Cold Emailing: the real method to get the best deliverability

Since the launch of Growth Room in 2018, we have made Cold Emailing our specialty when it comes to optimizing the prospecting of companies that work with us. This technique consists in targeting and contacting cold prospects ('cold') to get interest (response, appointments, registration) and sell your services or product.

Interesting isn't it?

Except that the first thing to have an effective Cold Emailing campaign is to fall into your prospect's “main” box, not in promotions, or in spam. That is why we decided to make this article, which we are sharing with our customers, accessible to explain to you how to avoid Spambox when considering doing Cold Emailing.

Cold Emailing: getting started

First of all, you need to know where you are starting from. This is why we suggest that you diagnose your email address. Mail test is the reference in terms of deliverability analysis.

The tool gives you a score of 0 to 10. It is recommended to have a grade higher than 7/10, below, your email may end up in Spam.

How does it work?

1. Go on https://www.mail-tester.com/
2. Copy and paste the email address provided by the site
3. Send an email to the address with your email address
4. Go back to the site, the analysis is done
5. You are given a grade as well as a list of improvements to be made.

Clean up your contact lists

When was the last time you sorted your contact lists? Probably like most of us, for a short time.

Non-existing, inactive, or even expired email addresses penalize your deliverability.

Why? Simply because email providers analyze and penalize you when your emails are not opened...

Solution? Obviously, you can sort your email addresses using the tool Email List Verify

You can also use the module EVVADON which allows you to check your emails directly via Google sheet

Authenticate yourself, use identification standards (SPF, DKIM & DMARC)

Note: this is the most 'technical' part, it can be managed either by you if you have access to the servers or by your CTO, who will be happy to help you:)

Authentications allow different email providers to identify your domain name.

Les 3 protocols identification to do:

• SPF: (Sender Policy Framework), it is an authentication standard that makes it possible to make the link between a domain name and an email address. It defines the sender (s) authorized to send emails with a domain name.

Do your authentication google or OVH

• DKIM : it is an authentication protocol Encrypted which allows you to make the link between a domain name and an email sent. The aim of the DKIM protocol is to prove that the domain name was not usurped, but also to prove that the message was not altered during the sending process.

Generate a key for your domain name google, Mailjet 

• DMARC : it is a complementary protocol to SPF and DKIM. This is an additional protection that will allow you to be more identified with the main email providers (who are behind this protocol). Be sure to do the SPF and DKIM identification before DMARC.

Make your Whois public

Very often, domain name registrars suggest that you anonymize the identity information that owns your domain name.

The team Mailjet deliverability noticed that some domains with a private Whois are likely to be blacklisted or even blocked.

We therefore suggest that you enter your Whois public as soon as possible.

Warm up your email address

Heating up your email address avoids ending up in spam. An address that, overnight, sends dozens or even hundreds of emails to strangers, it shows. And the servers go into “red alert” mode.

The principle here: send emails to certain users who will automatically open them, reply to them and even get them out of spam without anyone noticing.

It's happening hither (if you're using Lemlist), and it's up and running in 30 seconds.

Include a signature

Yes, the signature affects deliverability. It will send a positive signal to the servers. Google, for example, will ensure your authenticity even more. It is therefore essential to have a beautiful signature!

It should contain as much information as possible about you and your company (name, first name, function, company, domain, telephone, postal address...).

If you are adding a URL, make sure it is in https and not in http.

Also, add an avatar to your address. Use a photo of yourself and not your company logo.

Pay attention to the unsubscribe link

In your emails, it is necessary and mandatory to offer an unsubscribe option to your recipients, in order to allow them to end the exchange and be removed from the lists (+deletion of data).

However, avoid putting an unsubscribe link at the end of your email.

When a person clicks on it, it sends a negative signal to Google. Instead, put a sentence like “If you don't want to be contacted anymore, let me know.” You will get a reply, and this time you will send a positive signal.

Note that in marketing (newsletter/nurturing/communication), it is however mandatory to have an unsubscribe link!

And finally: PTR recording

PTR registration is very useful in Cold Emailing. It adds additional reliability for sending to the server and allows the recipient to check (again) the host name of an IP address. It's a great way to protect yourself from spammers using fraudulent domain names.

Learn more about OVH

Conclusion

After all these steps, you are now well equipped to start your new Cold Emailing campaign.

Be careful, however, we are very careful about this with our customers but we want to warn you. Be vigilant about Spam Word in your shipments, at your opening rate and above all, be sure to use personalized content (it's always a pleasure). For the rest it's up to you to play, do not hesitate to send us a short email on Welcome @growthroom we love creating automated and efficient Cold Emailing machines for our customers.

Cheers.

Read also: Cold Emailing: our 7 steps to really increase your open rate