Are you missing potential clients?

I have had a few people recently call me to ask if they have received my email. Yesterday I emailed a client (twice) in reply to his email and it went into his spam filter. I always thought that if he emailed me and I responded we would have a 2 way line of communication and it was therefore less likely to go into a spam filter. He told me last night that his work were aware of a change that Microsoft made in December which is affecting spam filters.

This is just making me wonder if client emails either to or from us are just not getting through. How much business could you be losing through you not replying to an email that you hadn't received?

So my question is more to the tech bods who view this site, are you aware of any changes that Microsoft has made that could affect emails?

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Originally Posted by scoopd

I have had a few people recently call me to ask if they have received my email.

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Do you add images or links in your email as i believe that could affect it? I dont use a phone, but I guess some people must miss my initial email or don't contact me to start with as they cant talk to someone. I tend to re email all enquiries a few weeks later, which usually creates results. I am more than busy enough with nice clients so am not too fussed to be honest. :)

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Originally Posted by yourdj

Do you add images or links in your email as i believe that could affect it? I dont use a phone, but I guess some people must miss my initial email or don't contact me to start with as they cant talk to someone. I tend to re email all enquiries a few weeks later, which usually creates results. I am more than busy enough with nice clients so am not too fussed to be honest. :)

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I have taken all links off but this is people emailing me and not getting through either on occasion.

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Originally Posted by yourdj

I dont use a phone,

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Interesting - do you convert all enquiries via email?

Or do you arrange a meeting?

Just interested in your sales process without a phone. Not a bad shout seeing as millennials are pretty anti-phone calls.

Different servers & email clients score spam differently, but generally an email's spam score will go up if: -

• It has certain keywords in the subject or body
• It has a lot of links
• It has a lot of all caps (especially in the subject)
• It's just one image
• It has a lot of images
• It has lots of bold or coloured text
• It has a lot of text size changes
• etc. etc.

Once a pre-defined threshold is hit by the spam scorer, into junk it goes.

On the technical side, you should make sure the are SPF and DKIM records in the DNS zone for your domain (make sure you allow for all servers that may claim to send email from you, though, e.g. DJEP).

I've noticed strange behaviour lately as well with the emails I've been sending.

As is normally the case, leads come in from various places, a nicely formatted response is sent out (just one link, a couple of images and the usual facts about hiring me)....and they're not getting read.

I can tell this because I use SendGrid to track things. Now I know it's not foolproof because it relies on the recipient allowing images in emails to "record" it being opened. Bear with me.....

I'm suddenly seeing people opening emails that I sent in December and January (quite a LOT of them actually).....I'm wondering if they've gone in to Spam/Junk and people are only just getting around to finding them. Just seems strange that they're reading them a couple of months after them being successfully delivered.

I had similar problems and I also had a spam epidemic. Eventually I merged to Gmail business account, costing £3 a month (I think) and I get no more spam.

I ask for a phone number on the enquiry form and send the client a text once sent. That along with an email reminder a little while later works for me.

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Originally Posted by rth_discos

Interesting - do you convert all enquiries via email?

Or do you arrange a meeting?

Just interested in your sales process without a phone. Not a bad shout seeing as millennials are pretty anti-phone calls.

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Yes ideally face to face for serious prospectives. generally it goes, Email enquiry - exchange of info - meeting - booking. I would rather sit down with them than answer sales calls as it shows if they are willing to visit the venue, they have done their research and probably have had a good look on the site and know much more about what they want. My residency clients hardly ever look at the information I send them despite me including it and asking them too as they get the DJ free, so its probably not high on their list and (probably superseded by a sweet cart or something else that adds very little to the day) :p

This year I have started ringing back clients as I have 2 babies and cant get out as much. I got fed up with people ringing up with no information and expecting me to quote them on the spot usually at silly prices and its tough to justify it. I am adding a ring back option also post enquiry, so I can be armed with all the info and also send them stuff to look at. Skype is also my friend for meetings, although I dont have an office (2 bed house at mo). My other key reason for ditching the phone 7 years back were sales calls, which are just annoying, when someone says your site is not performing, but you know it is.

I like to think I am pioneering for the 'millenias' but to be honest I have a very nice quiet life and dont like it being disturbed by phone calls all day. With an email or even ring back, you can then choose when to get back to them, which is a god-send with the kids at the moment. Role on moving in May as the top floor is going to be my office, until i build one in the garden (with a bedroom in for some piece and quiet LOL)! I first thought of having a meeting studio, but dont have side access and dont want to clean the house everyday ;)

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Originally Posted by ukpartydj

I ask for a phone number on the enquiry form and send the client a text once sent.

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Thats the way to do it. I do it with my residency clients as they are not as keen as my private ones. Good shout though to tell them to check spam. :)

I turned my spam blocker off in Incredimail.
As spam comes in I just block that address and it automatically bounces the email.