A Guide to DMARC

Deliverability FAQs

In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa and Melissa answer frequently asked questions about domain reputation, handling spam complaints, understanding the promotions tab, reasons for declining open rates, the implications of blocklists, the impact of unsubscribes, and much more.

In this episode:

• [06:48] - What are the best ways to improve my domain reputation?
• [09:39] - How do I get out of the promotions tab?
• [16:09] - Why are my open rates dropping?
• [22:00] - What does it mean if my IP is blocklisted?
• [28:12] - Are unsubscribes bad and will they hurt my domain reputation?
• [31:14] - Should I be on a dedicated IP to help my domain reputation or deliverability in general?
• [33:49] - How does Google Postmaster Tools use their data?
• [40:21] - Should I resend to an unopens?
• [42:03] - Can I use tools that provide email addresses of website visitors?

Quotes

“Should I resend to unopens? I wouldn't do it with every send. I would do it sparingly and only if you have a really engaged healthy list. Make sure it makes sense for your scenario and know that there are people who are going to receive it twice.” ~ Alyssa Dulin

“These deliverability testing tools, I would almost lean toward saying they can sometimes be more hurtful than helpful in the sense that if you don't know what to look for and you also don't understand how the infrastructure works at the ESP, it can be really confusing.” ~ Melissa Lambert

Links

• Google Postmaster Tools
• Gmail
• ConvertKit Creator Network
• Subscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!
• Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!

Connect with our hosts

• Alyssa Dulin
• Melissa Lambert

Stay in touch

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Deliverability Defined Website

Try ConvertKit's deliverability in action

It's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing.

Level Up Your Lead Magnets

While a lead magnet might seem insignificant, creating a high-quality and high-impact offer requires some strategic planning. An effective lead magnet provides a solution that's both valuable and efficient, which creates trust and lays the groundwork for a loyal subscriber base.

In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa and Melissa discuss the power of lead magnets to grow your email list and engage subscribers. They share their experience working with top email marketers and highlight the strategies that have helped them gain thousands of new subscribers and a more engaged and loyal audience. They also share tips on how to create lead magnets and what makes them effective.

In this episode:

• [05:44] - Lead magnets and their purpose.
• [10:49] - A cautionary tale.
• [13:07] - The importance of sender identity in email deliverability.
• [15:28] - How to level up your lead magnets.
• [19:39] - Tailoring lead magnets to audience preferences.
• [20:41] - Reminding subscribers of their opt-in at the top of emails.
• [21:53] - Using ads to drive traffic to lead magnets.
• [24:27] - Creating lead magnets with ConvertKit.

Key Takeaways

• Lead magnets are valuable resources or incentives offered to potential subscribers in exchange for their email addresses.
• Effective lead magnets provide upfront value and help build a strong subscriber relationship.
• A well-crafted lead magnet helps you make a strong first impression and build a highly engaged email list.
• When creating a lead magnet, it’s important to have a well-defined value proposition and understand the needs of your ideal subscribers.
• Lead magnets should be part of a larger strategy to convert subscribers into customers.
• It's essential to have a clear strategy for delivering value to your subscribers after they sign up for your lead magnet.

Quotes

"A lead magnet is a great way to provide value upfront. Instead of people just signing up to your email list and they start getting sales emails from you, you're giving them things." - Alyssa Dulin

"When you have a lead magnet set-up, be sure that you have a strategy around what kinds of emails that person will be getting after they sign up, and not to start sending them broadcasts and sequences accidentally." ~ Melissa Lambert

"After the lead magnet's delivered, send an email introducing yourself and make it memorable. Don't just make it a generic bio." ~ Alyssa Dulin

"Depending on the kind of list collection you are using, your subscriber quality can be different. That's not a bad thing. It just means you may have to adjust the way you initially have people engaging or not engaging." ~ Melissa Lambert

Links

• James Clear
• Atomic Habits
• Pinterest
• ConvertKit Creator Network
• Subscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!
• Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!

