Both here and in other publications, we read a lot about email Subject lines and how to craft them so your email message gets opened instead of deleted. Most of us who use email for marketing think long and hard when it's time to come up with that crucial bit of copy.

But perhaps just as important to consider is the from "From:" field. In other words, when your email newsletter or promotion lands in someone's email box, will that user recognize it as coming from a trusted source?

In deciding what to put in your From field, you need to consider two basic situations: 1) emails sent out by you to your own list and 2) emails sent out on your behalf to someone else's list.

An email has a much better chance of getting opened if the user recognizes it as coming from a trusted source, rather than a stranger. So if you are building your own email list, you should determine how you're going to brand your From field in your mailings.

The message circled below actually comes from MP3.com. However, instead of putting "MP3.com" in their From field, they have used "partner_announcements@mp3.com," simply an unbranded email address. The recipient is less likely to recognize the source of this message and is more likely to delete it:

Most email programs and email list management providers allow you to customize your From field. If your subscribers get to know you as a provider of valuable information or offers, then they will start to recognize your mailings when they arrive in the old inbox. A friendly From field combined with a compelling Subject line has a good chance of getting opened.

For this newsletter, we use "EmailResults.com" in the From field, since most subscribers joined this list at our Web site:

On the other hand, suppose you have "rented" an opt-in email list from a list supplier. In this case, the supplier will be sending your promotional message out to their list. The supplier will probably give you the option of having your company name appear in the From field instead of the list owner's. However, I would suggest that you focus your creative efforts on the Subject line and ask the supplier to use the From field they normally use when sending out to that list. That way, the recipient will recognize the sender as a friendly source and will be less likely to trash the message.

The mailing circled below was actually sent out by PostMaster Direct, a service I have opted-in to. However, the From: field indicates that the sender is "INT Media," a company I'm not familiar with:

This simple lesson applies to so much of what we do in the fields of email marketing and publishing: Think about your emailings from the point of view of the recipient. What will help you to build a relationship with your own subscribers, and what do you need to do so that when your email arrives the recipient will recognize its source and take action?

What do you think? Have you found that it makes a difference what From: field you use in your email communications? Let us know your thoughts by clicking on the "Post Letter" link in the top right-hand column of this page.

Al Bredenberg is publisher of EmailResults.com (http://www.emailresults.com).