Summary
Improving email deliverability for solicited business proposals to corporations requires a holistic strategy focusing on sender reputation, authentication, list hygiene, engagement, technical compliance, and adaptation to the recipient's email ecosystem. Building and maintaining a positive sender reputation through consistent sending of valuable content, low complaint rates, and proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial. List hygiene is vital; regularly clean lists and validate email addresses to minimize bounces. Enhance engagement by personalizing and segmenting emails, avoiding spam trigger words, and ensuring proper formatting. Adhere to SMTP standards (RFC 5321) and consider joining provider support programs (e.g., Microsoft). When acquiring contacts, be mindful of the collection method. Tailor the initial communication to be non-spammy, and consider the recipient's email provider (e.g., Gmail, Outlook). Gradually warm up IP addresses. Monitor for blocklisting, use dedicated IPs when appropriate, and always obtain explicit consent.
Key findings
- Sender Reputation: A strong sender reputation is paramount, built through consistent valuable content, low spam complaints, and proper authentication.
- Authentication is Key: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are essential for authenticating emails, preventing spoofing, and boosting deliverability.
- List Hygiene Crucial: Regular list cleaning and email validation minimize bounces and improve deliverability.
- Engagement Enhances Deliverability: Personalized, segmented, and engaging content signals value to ISPs, boosting deliverability.
- Initial Communication Sets Tone: A non-spammy first email, avoiding attachments, is essential for building trust.
Key considerations
- Contact Acquisition: Consider the method of obtaining email addresses (e.g., business cards); test alternative approaches.
- Email Ecosystem Awareness: Tailor sending practices to the recipient's email provider (Gmail, Outlook).
- IP Warm-up: Gradually warm up new IP addresses to establish trust with ISPs.
- Blocklist Monitoring: Proactively monitor IP addresses for blocklisting and promptly address any issues.
- Dedicated IPs: Consider dedicated IPs for high-volume sending to control reputation.
- Explicit Consent: Always obtain explicit consent to comply with regulations and build trust.
- Microsoft's Junk Mail Filter: Understand and adhere to Microsoft's guidelines to avoid their junk mail filter.
- Previewing: Preview emails across various clients and devices to ensure proper rendering.
What email marketers say
13 marketer opinions
Improving email deliverability for solicited business proposals to corporations requires a multi-faceted approach. Key strategies include building and maintaining a positive sender reputation through consistent sending of valuable content, proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and low spam complaint rates. List hygiene is crucial; regularly clean your email list and validate email addresses to avoid sending to inactive or invalid addresses. Personalizing and segmenting emails increases engagement, making them more relevant to each recipient. Avoiding spam trigger words, previewing emails across different clients, and obtaining explicit consent are also essential. Sending files as links instead of attachments and gradually warming up IP addresses can further improve deliverability. Monitoring blocklists and using a dedicated IP address for high-volume sending are additional considerations.
Key opinions
- Sender Reputation: A positive sender reputation is critical for email deliverability. This is built through consistent sending, authenticating emails, and maintaining low spam complaint rates.
- List Hygiene: Regularly cleaning your email list by removing inactive subscribers and bounced email addresses improves sender reputation and deliverability.
- Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC helps authenticate your email and prevent spoofing, improving deliverability.
- Engagement: Personalizing and segmenting emails increases engagement, making them more relevant to recipients and improving deliverability.
- Content: Avoiding spam trigger words in proposals is essential to prevent emails from being marked as spam.
- Warming IP Addresses: Gradually warming up new IP addresses by slowly increasing sending volume builds trust with ISPs and improves deliverability over time.
Key considerations
- Consent: Obtain explicit consent from recipients to comply with GDPR and improve deliverability.
- File Delivery: Send files as links instead of attachments to avoid triggering spam filters.
- Monitoring: Monitor your IP address and domain for blocklisting and address any listings promptly.
- Dedicated IP: Consider using a dedicated IP address for high-volume sending to build your own reputation.
- Email Validation: Validating email addresses before sending can reduce bounce rates and keep your sender reputation healthy.
- Previewing: Previewing emails across various clients and devices helps ensure they render correctly, improving the user experience and potentially enhancing deliverability.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email on Acid explains that it's important to avoid spam trigger words and phrases in your proposals. Test your emails with a spam checker tool to identify and eliminate any problematic content before sending.
