GWCAR Standard Method of E-mail Communications

When sending marketing e-mails, try to limit the recipient count to no more than 250. Mail gateways scan for mass mailings and flag these mail messages as spam. Some gateways also scan for chain mail or mass mailing subjects ("Forward this" or "E-mail this" etc.). Every company sets these properties differently, but keeping your number of message recipients at or below our standards should have them delivered successfully.

Use links whenever possible. Instead of embedding images in e-mails, messages should include links to Web sites as to the brochure, floor plan, picture, etc.

Make sure all images that are in the e-mail are between 72 to 98 dpi (dots per inch). Images do not need to be any higher for electronic viewing. This cuts down on the file size dramatically. Also, when possible and when necessary, making the image bigger and setting it to a lower quality setting makes it a smaller file.

Message size should be under 1MB.

If necessary, maximum of three attachments to a message.

Prohibit outright solicitations for non-real estate related events (i.e., solicitation for charity funds through the real estate community).

Utilize the ADV sign in the subject line. People who are in a hurry are more likely to read a message marked "ADV" at a later date if it seems relevant to them. Rather, if it arrives in their inbox, seems important and turns out to be an advertisement, they are likely to delete it and future e-mails from your address… or worse you can end up on their spam filter list.


The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 requires all commercial e-mails to contain:

A legitimate return e-mail and physical postal address.

A clear and conspicuous notice of the recipient's opportunity to "opt-out" or decline to receive any future messages.

A mechanism that may be used or an e-mail address (active for at least 30 days after message transmission) to which a recipient may send a message requesting not to receive any future e-mail messages from the sender.

Clear and conspicuous notice that the message is an advertisement or solicitation (the letters ADV must appear at the beginning of the subject field).

Clear notice in subject heading if messages include pornographic or sexual content.

A statement that the mailing is a reoccurring or a one-time mailing that the client has requested to receive. This statement should include the recipient's e-mail address.

You must also "wash your list." Before sending your mass mailing, you must ensure that your distribution list does not contain any e-mail addresses that are found on your company's Do-Not-Spam list.