Since you have now joined the millions out there in cyberspace that are vying for the attention of your reader, here are a few tips for writing updates that will not be spammed into the junk boxes of your donor list:

1) I know you are excited to communicate the latest and greatest going on at your campus!!!!! However, do not overuse punctuation, especially the exclamation mark!!!!!!!!!!!

2) AVOID USING ALL CAPS.

3) This rule won't apply to you as much as the rest of the world but avoid using "spammy" words and phrases like: free, your reply is needed, click here now, or your favorite and mine - enlargement.

If one of your donors complains about not receiving your email, it could be that their spam filter is on uber-high alert. Have them put your email address in their address book so that your correspondence makes it to their inbox. Also, some of your recipients might have given you their company email address, which is not always the best idea. Companies often have strict firewalls in place - you might want to ask for another email address.