25 Dec 2022 - Email on Acid
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that getting business cards at trade shows is not an ideal way to collect email addresses, as people might be brushing off the request. They recommend testing an initial email without attachments or direct pitches, reaching out through other channels, or instructing people to email first and then replying with the proposal. Without being allow-listed or responding to mail that was already sent, there are limited workarounds.
17 May 2023 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
7 expert opinions
Improving email deliverability for solicited business proposals to corporations, according to experts, involves focusing on sender reputation, avoiding spam triggers in initial communications, and tailoring sending practices to the recipient's email ecosystem. Checking for specific spam filters and tracking domain issues is important, as is crafting a non-spammy first communication that builds a positive relationship for future emails. Consider sending a simple introductory email before the proposal. Also, be aware of Microsoft's junk mail filter, which can be particularly challenging, and align your sending practices with their guidelines. Understanding and managing sender reputation remains a central aspect of ensuring deliverability.
Key opinions
- Sender Reputation Matters: Maintaining a strong sender reputation through consistent sending, low complaint rates, and proper authentication is essential for deliverability.
- First Impressions Count: The initial communication sets the tone for future emails. Avoid sending attachments or marketing-heavy content in the first email.
- Tailor Sending to Recipient's Ecosystem: Consider sending from the same email ecosystem as the recipient (e.g., Gmail to Gmail users) to leverage domain reputation.
- Check for Specific Issues: Investigate specific spam filters, tracking domains, and shared resources that might be causing deliverability problems.
Key considerations
- Follow-Up Strategies: If emails are not being delivered, consider alternative follow-up methods, such as LinkedIn.
- Initial Email Content: Craft the initial email to be simple and non-spammy, perhaps just an introductory note.
- Microsoft's Junk Mail Filter: Be mindful of Microsoft's junk mail filter and ensure your sending practices align with their guidelines.
- Consider a pre-send alert: Consider sending a separate email just before the actual pitch email to alert the recipient.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that the first communication sets up future emails for success. Avoiding sending PDFs, Word docs, or marketing-heavy content in the initial email is crucial to avoid triggering spam filters.
23 Jan 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that sender reputation is critical for deliverability. Strategies to improve reputation include consistent sending, maintaining low complaint rates, and ensuring proper authentication.
30 Apr 2022 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Improving email deliverability, particularly for solicited business proposals to corporations, hinges on technical configuration, adherence to standards, and engagement. Email authentication via SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial to verify your sending domain and prevent spoofing. Actively engaging with email provider support programs, like Microsoft's Sender Support, offers specific guidance and troubleshooting. Furthermore, engagement metrics like open and click-through rates significantly influence deliverability, underscoring the need for compelling content. Finally, strictly adhering to SMTP standards outlined in RFC 5321 ensures compliance and avoids triggering spam filters.
Key findings
- Authentication is Key: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are essential for authenticating your email and preventing spoofing, significantly improving deliverability.
- Provider Support Matters: Engaging with email provider support programs (e.g., Microsoft's Sender Support) can help troubleshoot deliverability issues and gain specific guidance.
- Engagement Drives Deliverability: Engagement metrics (open rates, click-through rates) significantly impact deliverability. Compelling content is crucial.
- Standards Compliance is Critical: Adhering to SMTP standards (RFC 5321) ensures compliance and prevents triggering spam filters.
Key considerations
- Implement SPF, DKIM, DMARC: Ensure these authentication protocols are properly configured for your sending domain.
- Join Provider Support Programs: Actively participate in programs like Microsoft's Sender Support to stay informed and address issues.
- Create Engaging Content: Focus on developing content that encourages recipients to open and interact with your emails.
- Adhere to SMTP Standards: Familiarize yourself with and adhere to the guidelines outlined in RFC 5321.
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost explains that engagement metrics, such as open rates and click-through rates, significantly impact deliverability. Focus on creating engaging content that encourages recipients to interact with your emails, signaling to ISPs that your emails are valuable.
11 Apr 2022 - SparkPost
Technical article
Documentation from Google explains that using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC helps authenticate your email and prevent spoofing. Implementing these protocols can significantly improve email deliverability by verifying that the email is indeed sent from your domain.
1 May 2023 - Google
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