What if you need to send an important email to your clients and it can’t get through?

Every time you send an email from your business, a lot of things happen automatically in the background to check that it’s a real email sent by you.

The email service providers such as Gmail and Microsoft use algorithms to assess each individual email’s authenticity.

They’re trying to identify spam emails and phishing emails (these pretend to be from trusted sources but send people to fake websites where their login details are stolen).

To authenticate emails, there are three primary methods used:SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Think of SPF like a list of friends you’re allowed to send letters to. When you send a letter, the mailman looks at this list. If you’re on it, your letter gets delivered. If not, the mailman thinks you might be pretending to be someone else, and your letter might not get to your friend.

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): DKIM is like a secret handshake or a special sticker you put on your letters. When your friend gets the letter, they check for the handshake or sticker. If it’s there, they know the letter really came from you and wasn’t changed by anyone else while it was being delivered.

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): DMARC is like a set of rules for the mail carrier, telling them what to do if a letter doesn’t have the right sticker or isn’t on the friends’ list. It can tell the carrier to give it back, throw it away, or deliver it but tell your friend to check it carefully.

Since February 2024, big email companies like Gmail and Yahoo have insisted you need to have DKIM and DMARC set up for your business… or they won’t deliver your emails.

It’s believed hundreds of thousands of businesses aren’t set up properly… and have no idea many of their emails aren’t being delivered.

How Do You Avoid Getting Marked as Spam?
So, how must you avoid the dreaded “rejection” stamp on your emails? Here are some actionable steps that every small business owner should take:

1. Set Up Your Email Authentication Protocols:
First, you need to set up your email authentication protocols. SPF, DKIM, and DMARC became mandatory as of February 1, 2024. SPF validates your sending servers, DKIM ensures your content isn’t spammy, and DMARC aligns both to maximize email delivery. Set those up, and your emails will get a green light.

2. Educate Your Team:
Next, you must educate your team and ensure
everyone is on board. Train your staff on these email protocols and their importance. This ensures everyone handles email communication correctly and securely.

3. Regularly Monitor Your Email Habits:
Last, regularly monitor your email habits. Watch what you’re sending and how often you get marked as spam to avoid dreaded email rejections. The last thing any small business owner wants is to be blacklisted. Regularly checking to make sure your email is compliant keeps you in the good graces of our Google and Yahoo overlords.
If you are having deliverability problems, contact your IT provider or email service for help.

Contact Info:

David Snell,
ACTSmart IT
332 Main Street
Wareham, MA 02571
ACTSmartIT.com
David@ACTSmartIT.com – mailto:david@actsmartit.com
855-WOW-Service ● 781-826-9665