Your cold email could be perfect — and still land in spam. No subject line, intro line, or clever CTA can save you if deliverability kills it first.
This is Part 3 of our mini-series on boosting cold email open rates: the setup that decides inbox vs junk.
Get a decent ESP
Free personal accounts don’t cut it. Use a professional ESP — custom Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 domains are the most trusted options.
Technical setup
Complete SPF, DKIM, and DMARC before you send. Missing authentication is like mailing without a stamp — spam filters will shut the door.
Email warm-up
Sending cold volume from a cold domain is reckless. Ramp gradually and keep warm-up running. Automated tools like TrulyInbox or Warmbox help.
Only send to verified contacts
Bad data is the archenemy. About 30% of people change jobs each year. Verify lists or risk bounces and spam flags. SalesPort provides up-to-date, verified contact data.
Keep links to a minimum
One link max from a high-quality source. Avoid red-flag phrases like “Buy now” or “Free money.”
Send no more than 50 emails per day
Stay under ~30/day during warm-up, then grow carefully to a max of ~50 per mailbox. Need more volume? Add more sending accounts — don’t spike one domain.
Wrap-up
Subject and intro matter — but deliverability comes first. Protect the inbox, then optimize the copy.