Connect with our hosts

• Alyssa Dulin
• Melissa Lambert

Stay in touch

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Deliverability Defined Website

Try ConvertKit's deliverability in action

It's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing.

The Future of Newsletters

The creator landscape thrives on connection, and newsletters have always been a powerful tool for nurturing these relationships. However, email marketing is changing. Just as domain reputation has become a crucial factor in email deliverability, the future of newsletters hinges on creators adapting their approach when needed, and practicing effective strategies and best practices.

In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa and Melissa discuss the future of newsletters. They reflect on the changes in the email marketing landscape over the past few years and offer some predictions for the future. They highlight the importance of mastering both newsletter creation and email marketing strategies to succeed in the email space. Additionally, they suggest how AI could eventually help navigate subscriber preferences and improve email marketing strategies.

Join us as we discuss:

• [02:25] - The benefits of the email promotions tab.
• [05:00] - Managing inbox with labels.
• [07:08] - How newsletters have evolved in recent years.
• [09:21] - Alyssa's prediction for the future of newsletters.
• [12:08] - Creators who have successfully combined newsletters and lead magnets to monetize their content.
• [16:44] - Melissa's prediction for the future of emails and newsletters.
• [19:54] - Potential roles for AI in emails.
• [22:04] - The challenges of deliverability in the current email ecosystem.
• [25:51] - The risks of not following email best practices.
• [27:05] - Reframing mindsets and embracing opportunities.

Key Takeaways

• Deliverability is becoming more challenging and requires an empathy-based marketing approach.
• The future of newsletters will involve creators mastering both regular newsletters and strategic email marketing tactics to maximize success.
• The use of AI tools in list management could become more prevalent in the future.
• Senders must take control of their own domain reputation and follow best practices to ensure success in the ever-changing email landscape.

Quotes

[10:30] - "The future is people mastering both newsletter creation and email marketing strategies. People who figure out both of those things will be the most successful in the email space." - Alyssa Dulin

[10:48] - "All those people who have crushed the newsletter game could benefit a ton by figuring out what the email marketers have figured out, having their own digital products or services, paid newsletters, or things they are selling." ~ Alyssa Dulin

[22:24] - "Deliverability is going to continue to be harder and harder because senders have to rely on their own domain reputation. It's more sensitive than it was previously. There's more that can upset certain systems." ~ Melissa Lambert

[25:51] - "Even if you are at an email service provider who may be able to sign up your emails with a domain that belongs to the email service provider, there's always going to be a chance in this new era of deliverability where a bad actor could potentially really hurt a lot of people." ~ Melissa Lambert

Links

• Yahoo
• Google Postmaster Tools
• ConvertKit Creator Network
• Subscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!
• Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!

Connect with our hosts

• Alyssa Dulin
• Melissa Lambert

Stay in touch

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Deliverability Defined Website

Try ConvertKit's deliverability in action

It's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing.

Leveling Up Your Email Engagement with Tarzan Kay

In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa talks with email marketing expert Tarzan Kay. They discuss the value of building an engaged email list and prioritizing real connections over high numbers. Tarzan shares her strategies to boost email engagement and deliverability while avoiding gimmicks. They also discuss the role of storytelling in emails, improving subscriber relationships, and the importance of self-editing for clarity.

In this episode:

• [02:59] - Tarzan's background - from copywriting to email marketing
• [08:47] - The power of engagement over list size
• [18:43] - Crafting emails that engage and convert
• [25:30] - Unlocking the power of storytelling
• [27:31] - Common email marketing mistakes and how to avoid them
• [27:48] - The importance of list nurturing and engagement
• [30:28] - Navigating unsubscribes and feedback
• [39:17] - Maximizing engagement - the shift to a more interactive newsletter
• [41:52] - Automation and personalization

Key Takeaways

• Creating great content that engages your subscribers improves your relationship with them. It also boosts your overall deliverability.
• Regularly maintain your email list. This includes removing inactive subscribers. It's critical for keeping your engagement rates up. It also ensures your content reaches those who value it most.
• Balance the mix of text and images in your emails. Do this with a focus on user experience and content clarity. This balance fosters higher engagement rates.
• Storytelling isn’t just for novels. Adding it to your emails can captivate your audience. It will make your messages resonate more and linger in their minds.
• Sometimes less is more. Being brief and valuing clear, direct communication can strengthen your message. It can also improve subscriber engagement.

