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why write fre.e like this or this fr.ee? is there a reason?

by Rob Anderson
14 replies
i have noticed that a lot of my emails arrive with the word free spelled funny. why do they do the fr.ee and fre.e? is it to hid the word from the search engines? and why would they want to do that it is just an e mail?
or am i just imagining it?
#free #reason #write
  • Profile picture of the author dvduval
    They are trying to get past spam blockers.
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    • Profile picture of the author Rob Anderson
      er, thanks but what is a spam blocker?
      oh wait , in my email inbox?
      aha!
      so then there must be so many free offers that it has become a recognised spam word.
      hmmm.
      is there a way to exploite this? hehe
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      • Profile picture of the author R Hagel
        Originally Posted by Rob Anderson View Post

        er, thanks but what is a spam blocker?
        oh wait , in my email inbox?
        Correct. Those spam filters that helps keep some of the crap out of your inbox.


        so then there must be so many free offers that it has become a recognised spam word.
        Yep. If you're creating a message to send out to a newsletter list and check your spam score (Aweber has this feature), mentions of the word "free" bring the warning, "there is no such thing as a free lunch" (or something like that).

        Cheers,
        Becky


        Edited to add: This is the same reasons you see people spell words like cash as "c@sh." Of course you can use synonyms instead, like "make moola" instead of "make money" and "complimentary report" instead of "free report."
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  • Profile picture of the author Mollysbrother
    Yeah. Early on when I was using my autoresponder, I was getting burned by using the words "free," so I tried this different route of putting the period to separate the letters. Personally, I just didn't like the look of it and it made my emails sound "cheap." (This is solely based on the fact that I was paying attention to how I respond to fre.e or fr.ee, etc...)

    I imagine that spam blockers are getting a little more sophisticated and now identify these 'workarounds?' I wouldn't know. I don't use the word free in my emails anymore and I haven't noticed much of an impact.

    Anyone else have thoughts about this?

    (I am on vacation from my day job...and it feels SO GOOD to re-connect with the forum again! Woot-woot!)
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  • Profile picture of the author VegasGreg
    People use this in emails to get past the email spam blockers.
    Ironically, when I see an email that has these misspellings and tricks, I personally feel as if it is useless material and ruins the credibility of the sender. So I don't know that the trick actually helps in the long run.

    In the IM niche, I know what the senders are trying to accomplish and realize I am being "spammed' as opposed to being sent useful content.

    Outside the IM niche, I would imagine that the receivers just think the sender is illiterate and can't type or spell very well, which makes them think less of the sender.
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  • Profile picture of the author christftw
    I agree. I'd just avoid the word instead of trying to get around it. Before I knew why people didn't just say "free", I always thought there was some kind of catch... like "Totally free* [scroll to bottom of the page] * For 1 month. Afterwords your mandatory, no refund guaranteed, no cancellation allowed 'Fair4U!' contract will sign you up for a recurring monthly payment of $2,997."

    A lot of people don't know why they do this, especially in most non-IM markets like weight loss, body building, etc. I would assume. (And I agree with the comment about the spam filters being able to recognize the workarounds by now.)

    "Outside the IM niche, I would imagine that the receivers just think the sender is illiterate and can't type or spell very well, which makes them think less of the sender." - VegasGreg

    Good point too.
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    • Profile picture of the author athibaul
      Hi,

      If you would effectively have a promotion involving a free gift, a free report, a free month of service or anything else that you would like to offer for free, how would you announce it?

      Like it was mentioned by many, using texts such as fre.e or fr.ee looks really cheap and I wouldn't use them. But what word would you use to offer something free to potential customers?
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      • Profile picture of the author R Hagel
        Originally Posted by athibaul View Post

        Hi,

        If you would effectively have a promotion involving a free gift, a free report, a free month of service or anything else that you would like to offer for free, how would you announce it?

        Like it was mentioned by many, using texts such as fre.e or fr.ee looks really cheap and I wouldn't use them. But what word would you use to offer something free to potential customers?
        I mentioned a few alternatives a few posts North of here such as:

        Complimentary

        No charge

        On the house

        You could also say things like "no hoops" or "keep your wallet in your pocket, this one's on me..."

        Cheers,
        Becky

        P.S. Of course you'd want to run these messages through the spam checkers too.
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        • Profile picture of the author Rob Anderson
          Originally Posted by R Hagel View Post

          I mentioned a few alternatives a few posts North of here such as:

          Complimentary

          No charge

          On the house

          You could also say things like "no hoops" or "keep your wallet in your pocket, this one's on me..."

          Cheers,
          Becky

          P.S. Of course you'd want to run these messages through the spam checkers too.

          thanks Becky.

          now the obvious thing would be realise (and i do) that you are experienced at this im game.
          but it make me want to scream when it is like some sort of blob from an alien movie, where it seems to change and morph all the time.
          so i suppose there will come a time when the word free is again accepted by the filters.
          ack.
          i still think that i am not goint to bother with all of the details in my earliest days.
          my head will explode. it is bad enough to get the e book written, ecovers done, sites up, freebies written and all of the many things i am having to do.
          in time i will play with the wording.

          thanks for your input.
          that will teach me to ask.
          now i have a new problem to worry about
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      • Profile picture of the author Rob Anderson
        Originally Posted by athibaul View Post

        Hi,

        If you would effectively have a promotion involving a free gift, a free report, a free month of service or anything else that you would like to offer for free, how would you announce it?

        Like it was mentioned by many, using texts such as fre.e or fr.ee looks really cheap and I wouldn't use them. But what word would you use to offer something free to potential customers?

        good question, i am about to launch my first free report, and to be honest hardly even thought about that.
        in fact, i think i will just write it as i think it, and not care.
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        • Profile picture of the author Zack Lim
          Hi Becky,

          Thanks for sharing the different wordings that we can use to offer free information.

          Will take note of it when I want to craft our new emails

          Zack
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  • Profile picture of the author Raydal
    Originally Posted by Rob Anderson View Post

    i have noticed that a lot of my emails arrive with the word free spelled funny. why do they do the fr.ee and fre.e? is it to hid the word from the search engines? and why would they want to do that it is just an e mail?
    or am i just imagining it?
    So that when you find out the cost of shipping and handling you cannot
    legally hold them to their promise because they didn't say "free".

    -Ray Edwards
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    The most powerful and concentrated copywriting training online today bar none! Autoresponder Writing Email SECRETS
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  • Profile picture of the author jasonl70
    When I set up my emails for my autoresponder, I don't bother with gimicky work-arounds like this. I think it looks terrible and spammy. Heck - one of my domains and newsletters has "free" in it, so I use the word all over the place (my title even has it, ex: "your free tip for June") - and my spam assassin scores are still low.
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    -Jason

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    • Profile picture of the author Rob Anderson
      Originally Posted by jasonl70 View Post

      When I set up my emails for my autoresponder, I don't bother with gimicky work-arounds like this. I think it looks terrible and spammy. Heck - one of my domains and newsletters has "free" in it, so I use the word all over the place (my title even has it, ex: "your free tip for June") - and my spam assassin scores are still low.

      thanks, Jason.

      your way is now my way.
      life seems complicated enough without needing to dance around silly things.
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