A super fast, sometimes deep, sometimes shallow, sometimes backed up by data, sometimes backed up by years of email induced pain and billions of emails sent gut talk full of ideas, examples, stories, lame jokes, and some really wild guesses to help you deal with the real, live email problems you're having.; We'll cover what your stats really mean, what you're readers want to tell you but are too nice to, why your mom doesn't even read your email (still!), how to send less while accomplishing more, how to talk your boss of the KPI ledge, why purchased lists are for quitters, and where to get the best beer in Boston.

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13 THINGS
to start, stop, or keep doing (only better).
Tom Monaghan
Postmaster & Director of Email Engineering at HubSpot

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1. Tom: a love story
2. Data schmata
3. The unlucky 13
4. A tiny review
5. Uncomfortable silence
AGENDA

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1. Tom: a love story
2. Data schmata
3. The unlucky 13
4. A tiny review
5. Uncomfortable silence
WHERE WE’RE GONNA GO

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1 TOM: A LOVE STORY

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HELLO.

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MY NAME IS TOM.
Well, actually it’s Thomas, but go with me here...

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I WORK ON EMAIL AT HUBSPOT.

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I LOVE EMAIL.
And want you to love it too.

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email marketerpart-time

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1 3 77K

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voluntarily

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engagement
unsubs
spam

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insert hubspot logo

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2 DATA SCHMATA

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Emails1,784,755,714
Campaigns
157,534
Recipients
202,595

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deliveries
opens
duration
recipients
@
devices
sourcespam
clicks
content
personalization

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THAT’S A LOTTA DATA.

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3 THIRTEEN
THINGS
START
STOP
KEEP DOING
(only better)

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1
YOU
ARE
WHAT
YOU
EAT.
Miles is
60% ice
cream.

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so is your marketing

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the names of every single list imported

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arg
rank
inactive
– 13%
– 11%

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inactive = 3% open rate

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97% didn’t open rate

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Stop doing this.

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You domain reputation is worth it.

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2
THERE
IS NO
ONE
SIZE
FITS
ALL
recognize
this outfit?

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Why are you writing this email?

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Drive blog (re)visits.Drumupsomedirectsales.
Move folks
down
the
funnel?
Resurrect your sending rep?
Drive a conversion for more data?
Remindeveryonethatyou’restillalive?
Look like your wicked busy?
Promote a hot new product.
Invite them to something that’s actually awesome.
Plan a meetup at Inbound.

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1. Pick a goal.
2. Define success. (page views, long reads, replies).
3. Build the email for that specific goal / success.
4. Everyone loves options (for the same thing).
5. Rinse, lather, repeat.
Stop with the Swiss Army Knife emails.

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3
MEASURE
TWICE,
CUT
ONCE.

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3
MEASURE
TWICE,
SEND
ONCE.

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Personalization works.

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Dear Tom,

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It’s because I love my name.
It’s a great name.
The best name.

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stick with the basics

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#protip
Nothing is more
impersonal than
screwing up
personalization.

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defaultValue

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{{ first.name }}

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Customer

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* Personalization cheat sheet: *
1. Does it work with a real contact?
2. Did you set up a default value?
3. Make sure it matches.
4. Don’t get too personal.
5. Test. Test. Test!

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4
NOREPLY?
I THINK
YOU
MEANT
“NO OPEN”

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Noreply is the worst.

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Personalize that From address.

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Make it from a real person.

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Replies rule the roost.
Opens are good.
Clicks are definitely better.

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#obviousINBOUNDprotip
If someone replies, they’ll open and click
more emails later.

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STOP
WITH
THE
TUESDAY
ALREADY!
5

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TUESDAY
Thursday
Wednesday

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Want an open?

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Friday or Monday
(if you really need to send during the workweek)

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Sunday or Saturday
(If you want to live a little and try a weekend.)

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Tuesday, Wednesday,
& Thursday
are dead to me.

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This is why we can’t have nice things.

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NOTHING SAYS
I LOVE YOU LIKE …
6

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Buying someone’s deets from a 3rd party.

