In this edition:

→ Why you can stop listening to this email advice and best practice 

→ Learn what a data collection strategy is and how it helps your emails

→ Voiceover video verdicts from emails in the wild

→ Things you might not know about deliverability 

I’m officially an email marketing contrarian

My own journey with email over the last 12 years has completely changed how I see things.

Most “best practice” in email is complete rubbish, it's:

Outdated

Unquestioned

Stagnant

The internet is still full of copy-and-paste advice from years ago, no wonder innovation in email (B2B or B2C) is basically non-existent.

3 “best practices” to stop listening to:

“A/B split test your subject lines”

You can’t prove they work; there are too many variables you can’t control (time, impulse, bots, servers, curiosity, human behaviour, inbox clear-outs).

A winning open rate doesn’t mean anything positive on its own - it's a pointless test tbh. 

Subject lines should be part of your whole copy strategy, not an isolated stunt you throw away after one send.

2. Double opt-in

In 2025, prevention is everything. If you’re collecting bad data in the first place, that’s the problem to fix, with better list hygiene, form validation, and honeypots, not by asking for permission twice.

Double opt-in just adds friction and wastes one of the most valuable emails you’ll ever send (the welcome email).

3. Engagement & “industry benchmarks”

Google “email engagement” and you’ll find all sorts of rules: “cut everyone who hasn’t opened in 30 days” or “120 days” or whatever the blog says this week.

Then there’s “industry benchmarks”, which are outdated, from a small pot and not relevant - care about what you're doing, not what others are. 

The only benchmark that matters is the one you build from your own data.

Get your boss to listen to you 

How to convince stakeholders to stop batching & blasting emails - your toolkit, where you'll discover: 

• Translate email strategy into value-led conversations, not volume

• Use metrics, like impact, revenue and ROI, to speak your stakeholders' language

• Build real influence, not friction, in your marketing process 

From the Vault

A blog a day keeps the spam filter away 

⌚ 5 min read:

→ What Marketers Can Learn From Other Teams to Improve Their Email Marketing

⌚ 8 min read:

→ What is a Data Collection Strategy (and Why Is It the Backbone of Great Email Marketing)?

⌚ 12 min read:

→ How Gmail, Yahoo & Outlook Spam Filters Really Work

From the Queen’s Court

Voiceover video verdicts 

Learn from other businesses mistakes

20+ recorded video verdicts of real emails in the wild.

The Inbox Drop

Things you might not know about deliverability 

• Deliverability is history-based, all your past sends shape where you land today (and they can catch up wth you overnight)

• Change is risky and usually triggers a dip in deliverability, like a new IP, domain, volume, or frequency 

• B2B and B2C deliverability are worlds apart, corporate IT has zero interest in your open rates

• Multiple spam complaints from one campaign - expect your next send to have a worse deliverability rate 
• Spam words don't really do much these days 

If your results have dipped (or you’re worried they might), reply and I’ll send you details on a deliverability audit.

It’s one of the most eye-opening things you can do for your email marketing.

Plug of the Week 

Work with me (new availability for Q4 - use your budget)

I offer email marketing audits, consultancy, training, workshops + more. 

If your emails were cocktails, I’d make sure they’re never watered down.

Cheers to better deliverability,

Beth x

I have ADHD (IFYKYK) so please excuse any typos and spelling errors in this email.

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