Why Email Proformas May Go Into a Recipient’s Spam Folder

When sending email proformas (such as quotes, invoices, or workshop job previews), you may find that the recipient reports the message has gone into their spam or junk folder. This is a common issue in email communication and is typically caused by the way spam filters assess the content, formatting, and sender reputation of an email.

Understanding why this happens can help reduce the chances of important messages being missed by customers or suppliers.

Common Reasons Email Proformas Go Into Spam

1. Spam Filters Flag the Email Format

Proformas often contain tables, attachments, and formal language, which can resemble spam-like formatting. Filters may misinterpret these characteristics as suspicious, especially if the message lacks conversational context.

2. Attachments Trigger Security Rules

Many email systems are cautious of PDF or invoice-style attachments, especially when they come from unfamiliar domains. A proforma attached without accompanying message text can appear risky to the receiving server.

3. Sender Email Reputation

If your dealership’s email domain (e.g. @yourgarage.co.uk) has not been correctly authenticated using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records, receiving systems may not trust the source. Poor domain reputation or prior spam complaints can cause delivery issues.

4. Lack of Personalisation

Emails that are sent without personalisation — for example, just a proforma with no message or greeting — can trigger spam filters due to their impersonal or “automated” appearance.

5. Recipient Email Settings

Sometimes the issue is not with the sender at all. The recipient’s mailbox may have aggressive spam filtering rules or whitelists that exclude unfamiliar addresses, regardless of the message quality.

How to Reduce the Risk of Proformas Going to Spam

• Include a clear subject line (e.g. "Your Vehicle Quote from [Garage Name]").

• Write a short message body with a greeting and explanation before attaching the proforma.

• Ensure your email domain is authenticated with proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC settings.

• Ask customers to whitelist your domain or add your address to their trusted senders.

• Where possible, send from a central or consistent email address used for other communications (e.g. invoicing or customer service).

What to Tell Recipients

If a customer doesn’t receive the proforma:

• Ask them to check their spam or junk folder.

• Suggest they mark the message as "Not Spam" to train their email system.

• Consider resending the message with a brief introductory line to improve delivery chances.