It’s important to reward good behavior: Deliverability Week
The year was 1997. I had been married for a few months and had not been out of school for much longer. We had just moved from New Orleans to Austin—without jobs, no less. So, Carol and I spent many hours trying to find work. One day, I returned to our modest apartment and checked my email. To my surprise, I had more than 70 emails, and only 3 of them were expected and wanted. That was the day that I decided that something had to give.
The Realization
In 1997, I knew only a few things. One was that we would one day have some kids. Another was that I absolutely loved email as a communications medium. When you put those things together, I desperately wanted to preserve email as a communication medium—not just for me, but for those kids I firmly believed would come to us one day. (Spoiler: We had three kids who all survived to adulthood.) And if I was getting almost 70 unwanted, unrequested messages per day, there was no way email would be usable in 20 years when they reached adulthood.
Taking Action
So, I taught myself how to read email headers and send actionable complaints. I had found a stick and was pretty good at swinging it. I was at least partially responsible for many spammers losing their accounts—several times in some cases. I got my first job working on an abuse desk enforcing policy.
The Need for Balance: Every Stick Needs a Carrot
One of the things I learned over the next couple of years was that it wasn’t enough to swing a stick. Businesspeople want to communicate with customers, and email is a great way to do it. Continually beating people up about what not to do is not a sustainable practice. In the end, you only drive desperate people into taking more and more desperate measures. So, the question became how to use email ethically.
Understanding the Value of Email
Email has proven itself to be a vital communication tool. The challenge was ensuring it remained effective and efficient, free from the choking clutter of unwanted messages. Engaging customers through permission-based marketing can build trust and long-term relationships. And a reliance on consent
Building a Career in Email Deliverability
My journey into email deliverability and abuse management became a career. I started working on abuse desks, helping enforce policies protecting users from spam. Over time, I transitioned into email deliverability consulting, helping companies understand and navigate how to get the right message to the right person at the right time. This included educating them on best practices for list management, content relevance, and maintaining a good sender reputation.
The Importance of Continuous Learning
The email landscape constantly evolves, with new technologies, regulations, and user behaviors shaping how we use this medium. Staying ahead of these changes requires continuous learning and adaptation. I pursued certifications, attended industry conferences, and connected with other professionals to keep my knowledge up-to-date and my strategies effective. If you read my blog then that’s probably important to you, too.
That’s Where Deliverability Week Comes In This Year
I’m proud to participate in Deliverability Week, which features many email professionals discussing this important topic. I encourage you, dear reader, to take some time to learn something new or refresh your knowledge of something old. Listen to folks like me who have been around a while and appreciate the thoughts of someone newer in the space that you’ve maybe never noticed before by following the #deliverabilityweek hashtag on LinkedIn.
What’s On Tap Today?
Al Iverson, Deliverability Matters, and Welcome to Deliverability Week 2024!, Spam Resource (2024), https://www.spamresource.com/2024/06/deliverability-matters-and-welcome-to.html (last visited Jun 17, 2024).
Richello Killian, Why Deliverability Matters to Me, InboxJam (2024), https://www.inboxjam.com/2024/06/17/why-deliverability-matters-to-me/ (last visited Jun 17, 2024); Richello Killian, What Is Deliverability, And Why Does It Matter?, InboxJam (2024), https://www.inboxjam.com/2024/06/17/what-is-deliverability-and-why-does-it-matter/ (last visited Jun 17, 2024).
Steve Atkins, It’s Deliverability Week, Word to the Wise (2024), https://wordtothewise.com/2024/06/deliverability-week-2024/ (last visited Jun 17, 2024).
Laura Atkins, Why Deliverability Matters to Me, Word to the Wise (2024), https://wordtothewise.com/2024/06/why-deliverability-matters-to-me/ (last visited Jun 17, 2024).
Matthew Vernhout, Deliverability – Why It Matters to Me and You, EmailKarma.net (2024), https://emailkarma.net/2024/06/deliverability-why-it-matters-to-me-and-you/ (last visited Jun 17, 2024).
Sella Yoffe, Deliverability Week 2024, CRM.BUZZ (2024), https://crm.buzz/en/deliverability-week-2024/ (last visited Jun 17, 2024).
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