You crafted the perfect subject line. Your offer is irresistible. But if your email lands in the Spam folder, none of it matters. Deliverability is the invisible gatekeeper of sales success.
The Technical Trinity: SPF, DKIM, DMARC
If you don't have these three configured, you are fighting with one hand tied behind your back.
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): A list of IP addresses allowed to send email on your behalf.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): A digital signature that proves the email wasn't tampered with.
- DMARC: A policy that tells receiving servers what to do if SPF or DKIM fail.
The Importance of List Hygiene
Sending to invalid emails is the fastest way to tank your reputation. If your bounce rate exceeds 2-3%, your domain is flagged. This is why verify-before-send is critical. Never guess email addresses. Always validate them against a live database or verification service before adding them to your sequence.