Deliverability advice often focuses on email list issues and email campaign management. However, not all deliverability problems can be solved by just removing inactive subscribers or tweaking email coding. Sometimes, broader business decisions can impact the success of your email program and hinder deliverability. This was the case for a client who faced blocking until we expanded our review beyond email-related decisions.
The client, a SaaS company, approached us to review its email marketing program. They sent transactional and promotional emails to free-trial users and paying customers who had stopped using the service. They were facing zero delivery to Gmail inboxes, which made up 70% of their database, effectively blocking them from reaching most of their customers.
Upon investigation, we identified two major problem areas:
- Transactional emails generating abnormally high spam complaints.
- Promotional emails sent to unengaged customers.
The root cause of these issues was not the emails themselves but rather the business decisions driving the messaging. While the company had managed to navigate these challenges in the past, stricter engagement rules at Gmail and Yahoo Mail led to zero delivery at Gmail.
The trouble with transactional emails
During our deliverability review, we found unusually high spam complaints from the company’s transactional emails. This was caused by the company’s handling of messaging for its free trial service and canceled paid services.
The company offered every new customer a free trial and used double opt-in to confirm the trial. However, the email confirming the start of free trials was sent to all users before they confirmed their opt-ins, potentially due to affiliate partners signing people up without their knowledge. Pausing the confirmation emails until opt-in reduced complaints but still exceeded Gmail’s threshold.
You can check out, but you can never leave
We discovered that customers could not close their accounts, even if they never converted from a free trial or canceled a paid service. These inactive customers were no longer interested in the company’s emails, leading to high spam complaints and reduced engagement. Despite clear signals of inactivity, the company continued to send emails, resulting in near-total blocking at Gmail.
3 ways to maintain or regain inbox access
To address deliverability issues and improve inbox access, consider these three steps:
1. Conduct a comprehensive audit of your marketing program
A full audit of your marketing program can uncover issues beyond email that may impact deliverability. By reviewing the entire customer journey, you can identify and address problems proactively.
2. Review business decisions that have an impact on your email program
Examine how business decisions, such as account cancellation policies, can affect email deliverability. By understanding the broader impact of these decisions, you can make informed changes to improve deliverability.
3. Address deliverability problems when they arise
Don’t wait for deliverability issues to escalate. Addressing problems promptly, such as high spam complaints, can prevent future blocking by inbox providers like Gmail and Yahoo Mail.
Poor deliverability affects revenue and engagement
Ensuring inbox access for your emails is crucial for revenue and engagement. By understanding the factors affecting email deliverability and taking proactive steps to address issues, you can maintain a clear path to your customers’ inboxes.
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FAQs
1. How can business decisions impact email deliverability?
Business decisions, such as account cancellation policies and messaging strategies, can have a significant impact on email deliverability. Understanding how these decisions influence deliverability is crucial for maintaining inbox access.
2. What steps can be taken to improve email deliverability?
Conducting a comprehensive audit of your marketing program, reviewing business decisions that impact email, and addressing deliverability problems promptly are essential steps to improve email deliverability.
3. Why is it important to address deliverability issues proactively?
Proactively addressing deliverability issues, such as high spam complaints, can prevent blocking by inbox providers and ensure that your emails reach your customers’ inboxes effectively.
4. How can businesses prevent high spam complaints in transactional emails?
To prevent high spam complaints in transactional emails, businesses should ensure that opt-ins are confirmed before sending any communication and review their messaging strategies to align with customer expectations.
5. What are the consequences of poor deliverability on revenue and engagement?
Poor deliverability can impact revenue and engagement by limiting the reach of your email campaigns and hindering customer communication. Maintaining inbox access is essential for driving business growth and fostering customer relationships.