The fountain of truth

And we're back, baby! I Sierra Mist you all!

Welcome to 2025, where (when?) email still thrives...as long as you're doing it right.

There is no shortage of levers to pull or buttons to push when sending marketing emails. Sending domain, "from" name, subject line, template, segmentation, the list goes on! Email is so complex that I've been able to make a career out of this *one* aspect of it alone, so I hesitate to describe it as "easy" when in reality, the medium itself is quite complicated. The refreshing thing is, even though email has a seemingly-infinite number of ingredients that contribute to its success, deliverability (that is, reaching the inboxes of your intended audience) is actually pretty simple.

Whether you're an established sender or just getting started, these classic best practices are just what the doctor ordered to crush your marketing goals:

🥤Consent: Only send emails to people who have explicitly chosen to receive them, voluntarily, without coercion or concealment. Ask people if they want your mail, don't just tell them they're subscribed as a consequence of registering for an account or agreeing to your site/app policies. Even if you're legally allowed to contact users, the law doesn't keep your mail in the inbox--recipients' genuine positive engagement does. Setting clear expectations during subscription like what types of mail will be sent, and how often, can help retain subscribers over time and prevent list churn.

🥤Authentication: Formerly (erroneously, perhaps) regarded by many as a nice-to-have, authentication has surged in importance and is now a formalized requirement at many mailbox providers. Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protects your brand and your customers from malicious (or misguided) actors, ensuring recipients that your mail is the real thing.

🥤Content: Send emails that pop! A jolt of color, a bubbly subject line, a slice of life behind the scenes, whatever floats your subscribers' boats is fair game as long as they enjoy receiving it and behave accordingly. Marketing email should meet the expectations set during signup, so that subscribers aren't surprised when it shows up (or doesn't), resulting in reduced engagement or increased complaints/unsubscribes.

Thirsty for more advice? What are you struggling with? What's on tap for 2025? How can I help??!?! 💌