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Email Management Glossary

Comprehensive definitions of email management terms, from AI cold outreach to inbox zero

39 terms defined

4

4-D System

An email triage method that categorizes emails into four actions: Delete (no action needed), Do (quick response under 5 minutes), Delegate (handle by someone else), and Defer (needs more time or thought).

Related:Email TriageInbox Zero

5

5 D's System

A decision-making framework for email processing: Delete (remove unnecessary), Delegate (forward to appropriate person), Do (respond immediately if under 2 minutes), Defer (schedule for later), and Deposit (store for reference).

Related:Inbox ZeroEmail TriageEmail Management

A

AI Cold Outreach

Sales emails generated using artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or specialized sales AI platforms. These emails are designed to look personal and legitimate, making them difficult for traditional spam filters to detect.

Related:Cold EmailAI-Generated EmailSales SpamCold OutreachSpam

AI-Generated Email

An email created using artificial intelligence tools, typically for cold outreach or sales purposes. These emails often have generic personalization, perfect grammar, and lack natural human writing quirks.

Related:Cold OutreachSales EmailAutomated Email

Allowlist

A list of trusted email addresses or domains that are always allowed to reach your inbox, regardless of filtering rules.

Related:WhitelistVIP List

B

BDR

Business Development Representative. A sales role focused on outbound prospecting and lead generation through cold emails, calls, and social selling. BDR emails are a primary source of AI-generated cold outreach in professional inboxes.

Related:SDRCold OutreachSales Email

Block

Preventing emails from a specific sender from reaching your inbox. Blocked emails are moved to spam. Use for spam, phishing attempts, and senders who ignore unsubscribe requests.

Related:UnsubscribeFilterSpam

Block Sender

Preventing emails from a specific sender from reaching your inbox. Blocked emails are automatically moved to spam, but you can still see them there if needed.

Related:Email BlockBlocklistSpam Filter

C

Calendar Booking Spam

Unwanted meeting invites sent by sales teams as a cold outreach tactic. These invites often include calendar links, 'let's meet' requests, or '15 minutes' pitches designed to get you on a call without your consent.

Related:Cold OutreachMeeting SpamCalendar Invite Spam

Cold Outreach

Unsolicited but legitimate business communication from real companies trying to sell products or services. Different from spam because it's often personalized and follows email best practices.

Related:SpamSales EmailBusiness CommunicationGraymailAI-Generated Email

D

DKIM

DomainKeys Identified Mail. An email authentication method that uses cryptographic signatures to verify that email content hasn't been altered in transit. Cold outreach senders typically pass DKIM checks because they use legitimate sending infrastructure.

Related:SPFDMARCEmail Authentication

DMARC

Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance. An email authentication protocol that builds on SPF and DKIM to prevent email spoofing. While effective against phishing, DMARC cannot detect legitimate cold outreach from properly configured domains.

Related:SPFDKIMEmail Authentication

Domain Block

Blocking an entire email domain (e.g., @example.com) so all emails from that domain are filtered, archived, or deleted. More effective than blocking individual addresses but riskier due to potential false positives.

Related:Email BlockSender BlockBlocklist

Domain Reputation

A score assigned to an email sending domain based on its history of sending legitimate vs. spam emails. High domain reputation helps emails reach inboxes, while low reputation triggers spam filters. AI cold outreach often uses domains with artificially warmed-up reputations.

Related:Sender ScoreEmail Warm-upSPF

E

Email Batching

The practice of checking and processing emails at scheduled times throughout the day, rather than constantly monitoring your inbox. This reduces distractions and improves focus while ensuring you still respond to important messages promptly.

Related:Inbox ZeroEmail ManagementProductivity

Email Notifications

Alerts that notify you when new emails arrive, including desktop notifications, mobile push notifications, and sound alerts. These can be turned off to protect focus time while using VIP safeguards to ensure important emails are still noticed.

Related:Email BatchingFocus TimeVIP List

Email Triage

The process of quickly sorting emails into categories based on what action (if any) they require. The 4-D system categorizes emails as Delete, Do, Delegate, or Defer, helping you process your inbox efficiently.

Related:Inbox ZeroEmail Management4-D System

Email Warm-up

The practice of gradually increasing email sending volume from a new domain to build sender reputation with email providers. Cold outreach senders use warm-up services to make their domains appear legitimate before launching mass email campaigns.

Related:Domain ReputationCold OutreachSender Score

F

Filter

Routing emails based on criteria (sender, subject, keywords) to labels, archives, or other actions. Filtering gives you more control than blocking and allows review later.

Related:UnsubscribeBlockGmail Filter

G

Gmail Filter

A rule-based system in Gmail that automatically performs actions on emails matching specific criteria, such as applying labels, archiving, or forwarding. Filters help organize and route emails without manual intervention.

