Who are the ideal clients and how to handle B2B deliverability?

Summary

Ideal clients for B2B deliverability consulting include owners, founders, marketing managers, and coachable businesses who value marketing and invest in it. Handling B2B deliverability involves overcoming challenges from strict corporate firewalls and spam filters by building a strong sender reputation through consistent sending, email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), IP warming, proper list hygiene, permission practices, feedback loop monitoring, segmentation, and relevant content. Monitoring sender reputation through tools like Microsoft SNDS and metrics such as bounce rates and complaints is crucial, alongside understanding and catering to client needs with thorough profiles.

Key findings

  • Ideal Client: Ideal clients value marketing, invest in deliverability, are coachable, and allow collaboration.
  • B2B Deliverability Challenges: Corporate firewalls and spam filters pose significant challenges to B2B deliverability.
  • Email Authentication is Key: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are essential for authenticating email and improving deliverability.
  • Sender Reputation Matters: Maintaining a strong sender reputation is critical for inbox placement.
  • Importance of List Hygiene: Careful list hygiene and permission practices are important.
  • Relevance of Segmentation: Segmenting lists based on industry, company size, and job title improves engagement.
  • Valuable Content Drives Engagement: Providing valuable, relevant content helps engage recipients and build trust.
  • Profile Clients: Creating profiles and understanding client roles allows targeted messaging.

Key considerations

  • Client Assessment: Assess a potential client's understanding of email marketing and their willingness to invest in deliverability.
  • Technical Setup: Implement and maintain proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
  • Reputation Monitoring: Continuously monitor sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS.
  • List Management: Regularly clean your email list and adhere to permission-based practices.
  • Content Strategy: Develop a content strategy that focuses on providing value and relevance to the target audience.
  • Feedback Loop Monitoring: Actively monitor feedback loops and address any complaints promptly.
  • Engagement Monitoring: Track key metrics such as bounce rates, complaint rates, and engagement to identify and address any issues.
  • Personalisation: Use client profiles to improve personalization of communications.

What email marketers say
11Marketer opinions

Identifying ideal clients for deliverability services involves targeting owners/founders, marketing managers, and coachable businesses who value marketing and are willing to invest and collaborate. Handling B2B deliverability requires understanding the challenges posed by corporate firewalls and spam filters, and building sender reputation through consistent volume, email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), IP warming, list segmentation, and valuable content. Creating client personas is critical to provide value to clients.

Key opinions

  • Ideal Client Profile: Ideal clients understand the value of marketing, are willing to invest, are coachable, and allow for collaboration.
  • B2B Challenges: B2B deliverability faces strict firewalls and spam filters, necessitating a strong sender reputation.
  • Authentication Importance: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for authenticating your domain and improving deliverability to corporate email servers.
  • IP Warming: Gradually warming up your IP address by increasing sending volume over time is key.
  • Segmentation: Segmenting B2B lists based on industry, company size, and job title improves engagement and deliverability.
  • Valuable Content: Providing valuable content solves client problems and positions you as a trusted advisor.

Key considerations

  • Client Understanding: Assess a potential client's understanding of email marketing and their willingness to invest in deliverability best practices.
  • Authentication Setup: Ensure that proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is in place to improve deliverability rates.
  • IP Reputation: Monitor and maintain a positive sender reputation through consistent sending volume and engagement.
  • Segmentation Strategy: Develop a clear segmentation strategy to target the right audiences with relevant content.
  • Content Quality: Focus on creating high-quality, valuable content that addresses client pain points.
  • Client Relationship: Build strong relationships with key decision-makers through networking and personalized communication.
  • Profiling: Create customer profiles to provide the best content.
Marketer view

Email marketer from LinkedIn shares that attracting ideal B2B clients involves showcasing expertise through content marketing, networking at industry events, and building relationships with key decision-makers.

April 2022 - LinkedIn
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel Blog suggests defining your ideal client based on factors like revenue potential, alignment with your values, and ease of working with them. This helps you focus your marketing efforts on the most promising leads.

September 2023 - Neil Patel Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit responds that B2B deliverability is often challenged by strict corporate firewalls and spam filters. Building sender reputation with consistent sending volume and authenticated email is crucial.

November 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from TechTarget explains that create customer profiles, or identify client personas, to understand the company, its employees, the roles they play, and what each persona would be looking for in a purchase. The more information an organization has about its customers, the better it can target.

June 2022 - TechTarget
Marketer view

Email marketer from MarketingProfs explains that ideal clients are those who understand the value of marketing and are willing to invest in it. They should also be open to collaboration and provide feedback.

February 2024 - MarketingProfs
Marketer view

Email marketer from Quora shares that segmenting your B2B email list based on industry, company size, and job title allows you to send more relevant and targeted emails, improving engagement and deliverability.

January 2022 - Quora
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that owners/founders make great clients because they communicate the importance of deliverability. Marketing managers can also be good clients as they are often knowledgeable and easy to work with. CEOs often participate actively early on, with marketing managers then taking over the client side.

