Why Do-Not-Reply@DomainName.com Is a Terrible Idea
by: Karen Scharf, Small Business Marketing Consultant
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I’m sure you’ve seen it before – an email newsletter or other email marketing piece that is sent from “Do-Not-Reply@DomainName.com”. Well, just because it might be common practice, that doesn’t make it right.
Generally, when marketers use the “Do-Not-Reply@DomainName.com” email address in their from field, they are specifying an email address that does not exist. The problem with sending email from a non-existent address is that, eventually, it will trigger spam filters.
You see, when your readers have a question or a comment, they are going to reply to your email message, no matter what your sending address says. And those messages are going to bounce.
When you send out your email messages, there’s a high probability that at least one of the addresses on your list is going to bounce. Either the mailbox is full, the ISP might be experiencing temporary delays, the email box might have been abandoned… whatever the case, you are going to get a few bounces.
And when those bounces occur, the receiving ISP will attempt to notify you of the problem by sending YOU an email with the error log. The problem is, the email message they send to you is going to bounce, since the email address does not exist. Remember, the ISP will attempt to reach you at “Do-Not-Reply@DomainName.com” since, according to your from field, that’s the address you sent your mail from.
Now, when the ISPs notice that the error logs are bouncing, and they realize you are using a non-existent email address, they will naturally assume you’re a spammer – since that’s a common tactic that spammers use.
But here’s where the real problem comes in. The ISPs approve or disapprove of incoming email (that is, they either deliver the mail or send it to the spam folder) based on IP address and not email address. So, when you later realize that sending mail from “Do-Not-Reply@DomainName.com” is a silly idea and you decide to switch to “Your-Real-Name@DomainName.com” there’s a chance that your mail server IP address has already been blacklisted.
OK, that’s the bad news as far as deliverability goes. But what about on the branding and customer service side?
What is sending email from “Do-Not-Reply@DomainName.com” saying to your email readers? That you can’t be bothered with them? That you’re just “too busy” to hear from your customers? That if they click through a link or place an order or have a customer service question there is no way to get in touch with you?
Personally, when I see a from address of “Do-Not-Reply” I consider it an insult and it throws up a huge mental barrier about doing business with that company. After all, I prefer not to do business with anyone who is totally inaccessible.
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