Related:Email FilterGmail LabelsEmail RoutingEmail AutomationEmail Organization

Gmail Filters

Rules that automatically apply labels, archive emails, or perform other actions based on criteria like sender, subject, or keywords.

Related:Priority InboxGmail LabelsEmail Organization

Gmail Label

A tag or category you can apply to emails in Gmail to organize them. Labels help you find emails quickly and can be used with filters to automatically organize incoming emails.

Related:Gmail FilterEmail OrganizationLabel Taxonomy

Gmail Labels

Organizational tags you apply to emails (like folders). Labels help you organize emails by category, project, or status.

Related:Priority InboxGmail FiltersEmail OrganizationGmail FilterEmail Tags

Gmail Promotions Tab

One of Gmail's automatic inbox categories that automatically sorts marketing emails, newsletters, and promotional content into a separate tab to keep your Primary inbox clean. Gmail uses machine learning to identify promotional emails.

Related:Gmail Inbox CategoriesNewslettersMarketing Emails

Graymail

Legitimate but unwanted email that you technically subscribed to or have a relationship with, but don't actually want to receive. It includes newsletters you don't read, marketing emails from companies you've purchased from, and notifications you signed up for but ignore.

Related:SpamCold OutreachNewsletterMarketing EmailJunk MailNewsletters

H

Heuristic Analysis

An analysis method that looks for patterns and behaviors rather than specific keywords. Used to detect AI-generated emails by identifying generic personalization, perfect grammar without personality, sales-focused language patterns, and lack of previous contact history.

Related:AI DetectionEmail FilteringPattern Recognition

I

Inbox Zero

An email management method where you keep your inbox empty or near-empty by processing all emails immediately through actions like delete, archive, respond, or defer. It's about making a decision about each email, not responding immediately.

Related:Email ProductivityEmail Management5 D's System

J

Junk Mail

Unwanted promotional emails from legitimate companies that can be filtered or unsubscribed from. Junk mail is legal if it has an unsubscribe option and may occasionally be useful.

Related:SpamGraymailMarketing Emails

L

Label Taxonomy

A hierarchical system for organizing Gmail labels, typically using a 2-level structure with main categories and subcategories (e.g., 'Customers - Active').

Related:Gmail LabelEmail Organization

N

Newsletter

A regular email publication sent to subscribers, typically containing news, updates, or promotional content. Newsletters often include unsubscribe links, but unsubscribing can confirm your email is active and lead to more spam.

Related:GraymailEmail FilterUnsubscribe

P

Phishing

Fraudulent emails designed to trick you into revealing sensitive information (passwords, credit card numbers, personal data) or installing malware. These emails often use urgent language, spoofed domains, and create a sense of urgency or fear.

Related:SpamSecurity ThreatMalware

Priority Inbox

A Gmail feature that automatically separates your inbox into sections (Important and Unread, Starred, Everything Else) based on Gmail's algorithm. It uses machine learning to identify important emails.

Related:Gmail LabelsGmail FiltersEmail Organization

Q

Quick Question Email

A cold outreach tactic where senders use phrases like 'quick question' or 'just one thing' to create false urgency and bypass email filters. These emails are typically AI-generated sales pitches disguised as casual inquiries.

Related:Cold OutreachAI-Generated EmailSales Email

S

SDR

Sales Development Representative. Similar to a BDR, an SDR focuses on qualifying inbound leads and conducting outbound prospecting. SDR outreach emails often use templated language and automation tools, making them detectable through pattern analysis.

Related:BDRCold OutreachSales Email

Sender Score

A numerical rating (0-100) assigned to an email sending IP address based on its reputation. Calculated from factors like bounce rates, spam complaints, and sending volume. Cold outreach senders maintain high sender scores through domain warm-up tactics.

Related:Domain ReputationEmail Warm-upEmail Authentication

Spam

Unsolicited bulk email, often deceptive, sent without permission, and violates email regulations. May contain phishing attempts, scams, or malware.

Related:PhishingCold OutreachJunk EmailGraymailJunk Mail

SPF

Sender Policy Framework. An email authentication protocol that verifies the sending mail server is authorized to send on behalf of the domain. SPF alone cannot prevent AI cold outreach because senders use properly configured domains.

Related:DKIMDMARCEmail Authentication

U

Unsubscribe

The process of removing yourself from an email list by clicking an unsubscribe link or using an unsubscribe mechanism. Generally safe for legitimate newsletters and marketing emails you signed up for.

Related:BlockFilterEmail Management

W

Whitelist

A list of email addresses or domains whose emails should always reach your inbox, bypassing all filters and routing rules. Also called an allowlist.

Related:AllowlistVIP ListSafe Senders

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