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What about the names of list sellers?

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engagement
imports
forms
#unsurprisingstatoftheday4X
of contacts from
#inboundworks
#youcantbuyhappiness

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Remember 2015?
imports
forms
3X

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#inboundsgettingbetter

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EMAIL
IS
NOT
YOUR
SCRATCH
TICKET
7

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Some bad news.

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SPAM

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The definition has changed.

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graymail
/ɡrāmāl/
Bulk messages that aren’t technically spam,
because you did get permission, they’re somewhat
targeted, and you’re a legitimate sender, but …

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graymail
tl;dr
They’re just not that into you.
(anymore)

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How do you know?

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They’ll tell you by not opening.

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do you remember?

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77.7%

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25.9%

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Probability of an open after being ignored

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Probability of an open after being ignored
totally
100%
graymail

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No Lloyd.

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Suppress folks who aren’t engaging.

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Live to email another day.

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HubSpot customer?
Sends Since Last Engagement

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Stop being that marketer.
Don’t send graymail.
Start suppressing unengaged folks*.
*When you do, the inbox providers and protectors will like you more, way more.

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What to do when a storm rolls in.

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1. What’s it really mean.
2. How worried should you be.
3. What should you do next.
What to do when a storm rolls in.

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WHAT
DO I
DO
WHEN
THEY UNSUBSCRIBE? 8

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Unsubscribes: What do they really mean?
• You can’t please everyone all of the time.
• Be very happy they didn’t mark you as spam.

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Unsubscribes: How worried should you be?
• Not very. Look at the rate across similar sends.
• Look for what changed: sources, content, or
frequency.

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Unsubscribes: What should you do next?
• Spot check some contacts.
• Find the what changed.
• Consider suppression or fewer emails for your
borderline unengaged.

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WHAT
DO I
DO
WHEN
THEY STOP OPENING? 9

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Falling opens: What do they really mean?
• Not inboxing.
• Missing expectations.
• Get ready for worse.

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Falling opens: How worried should you be?
• Worried. This will not go unnoticed.
• Next comes Spam Complaints and Unsubs.
• If you’re not having inbox issues, you will be
before long.

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Unsubscribes: What should you do next?
• Suppress unengaged.
• Look for source problems.
• Focus on subjects. Test. Test. Test.

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WHAT
DO I
DO
WHEN
THEY MARK ME AS SPAM? 10

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SPAM: What do they really mean?
• Your reputation is at risk.
• Inbox problems ahead..
• Blacklistings.

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SPAM: How worried should you be?
• Very worried. Something is wrong.
• Find the cause now: new source, bad forms,
missed expectations.
• Slow or stop sending until source found.

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SPAM: What should you do next?
• Fix what’s broken.
• Do not pass go.
• Do not collect $200.

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#nerdprotip
No unsubscribes or spam complaints?
Killing it, right? Not so fast ...
They can’t unsub or mark you as SPAM from their junk
folder.

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WHAT
TO DO
WHEN
YOU
WANT TO KNOW MORE.
11

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HOW TO
BUILD
THE
PERFECT
SUBJECT LINE.
12

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logistic regression

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find the perfect words

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to make people open!

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kinda dumb

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Dislike success? Try these!
Physicians Worry: Thinking Less Handwashing!
New Career: Bullying Webinar!
Hey! Eliminate Thinking, Welcome Pain…
#welcomepain #toosoon?

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If it sounds like the title of something that guy …
Read it out loud.
Start over.

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1. Customize & personalize.
2. Emojis actually work.
3. Read it out loud…
The best subjects, guaranteed!

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WHAT
DO I
DO
WHEN
EMAIL STOPS WORKING.
13

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engagement slips a bit

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harder to inbox

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the end is near

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the sky is not falling.

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4 A TINY REVIEW

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1. Please oh please, stop with the Tuesday!
2. Have the courage to suppress your unengaged.
3. Treat other inboxes as you would want your inbox treated.

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5 UNCOMFORTABLE SILENCE

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THANK YOU.