If you’re sending cold emails and your open rates are stuck in the basement, you’re not alone. Deliverability is a moving target, and most advice out there is either too basic (“don’t use ALL CAPS!”) or reads like spam itself. If you use Klenty for outreach, this guide is for you: whether you’re a founder, SDR, or marketer, here’s how to give your emails a fighting chance of being seen—and not just dumped in spam.
Step 1: Nail Your Technical Setup
If this part is sloppy, nothing else matters. Most spam filters check your sender reputation and authentication before they even look at your email’s content.
What to do:
- Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
These are authentication records you add to your DNS. If you don’t, your emails look sketchy to receiving servers. Klenty has guides, but your domain provider’s docs may be clearer—don’t be afraid to ask IT for help.- SPF says who can send mail for your domain.
- DKIM signs your emails with an encrypted key.
- DMARC tells receiving email servers what to do with suspicious mail.
- Warm up your sending domain.
New domains look suspicious if they start sending bulk mail out of nowhere. Start by sending a handful of emails per day, slowly increasing volume over a few weeks. Klenty offers automated warm-up, but if your list is small, you can do this manually—just don’t rush it. - Use a dedicated sending domain (if you can).
If your main domain is yourcompany.com, consider sending cold emails from something like get.yourcompany.com or yourcompany.co. This protects your main domain’s reputation if things go sideways. - Set up a custom tracking domain.
Link tracking is a red flag for spam filters, especially if you use generic tracking links shared with a bunch of other Klenty customers. Set up your own branded tracking domain so links look trustworthy. - Test your setup.
Tools like mail-tester.com or GlockApps can show you what mail servers see when your email arrives. Don’t obsess, but check your score after big changes.
Pro tip:
Don’t use free mail providers (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook) for cold outreach. Use your own domain, or risk getting throttled or blocked.
Step 2: Clean Your Lists (Religiously)
Sending to bad or outdated email addresses is the fastest way to tank your sender reputation. High bounce rates = spammer in the eyes of ISPs.
How to keep it clean:
- Validate emails before sending.
Use a tool like NeverBounce, ZeroBounce, or the built-in Klenty verifier. Don’t trust scraped lists—always verify before your first campaign. - Ditch old data.
If your list is more than 6 months old and hasn’t engaged, archive it. It’s tempting to blast everyone, but old emails are more likely to bounce or hit spam traps. - Remove bounces and unsubs immediately.
Klenty can do this automatically. Make sure it’s turned on and check that bounces aren’t slipping through the cracks.
What doesn’t work:
Buying lists. It’s a shortcut to the spam folder. Even “verified” lists are risky—some are seeded with spam traps on purpose.
Step 3: Don’t Write Like a Spammer
Spam filters are smarter than ever. They’re looking for patterns—phrases, formatting, and even links that scream “junk.”
How to avoid rookie mistakes:
- Keep it personal and relevant.
Use merge tags for name, company, or even a custom sentence. If your email could go to anyone, it’ll probably go to no one. - Go easy on links and images.
Too many links or a big image-to-text ratio rings alarm bells. One link is fine. Two, maybe. Five is asking for trouble. - Avoid spammy language.
No “Act now!” or “100% FREE!” in subject lines or body copy. It’s not just about words—the context matters, but why risk it? - Use plain formatting.
Fancy fonts and colored text look like marketing blasts, not real conversations. Keep it simple. - Don’t attach files.
Attachments on first contact get flagged. Link to a Google Doc or your website instead.
Pro tip:
Send your first few emails to your own Gmail or Outlook accounts and see where they land. If they’re in “Promotions” or “Spam,” tweak and try again.
Step 4: Optimize Sending Behavior
It’s not just what you send—it’s how and when you send it that matters.
Best practices:
- Stagger your sends.
Don’t blast 500 emails at 9:00 AM sharp. Spread them out during working hours. Klenty lets you set sending windows—use them. - Limit daily volume per sender.
30-50 cold emails per sender per day is a safe starting point. Ramp up slowly if you see good results and no bounces. - Rotate sending identities.
If you need volume, use multiple senders (different real people, not just aliases). This lowers the risk of one address being blacklisted. - Watch reply rates.
ISPs notice if nobody replies to your emails. Even a handful of legit responses helps your reputation.
What to ignore:
“Send at the perfect time” tools. They’re nice, but not magic. Focus more on staying out of spam than on obsessing over delivery at 10:01 AM vs. 10:20 AM.
Step 5: Monitor, Measure, and Adjust
Set-and-forget is a myth. Deliverability shifts all the time, and what worked last month might tank today.
Stay on top of it:
- Track open and reply rates, but don’t obsess.
Open rates can be inflated by bots or privacy tools. If you see a sudden drop, though, it’s a red flag. - Watch your bounce and spam complaint rates.
If bounce rates creep above 2-3%, pause and clean your list. If you get spam complaints, address them and consider throttling back volume. - Use inbox placement testing.
Occasionally send test emails to a variety of accounts (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) and see where they land. - Be ready to pause and tweak.
If you see a problem, stop campaigns. Don’t just let bad sends keep going—it gets harder to recover as your reputation drops.
Step 6: Make It Easy to Unsubscribe
This sounds counterintuitive, but hiding your unsubscribe link just makes spam complaints more likely. Spam complaints hurt your deliverability way more than unsubscribes.
How to do it right:
- Put the unsubscribe link at the bottom.
Don’t bury it in tiny text. Make sure it actually works. - Respect opt-outs instantly.
Klenty should handle this, but check that it’s working. No one wants to see “Why am I still getting these?”
Ignore:
The urge to “win back” everyone who unsubscribes with a long survey or guilt trip. If they’re out, let them go.
What Actually Moves the Needle (and What Doesn’t)
Works:
- Good technical setup (SPF/DKIM/DMARC)
- Clean, verified lists
- Personal, plain-text emails
- Modest sending volumes
Doesn’t Work:
- Buying or scraping lists
- Using “secret” deliverability hacks or shady tools
- Hiding your unsubscribe link
Overrated:
- Over-optimizing subject lines
- Fancy HTML templates for cold outreach
- Chasing “best time to send” myths
Keep It Simple—And Keep Testing
Don’t get bogged down chasing every new trick or hack. Most deliverability problems come from sloppy setup, dirty lists, or emails that look like spam. Fix those first. Start small, watch your metrics, and adjust as you go. If you’re getting replies, you’re on the right track. If you aren’t, fix one thing at a time—don’t change everything at once.
Email deliverability isn’t magic, but it’s not a black box either. Focus on what matters, ignore the hype, and you’ll see better results in Klenty without driving yourself nuts.