great tips on signature creation, what fonts to use and how it should look then just consult these past articles:

The DOs & DON’Ts of Email signatures

The best email fonts are the ones already included in Outlook! – the tips here can be used upon launching your signature creator, even if the article deals with a more general topic

I won’t repeat what’s already been said, and I’m sure that after zapping through the above links you’ll be able to design something great, this week I just want to present an unsung hero, the signature creator found in Bells&Whistles. For those who don’t know, Bells&Whistles for Outlook is a feature packed add-in for Outlook which provides more than 40 helpful tweaks for your daily email routine, one of which being a signature manager.

Not only can you attach hyperlinks and images, you can also define specific layouts and alignments in Bells&Whistles’ signature creator, all from this simple, user friendly screen:

Additionally, you can also insert a horizontal line (to better differentiate emails in a conversation), choose different fonts, sizes, colors and so on. One great thing about this signature creator is that it allows you to have an HTML signature, with hyperlinks, colors, images etc. and another signature for the cases when you are replying to a plain text email. We all know that the layout can get a bit jumbled upon transition, so we have added this feature at the request of our customers for quite some time.

My favorite thing about this signature creator is that it works alongside the rules defined in Bells&Whistles, so you can have a particular signature for your office emails, one for your friends, one for family and so on. You know how weird it feels when you receive an email from a close friend that ends with his business signature (detailing name of the company and position, slogan, web address, alternate email and so on)? Well, no more! Now you can have specific greetings, fonts, signatures, attachment behaviors and many, many more with the help of Bells&Whistles. Why not give it a try?

Just download the trial version from here (all features are present and working), or just purchase a full license from here and never copy/paste your signatures again! The full version costs just 29.95$ (30-day money back guarantee), and with it you manage all your future communications effortlessly forever!

Now, here’s a tip! You don’t have to use standalone signature creators if you want to add a “special something” to your emails. If you want to insert an image that displays your actual signature, just follow these easy steps:

1.Write your signature on a white piece of paper with a thick pen

2.Scan it

3.Download and install a free photo viewer named IrfanView

4.Open your signature image file and press Shift+G

5.Increase the contrast and decrease the gamma value until you’re left with a great looking signature on a pure white background.

It’s easy and you don’t need to use 3^rd party standalone signature creators to do it! Additionally, just press Ctrl+R and resize the image until you’re happy with the result, then save it as either a PNG or JPG file.