With every email message we send, marketers take another step closer to understanding the most effective use of email as a marketing medium and the most

appropriate way to use it to communicate with prospective and current customers via email.

Just as we avoid any association with "junk mail," we now hope to avoid being labeled a "spammer." As marketers try to increase their return on investment in this new medium, it is essential to understand how and why email messages are blocked from ever being read.  ISPs can control what email an individual receives by utilizing a router to analyze all incoming email. When email comes in from a certain email address or range of IP addresses-or , if the message contains specific words in the subject line-the router blocks those emails from getting into the network. Then the addresses of the senders are added to a filter table that is continually updated.

Most ISPs now also provide tools for individuals to set up their own filters for their email systems. These filters examine the information typed into the subject line-the vehicle that ultimately decides whether your message will be read. Phrases like "free," "50% off," and "You're A Winner" are the very types of messages that ISPs and filters look for to identify the sender as a spammer.

Just because an email message is sent does not mean it is received. With no email change-of-address procedures presently in existence, marketers must make it a priority to examine any problems with message delivery.

Undeliverable email exists in two forms: hard bounces and soft bounces.  

Hard bounces exist when the domain portion of the email address-the part after the "@"-is misspelled or incorrect, the email is bounced back to the sender as undeliverable.

The most common cause for hard bounces is the guessing of domain names (the assumption that company names are also domain names creates a significantly higher hard-bounce rate.)

Soft bounces are the other type of undeliverable email. Many times, email messages are sent to the proper domain, but the name of the person is not accurate. Examining soft bounces can reveal a simple misspelling or, more importantly, the departure of the person associated with that email address from the domain.

You'll have far better delivery success by asking individuals if they would like to receive communications via their email.

Asking permission establishes credibility while saving marketing dollars that would otherwise be spent on uninterested recipients.

Seeking and obtaining permission for an interaction confirms that the recipient is willing to hear your message. Affording the customer or prospect the opportunity to no longer receive your communications will give you a stronger credibility with that person as well as convey your respect for their privacy.

 Most marketers think that they only need to provide one means of unsubscribing from their list, usually by allowing the recipients to reply to the message with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line. However, a second option must also be offered.

Having a link in each email to an unsubscribe page that asks for previous email address information will allow users to properly remove themselves from any future messages.

Turn-around time for removing unsubcribes from an email list is a critical step in ongoing communications with any individual. It is important to respect their request as well as their privacy and implement that change as soon as possible.

Marketers must learn the rules of electronic marketing and respect them. The consequences of not doing so may hurt their entire enterprise.

Understanding the means by which to get buyers to a specific destination has become the netmarketer's goal. Email  represents a new channel for communication to potential and existing customers.

Gaining a deeper understanding of this medium will allow marketers to achieve a greater return on their interactive marketing investment.