Guest post: Ramp Up For Q4 Email Campaigns Without Landing in the Spam Folder
Today's guest post comes from savvy MarTech strategist Cat Mears, with timely guidance on how to maximize your chances of inbox placement success in the most important quarter of the email marketing year. Take it away, Cat!
Prep for Success
As we approach the holiday season, the pressure to ramp up email volumes is real. Not very demure, and not very mindful. Subscribers' inboxes are a nightmare with 100s of messages, so you need to be strategic to stand out -- and avoid landing in the spam folder. Not sure where to start? I gotchu:
Step 1: Analyze Your 2024 Email Volume (So Far)
Start by pulling weekly send volumes for 2024 to date. You need to understand your current email habits before making any big changes. How much are you sending per week? Are there weeks where volume spikes or dips? Also make a note of how many total subscribers you have (this number comes in handy when we get to Step 3).
Step 2: Compare 2023 to 2024 --What are Your Trends YoY?
Next, take a look at 2023. How many emails were you sending, on average, per week last year? Compare this to 2024 to get a sense of whether you've naturally been sending more in 2024 over 2023 or maybe less. Use these insights as a tool for your Q4 ramp strategy.
Step 3: Dig Into Your Q4 Plans
Now for the big question: What does Q4 look like? Compare your sending plans for Q4 2023 to Q4 2024. How many campaigns are you planning this year -- is this more or less than last year? How do you define your segments for each campaign? Are you going to a broader audience than last year or a more targeted one? Identifying your key target segments for these campaigns is crucial. The greater the difference between your target Holiday volume and your normal Jan - Sept volume, the more "warming up" your list needs.
Step 4: Pinpoint Your Ramp-Up Volume
Yes, math is involved. Review your scheduled sends against the # of subscribers in each target segment. Then, compare those numbers to your average daily volume thus far in 2024. What % increase is this? You need to work towards the Q4 planned volumes over time. Don't shock the email providers! No sudden spikes. The unusual behavior causes email providers to look askance at your sending practices and they may start spam foldering you.
Do's and Don'ts for Q4 Email Success
DO make your plan now. You'll need October and the first half of November to start warming up your lists.
DO pay attention to content—make it engaging, exciting, and above all, relevant to your audience.
DON'T wait until the last minute to execute or, worse, surprise your subscribers with a flood of emails in November.
DON'T get caught in the spam trap. Sudden, uncalculated volume increases shock email providers and it looks sketchy as hell.
Final Considerations: Don't Just Send More, Send Better
Sure, more emails usually mean more sales, but not if half your list is disengaged (or worse, not been sent to in 9 months and the email address is invalid).
Craft Catchy Content The less-emailed contacts might not be very active, so this is where you have to get creative. Eye-catching subject lines (but not misleading—if your subject starts with "Re:" I want you to reconsider immediately) and compelling offers are your best friends here.
Make It Meaningful Everybody loves a deal. A well-timed holiday promotion can nudge inactive subscribers to re-engage.
Be the Turtle, Not the Hare Slowly roll out a campaign for contacts you haven't sent to in 3+ months. You don't want a big spike in hard bounces or spam complaints (most brands get in trouble here). A soft ramp-up is key to keeping your sender reputation intact.
Conclusion
Prepare, Prepare, Prepare. By analyzing your current sends, planning your Q4 volumes, and taking a measured approach to ramping responsibly, you can scale up without sacrificing deliverability.
Prep for Success
As we approach the holiday season, the pressure to ramp up email volumes is real. Not very demure, and not very mindful. Subscribers' inboxes are a nightmare with 100s of messages, so you need to be strategic to stand out -- and avoid landing in the spam folder. Not sure where to start? I gotchu:
Step 1: Analyze Your 2024 Email Volume (So Far)
Start by pulling weekly send volumes for 2024 to date. You need to understand your current email habits before making any big changes. How much are you sending per week? Are there weeks where volume spikes or dips? Also make a note of how many total subscribers you have (this number comes in handy when we get to Step 3).
Step 2: Compare 2023 to 2024 --What are Your Trends YoY?
Next, take a look at 2023. How many emails were you sending, on average, per week last year? Compare this to 2024 to get a sense of whether you've naturally been sending more in 2024 over 2023 or maybe less. Use these insights as a tool for your Q4 ramp strategy.
Step 3: Dig Into Your Q4 Plans
Now for the big question: What does Q4 look like? Compare your sending plans for Q4 2023 to Q4 2024. How many campaigns are you planning this year -- is this more or less than last year? How do you define your segments for each campaign? Are you going to a broader audience than last year or a more targeted one? Identifying your key target segments for these campaigns is crucial. The greater the difference between your target Holiday volume and your normal Jan - Sept volume, the more "warming up" your list needs.
Step 4: Pinpoint Your Ramp-Up Volume
Yes, math is involved. Review your scheduled sends against the # of subscribers in each target segment. Then, compare those numbers to your average daily volume thus far in 2024. What % increase is this? You need to work towards the Q4 planned volumes over time. Don't shock the email providers! No sudden spikes. The unusual behavior causes email providers to look askance at your sending practices and they may start spam foldering you.
Do's and Don'ts for Q4 Email Success
- DO make your plan now. You'll need October and the first half of November to start warming up your lists.
- DO pay attention to content—make it engaging, exciting, and above all, relevant to your audience.
- DON'T wait until the last minute to execute or, worse, surprise your subscribers with a flood of emails in November.
- DON'T get caught in the spam trap. Sudden, uncalculated volume increases shock email providers and it looks sketchy as hell.
Final Considerations: Don't Just Send More, Send BetterSure, more emails usually mean more sales, but not if half your list is disengaged (or worse, not been sent to in 9 months and the email address is invalid).
- Craft Catchy Content
- Make It Meaningful
- Be the Turtle, Not the Hare
ConclusionThe less-emailed contacts might not be very active, so this is where you have to get creative. Eye-catching subject lines (but not misleading—if your subject starts with "Re:" I want you to reconsider immediately) and compelling offers are your best friends here.
Everybody loves a deal. A well-timed holiday promotion can nudge inactive subscribers to re-engage.
Slowly roll out a campaign for contacts you haven't sent to in 3+ months. You don't want a big spike in hard bounces or spam complaints (most brands get in trouble here). A soft ramp-up is key to keeping your sender reputation intact.
Prepare, Prepare, Prepare. By analyzing your current sends, planning your Q4 volumes, and taking a measured approach to ramping responsibly, you can scale up without sacrificing deliverability.
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