Quotes

“What I love about email as a medium, and why I've chosen to make it the center of my business, is because it's relationship building.” ~ Tarzan Kay

“Anytime someone hits reply on an email, that's an opportunity for me to get content ideas. So I'm always looking for the things that they care about and writing emails about those topics.” ~ Tarzan Kay

“Engagement matters so much more than the size of your email list.” ~ Tarzan Kay

“When people see the same thing week after week, they glaze over, they scroll past it. So sometimes I move things around; maybe I'll put the interesting links at the top, maybe I'll put them at the bottom.” ~ Tarzan Kay

Links

• TarzanKay.com
• Tarzan’s Newsletter
• Tarzan on LinkedIn
• One6Creative
• Hemingway
• Craft + Commerce
• ConvertKit Creator Network
• Subscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!
• Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!

Connect with our hosts

• Alyssa Dulin
• Melissa Lambert

Stay in touch

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Deliverability Defined Website

Try ConvertKit's deliverability in action

It's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing.

Building an Email Course Flywheel with Sean Stewart

Many creators understand the importance of email marketing but need help to transform it into a sustainable growth engine. An email course offers a solution that's both powerful and efficient. This strategic approach provides a structured learning experience, establishes credibility, and supercharges audience growth.

In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa and Melissa are joined by Sean Stewart to discuss how to build an email course flywheel and the benefits of email courses for creators. Sean also explains the four types of email courses: crash course, step-by-step, biggest mistakes, and resources and templates, and provides valuable tips for creating them.

In this episode:

• [00:23] - Saint Patrick's Day.
• [05:35] - Sean's background and how he became an expert in email courses.
• [09:18] - Getting rid of the weird marketing sales pitches.
• [10:53] - The benefits of doing an email course.
• [17:06] - Tips for finding a niche.
• [18:57] - Common misconceptions about email courses.
• [25:16] - Four types of email courses.
• [29:28] - The importance of landing pages when creating email courses.
• [31:48] - Tips for making an effective email course.
• [36:18] - Why having an email course adds credibility as a thought leader.
• [40:22] - One-week email course challenge.

Key Takeaways

• Email courses are a powerful tool for creators to establish credibility, build relationships, and grow their audience.
• Email courses offer a lot of value when considering the relatively short amount of time needed to create them.
• Clear headers in each email help readers quickly understand the value they will receive.
• Creating a landing page with a specific URL for the email course increases credibility and makes it easier to promote and share.

Quotes

"Email courses are a great way to create doorways into your world. It's an opportunity that a lot more creators can and should take advantage of." ~ Sean Stewart

"Solving problems for people and building relationships with them is how you create lifelong fans who are going to create that referral flywheel for you. Not only is it the most effective way to grow a business, but it also feels genuine and good." ~ Sean Stewart

"The beauty of email courses is that they let you do that at scale. It's like having this little copy of you who is an expert, who will work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and welcome everyone into your world with this amazing course where you're teaching and solving a problem for them and building a relationship. And you can do this for dozens of people a day." ~ Sean Stewart

Links

• Sean Stewart Email
• Amy Porterfield
• The Art and Business of Online Writing
• Nicolas Cole
• Johnny Miller
• Nervous System Mastery
• Gardenary
• ConvertKit Creator Network
• Subscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!
• Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!

Connect with our hosts

• Alyssa Dulin
• Melissa Lambert

Stay in touch

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Deliverability Defined Website

Try ConvertKit's deliverability in action

It's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing.