As Black Friday approaches, many course creators and online marketers focus on perfecting their email copy and irresistible offers. But none of that will matter if your emails don’t even make it to your audience’s inbox. That’s where email deliverability comes into play.
In a recent episode of Master the Inbox, I sat down with Andrew Kordek, a seasoned email marketing expert with over 24 years of experience. Andrew shared his top tips for ensuring your emails land in the inbox when it matters most,just in time for big sales events like Black Friday.
Here are 7 actionable tips from the interview that will help you boost your email deliverability and maximize your sales.
1. Understand the Difference Between Delivery and Deliverability
Deliverability means your email gets somewhere, to the spam folder, the inbox, or another folder, while delivery just means it reached the server. Deliverability is what truly matters when you’re trying to reach your audience.
Many marketers confuse delivery with deliverability. A high delivery rate only tells you your emails reached the recipient’s server; it doesn’t guarantee they landed in the inbox. Focus on deliverability to ensure your emails are being *seen*, not just sent.
2. Track Engagement Rates to Spot Deliverability Issues
A simple way to tell if you’re having deliverability issues is to monitor engagement rates, especially clicks. If your clicks are declining over time, it’s a red flag that you may have a deliverability problem.
Clicks provide a much clearer indicator of email success than open rates, which can be inaccurate due to technical factors. If you notice a drop in clicks over time, it could mean your emails aren’t reaching the inbox and could be ending up in spam folders.
3. Keep Your Email List Clean
Leading up to Black Friday, don’t just send emails to people you haven’t contacted in a while. Use tools like Kickbox, Webula, or AtData to clean your list and make sure you’re only emailing active, engaged subscribers.
Sending to outdated or disengaged contacts can damage your sender reputation and lead to your emails being flagged as spam. Regularly clean your list to remove inactive subscribers, invalid emails, and any potential spam traps.
4. Prepare Early for Black Friday Deliverability
You should be maintaining your email reputation year-round, not just in October or November. Keep your ‘email engine’ running smoothly by consistently cleaning your list, checking complaint rates, and maintaining your authentication protocols.
Don’t wait until the last minute to start thinking about deliverability. Make list hygiene and engagement a priority throughout the year so that when Black Friday comes, your emails are already primed to reach inboxes without any issues.
5. Be Careful with Email Frequency During Black Friday
If you’ve been sending regular emails to engaged subscribers, you don’t need to overwhelm them with daily emails during Black Friday. Overdoing it can lead to unsubscribes or spam complaints. Use segmentation to send the right amount of emails to the right people.
While Black Friday is a time for high-frequency email campaigns, sending too many emails to your most loyal subscribers can backfire. Segment your list and send tailored messages to avoid email fatigue and reduce the risk of getting marked as spam.
6. Don’t Rely on Spammy Subject Line Myths
Words like ‘discount’ or ‘on sale’ won’t necessarily get you sent to spam. What matters more is your sender reputation and engagement rates. Focus on maintaining a clean list rather than obsessing over specific words in your subject lines.
Many marketers worry that using words like “discount” or “sale” in subject lines will get their emails marked as spam. While certain words may raise flags, your overall sender reputation and the engagement of your list play a much bigger role in inbox placement.
7. Proactively Monitor and Improve Your Sender Reputation
If you notice deliverability issues, start by asking what’s changed in your email strategy. Are you sending to old contacts? Have you checked your IP reputation? Look for small changes that could be causing big problems.
Your sender reputation is one of the most important factors in email deliverability. Monitor it closely, especially before big sales events, and take action if you notice a dip in engagement or deliverability. Simple steps like cleaning your list or fixing authentication issues can make a big difference.
Final Thoughts: Be Proactive, Not Reactive
The biggest mistake marketers make is waiting until they have a deliverability problem to fix it. Be proactive. Monitor your email health throughout the year, clean your list regularly, and stay on top of your reputation. Don’t wait until Black Friday to start worrying.
The key takeaway? Don’t wait until it’s too late to focus on deliverability.
Make it part of your ongoing email strategy to ensure your messages reach your audience when it counts.
🎧 Want to dive deeper?
Listen to the full episode of Master the Inbox featuring Andrew Kordek for more in-depth insights on how to master email deliverability.