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Tell us how you got into email and started Email Industries.

Email has been my playground from the beginning. I started in 1999 as an email designer when image-only emails ruled the inbox. Later, I founded a digital agency and co-founded a database marketing firm. Both were email-focused but had broader scopes.

In 2008, I decided to double down on email, and that’s when Email Industries was born. Initially, we were a full-service email agency, but over time, we naturally (though slowly) found our niche in deliverability.

Now, 16 years later, thanks to our team of top-notch deliverability pros, some of the world’s most awesome brands get their messages where they belong—front and center in the inbox. It’s been a thrilling journey, and I can’t wait to see what’s next!

What are most companies getting wrong when it comes to deliverability?

Deliverability often flies under the radar…until it doesn’t. Back in the day, it was simple: don’t buy lists, choose a reliable ESP, and you’re golden.

Today, senders, with very few exceptions, are responsible for getting emails into the inbox. With evolving email security protocols and stricter spam filters, even small brands must stay sharp.

Things like authentication, sender reputation, engagement, and list hygiene have become non-negotiables. Most companies don’t realize the importance of proactive deliverability monitoring until it’s too late. If I could give one piece of advice: invest in prevention. It’s worth its weight in gold.

Tell us your favorite deliverability war story. 

I’ll let Matthew Vernhout (aka @EmailKarma), Principal Email Advisor here at Email Industries, share a story. 

Early in my career, circa 2004-2005, I worked with a large CPG company on their on-and-off delivery issues with a major Mailbox provider (MBP). After several iterations of being blocked, being unblocked, being blocked, you get the picture…and working every angle I could to get them to change their sending behavior for months. I was asked to set up a meeting with the VP of the MBP to discuss options on resolving this issue permanently. Both sides were prepared with separate calls between me and each organization accordingly, and an agenda was arranged and agreed upon. 

I was then able to arrange the call. When it was finally time for the call with MBP, the client and myself (acting as referee) we were all ready to hash it out. During the introductions the client also mentioned that they brought along their account manager that worked with another division of the MBP’s organization to help support their case for being unblocked without changing their behaviour. 

With this news the VP at the MBP, states “That is nice, and has no sway to this part of the conversation as their PNL is not tied to mine at all, so their opinion means nothing to us here at MBP”. The account person was excused from the meeting shortly after hearing this. 

Once that was handled, the conversation shifted to more collaborative. Up next, the conversation drifted to how much mail was being sent, the impact of blocking on these campaigns and one key question: “How do we resolve this permanently?”. The MBP replied, “Did Matt tell you all the things we told him about how to improve your delivery?”. They replied, “Yes, we’ve discussed many of the items with him”. The last thing said on the call from the MBP’s side was, “Good, go do those things”, and they hung up on the rest of the call, leaving me to pick up and carry forward.

After that call, the company’s behavior and user experience changed quite a bit; several practices they were reluctant to modify were updated. A universal preference center was built, subscription updates were made to clarify and enhance user experience, engagement metrics were factored into their segment building, and content was updated to reflect these new practices. After all this was completed, the delivery challenges that had previously been experienced were mostly resolved as well. Everyone stumbles occasionally, but the constant issues did not return.

Are there any free deliverability tools marketers can use to monitor their delivery?

There are lots of great free tools available for marketers to help them with day-to-day delivery monitoring. Here is just a short list to consider:

• Blocklist checking: MultiRBL tool
• DMARC: Dmarcian, EasyDMARC, Valimail
• Reputation: Google Postmaster Tools, Yahoo’s Sender Hub, Microsoft’s SNDS
• Authentication/DNS: aboutmy.email, What’s My DNS

https://emailresourc.es/ is an excellent resource for finding the necessary tools and services. 

What’s in your email marketing toolbox?

Hardware: 

• Macbook Pro with extra-wide Dell monitor 
• Magic keyboard and mouse with Care Bears mat

Software:

• HubSpot: For tracking our effectiveness 
• Alfred: For performing free list health checks
• Mailchimp: For marketing and transactional emails 
• Workspace & Slack: For everything else

What is your favorite email campaign of all time?

This might spark some debate, but I’ve always admired Sticker Mule’s emails. Despite their CEO’s controversial promo email, their approach to email copy is top-notch. Simple, direct, and effective.

What skills do you think are most important in email marketing?

When I started, email was all about intuition and experience. Now, it’s a mix of art and science. You need skills in copywriting, data analysis, design, segmentation, and automation. Strategic thinking and attention to detail are must-haves, too.

In email deliverability specifically, you need to be both creative and data-savvy. The ability to analyze data and pivot quickly is crucial, and being a little nerdy doesn’t hurt either. 

What is your advice for new email peeps entering the industry?

Stay curious. Email marketing is constantly evolving, so never stop learning. Focus on understanding your audience, experiment often, and don’t be afraid of failure (it’s truly part of the process). Most importantly, remember that email is a relationship-building tool. Treat your subscribers like real people, not just numbers on a list.

Welcome to the email club!

Much love,
Andy

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @emaillove