October 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Entrepreneur.com highlights that an ideal client is coachable and willing to implement your recommendations. This leads to better results and a stronger client-consultant relationship.

October 2021 - Entrepreneur.com
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum responds that warming up your IP address gradually is key for B2B deliverability. Start with low volumes and increase over time, monitoring your reputation and engagement.

April 2022 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests researching B2B deliverability and reputation building on blogs like Word to the Wise and Spam Resource.

February 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Forbes shares that providing valuable content that solves your ideal clients' problems is key to engagement. This positions you as a trusted advisor and builds stronger relationships.

November 2021 - Forbes

What the experts say
2Expert opinions

B2B deliverability hinges on diligent list management, respecting permissions, and actively monitoring feedback loops. A strong sender reputation, built through careful IP and domain management, sender authentication, and honoring unsubscribe requests, is also crucial. Content relevance is a key factor.

Key opinions

  • List Hygiene: Maintaining a clean and up-to-date email list is essential for good deliverability.
  • Permission Practices: Obtaining explicit consent from recipients before sending emails is critical.
  • Feedback Loops: Monitoring feedback loops (e.g., complaint rates) helps identify and address deliverability issues.
  • Sender Reputation: A positive sender reputation is critical for ensuring emails reach the inbox.
  • Authentication: Proper sender authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is necessary to verify email legitimacy.
  • Unsubscribe Handling: Respecting unsubscribe requests promptly and accurately is vital for maintaining a good sender reputation.
  • Content Relevance: Ensuring that email content is relevant and engaging to the recipients helps improve deliverability.

Key considerations

  • List Management: Regularly clean your email list to remove invalid or inactive addresses.
  • Permission Process: Implement a clear and explicit opt-in process to obtain consent from recipients.
  • Feedback Loop Monitoring: Actively monitor feedback loops and address any complaints or issues promptly.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Regularly monitor your sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS.
  • Authentication Setup: Properly configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to authenticate your email.
  • Unsubscribe Mechanism: Implement an easy-to-use and reliable unsubscribe mechanism.
  • Content Optimization: Optimize your email content for relevance and engagement by segmenting your audience and personalizing your messages.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that managing sender reputation is critical for B2B deliverability. Monitor your IPs and domains, ensure proper authentication, and respect unsubscribe requests.

September 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that B2B deliverability requires careful list hygiene, permission practices, and monitoring of feedback loops. Prioritize sender authentication and content relevance.

March 2024 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Email authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is critical for improving deliverability to corporate email servers and preventing spoofing. Monitoring sender reputation through programs like Microsoft SNDS, along with bounce rates, complaint rates, and engagement metrics is also crucial. Implementing feedback loops and adhering to bulk email sender guidelines further enhances deliverability and helps avoid blacklisting.

Key findings

  • Email Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are essential for authenticating email and preventing spoofing.
  • Sender Reputation Monitoring: Monitoring sender reputation is vital for deliverability success.
  • Microsoft SNDS: Microsoft SNDS helps track and improve deliverability to Outlook and Office 365.
  • Bulk Email Guidelines: Following bulk email sender guidelines is crucial for avoiding deliverability issues.
  • Feedback Loops: Implementing feedback loops helps address complaints and improve sender practices.
  • Reputation Metrics: Bounce rates, complaint rates, and engagement metrics are important indicators of sender reputation.

Key considerations

  • SPF/DKIM/DMARC Setup: Ensure that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are properly configured for your sending domain.
  • SNDS Implementation: Implement and regularly monitor Microsoft SNDS (if sending to Outlook/Office 365 users).
  • Guideline Adherence: Adhere to best practices and guidelines for sending bulk email.
  • Feedback Loop Integration: Integrate and actively monitor feedback loops from major ISPs.
  • Metric Monitoring: Continuously monitor bounce rates, complaint rates, and engagement metrics.
  • Blacklist Prevention: Take proactive steps to avoid being blacklisted by monitoring your sender reputation and addressing any issues promptly.
Technical article

Documentation from Google explains that setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for authenticating your domain and improving deliverability to corporate email servers. This helps prevent email spoofing and phishing.

June 2023 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft shares that to improve deliverability to Outlook and Office 365, monitor your sender reputation using the Microsoft SNDS program and follow their guidelines for bulk email senders. Implement feedback loops to address complaints.

January 2024 - Microsoft 365 Defender
Technical article

Documentation from AWS shares that maintaining a good sender reputation is crucial for email deliverability. Monitor bounce rates, complaint rates, and engagement metrics. Address any issues promptly to avoid being blacklisted.

October 2024 - AWS Documentation
Technical article

Documentation from RFC explains that DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) allows senders to indicate that their emails are protected by SPF and DKIM, and tells receivers what to do if neither of those authentication methods passes.

December 2022 - RFC-7489