Black Friday is coming soon and there’s a big big issue most course creators have. And that’s deliverability. If your email list is disengaged, then you don’t need better copy, you need to make sure your emails are actually ending up in your subscribers’ inbox.
In this episode of Master the Inbox, I sat down with Andrew Kordek, a seasoned email marketing expert with over 24 years in the industry, to discuss how course creators can improve their email deliverability ahead of Black Friday—and avoid landing in the dreaded spam folder.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and the Importance of Deliverability
06:32 The Role of Click-Through Rates in Engagement
10:18 Preparing for Black Friday Ahead of Time
17:02 Proactive List Hygiene and Segmentation
21:28 Addressing Deliverability Issues
Hey, this season of Master the Inbox is all about helping you get ready for a profitable Black Friday.
You’ll learn from experts what are the exact steps you should be taking to create a no-brainer offer, build a profitable funnel, keep your list healthy and even write emails that convert without damaging your reputation.
Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect from this episode
In this episode, Monica Badiu and Andrew Kordek discuss the importance of deliverability for course creators, coaches, and consultants ahead of Black Friday. They define deliverability as the ability for emails to reach the subscriber’s inbox, and highlight the need to monitor and improve deliverability throughout the year. They emphasize the importance of click-through rates as a key metric for engagement, especially during the highly competitive Black Friday period. They also discuss the need for proactive list hygiene and segmentation to ensure deliverability. Andrew advises marketers to be patient and proactive in addressing deliverability issues.
Takeaways
- Deliverability is the ability for emails to reach the subscriber’s inbox, and it is crucial for course creators, coaches, and consultants ahead of Black Friday.
- Monitoring and improving deliverability should be an ongoing process throughout the year, not just during the holiday season.
- Click-through rates are a key metric for engagement, especially during the highly competitive Black Friday period.
- Proactive list hygiene and segmentation are essential for maintaining deliverability.
- Addressing deliverability issues requires patience and a proactive approach.
What is Email Deliverability (and Why Should You Care)?
Deliverability isn’t just about whether your emails reach the server; it’s about whether they land in your subscribers’ inboxes. Andrew explains the difference between delivery and deliverability, emphasizing that getting an email delivered is only half the battle. Ensuring it lands in the inbox—rather than the spam folder—requires a strategic approach year-round.
“Deliverability means your email gets somewhere—to the spam folder, to the inbox, to a different folder—whereas delivery just means it passed and got to the server. Deliverability is what truly matters when it comes to reaching your audience.”– Andrew Kordek
How to Spot Deliverability Issues Early
Many marketers don’t realize they have deliverability issues until it’s too late. Andrew’s tip? Track engagement, specifically click-through rates, over time. A sudden drop in clicks can be an early indicator that your emails aren’t reaching your audience. He also suggests monitoring your IP reputation using free tools and regularly checking for blacklists.
The Importance of List Hygiene
As Black Friday approaches, you may be tempted to send emails to your entire list—even to contacts who haven’t engaged in months. Andrew warns against this approach and stresses the importance of cleaning your list regularly. Tools like Kickbox, Webula, and AtData can help ensure you’re only emailing active and valid addresses, which boosts deliverability.
“You need to be as diligent in monitoring deliverability as you are in every other part of your business. Track clicks, not just opens, and if you see engagement rates drop, that’s a sign you might have a deliverability problem.” – Andrew Kordek
How to Prepare for Black Friday
Emailing more frequently around Black Friday isn’t inherently bad, but it can be risky if you haven’t prepared. Andrew recommends starting with segmentation and sending re-engagement campaigns to unengaged subscribers ahead of the holiday season. He also highlights the importance of consistent list hygiene and regular deliverability checks throughout the year.
“Use October to clean and re-engage your list. If you’re sending to old or unengaged contacts during Black Friday, you run the risk of damaging your sender reputation right when you need it most.” – Andrew Kordek
Low-Hanging Fruit for Improving Deliverability
If you’re facing deliverability issues and it’s close to Black Friday, Andrew suggests hiring a deliverability expert or taking action on your own. Simple steps like analyzing what’s changed in your email program, monitoring your IP reputation, and cleaning your list can have an immediate impact on inbox placement.
Meet my guest, Andrew Kordek
Andrew Kordek is a fractional evangelist at iPost, an Email Service Provider built for the modern marketer. Before iPost, Andrew was the Co-Founder and Chief Strategist of Trendline Interactive, one of the world’s largest independent email agencies. He has held client-side positions at Groupon, Sears, and Quest Software, where he was responsible for their entire email programs.
With over 24 years in the email industry, he is a recognized innovator, thought leader, and advocate for responsible email marketing. He has been rated #5 as one of the most influential email marketers.
Connect with Andrew: LinkedIn
Ready to Plan Your Black Friday Campaign?
If you want to run a successful Black Friday campaign but need some guidance, I’ve got something special for you. There is a Black Friday resources vault right here.
Hi. And welcome. My name is Monica Badiu. I am a marketing consultant turned conversion copywriter and copy coach. I help online course creators and info product businesses sell more through persuasive, non-spammy, no fluff copywriting.
I teach about copywriting, digital marketing, and conversion strategies tested in my businesses and with my clients.
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Listen to Master The Inbox
This is the podcast for course creators, coaches and consultants who want to know how to use email marketing to nurture and convert their audience in a non-spammy, non-bullshit BUT data driven approach. See all episodes right here.
Other links:
- Free Email Revenue Assessment: https://www.monicabadiu.com/email-revenue-self-assessment/
- Learn more about email marketing on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mastertheinbox
- Follow Master The Inbox on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastertheinbox_
- Learn more about running successful email promos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmXZEZDMnLQf1GnQeRfO5nUjNtZwEzoi0
- Visit Monica’s website: https://www.monicabadiu.com
- Follow Monica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicabadiu/
Want to learn email copywriting?
Start by analyzing what others are doing. My Email Teardown series showcases some of the best (and sometimes worst) examples of sales emails that have hit my inbox. Here’s the link to the playlist. I publish new email reviews every week.
Are you a course creator?
Email marketing is one of those channels you should be developing early on in your business. Here are The 9 Email Automations Every Course Creator Needs to make bank, enroll students, and nurture audiences.
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Hi! I’m Monica. I help course creators enroll, engage, and educate audiences through customer-centric email copywriting. I’ve been privileged to partner with course creators from all over the world. And I’ve seen this customer-centric approach to email marketing work every time.
The best part? It’s not about the sale.
Email marketing is a fantastic channel because it builds trust, delivers value, and positions the brand as a partner. Read more on my blog or listen to Master The Inbox, the podcast where I share all my conversion secrets.