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Everything I’ve Learned About Email Marketing (So Far)

Email has been one of the most powerful tools in every company I’ve worked with—whether it’s cold outreach, email automation, mass communication, or personalized messaging for B2B and B2C. At this point, I can confidently say I’ve got a solid grasp of what works and what doesn’t.

Instead of boring you with endless trial-and-error stories, let me jump straight into the actionable insights that actually work.

1. Cold Emails: The Brutal Truth

When I say none of my early cold email attempts worked, I mean none of them worked. There’s no magic formula, no shortcut—just process, patience, and constant refinement. Here’s what made all the difference:

1.1. Protect Your Domain with Multiple Subdomains

If your main website is canadianchoiceaward.ca, don’t send cold emails from that domain. Instead, buy multiple subdomains:

  • canadianchoiceaward.net
  • canadianchoiceaward.org
  • canadianchoiceaward.co
  • canadianchoiceaward.in

These subdomains prevent your main domain from getting flagged if emails get marked as spam.

1.2. Warm Up Your Emails (Non-Negotiable!)

Before sending any cold emails, you must warm up your email accounts. This is the single most important step. Here’s how:

  • Create a safe email list (your own team or engaged subscribers).
  • Send small emails to these contacts daily.
  • Engage with those emails: open them, mark them as “not spam,” reply, and click links.

A good warm-up period is at least two months.

1.3. Set Up SPF, DKIM & DMARC Records

These are essential for email authentication and deliverability. If you’re unsure, just Google “how to set up SPF, DKIM, DMARC” for your email provider and do it.

1.4. Send Emails in Small Batches

Never blast thousands of emails at once. Start slow:

  • 100 emails per day (increase gradually).
  • Track open rates, click rates, and reply rates before scaling.
  • Use SendGrid—it’s my go-to for deliverability.

1.5. Keep It Personal & Simple

  • Avoid salesy, over-designed emails—plain text works best.
  • Verify your email list before sending (to avoid high bounce rates).
  • Use tools like GMass to pause between emails, mimicking human behavior.

Most important: If your emails land in spam, STOP, analyze your read rates, and adjust before sending more.

2. Email Automation: Work Smarter, Not Harder

If something can be automated, it should be automated. Here’s what I’ve learned:

2.1. Automate Website Form Responses

If someone fills out a form on your site, they should instantly get an email. It could be:

  • A thank-you email acknowledging their submission.
  • A follow-up email guiding them to the next step.

Tools like Brevo or SendGrid make this easy.

2.2. Automate Follow-Ups for Unfinished Actions

If a user:

  • Starts a purchase but doesn’t complete it → send a reminder.
  • Submits an incomplete form → follow up and ask for missing details.

Automation saves time and ensures you don’t lose potential customers due to small lapses.

3. Custom & Personalized Emails: The Real Game Changer

Whether it’s cold emails, follow-ups, or newsletters—customization is everything.

3.1. Send Emails to the Right People

  • Don’t mass email irrelevant contacts.
  • Don’t send AI-generated spam—people recognize generic content.

3.2. Keep Emails Short & Focused

  • One clear CTA (call-to-action). No clutter.
  • No long paragraphs—people skim emails, not read them.
  • No multiple CTAs—if there’s too much to process, they’ll ignore it.

3.3. Use Names & Personalization in Subject Lines

Adding the recipient’s first name or company name in the subject line boosts open rates significantly.

3.4. Don’t Spam. Build Trust.

  • If you send emails too frequently, people stop opening them.
  • If you only send emails when necessary, people trust your emails.

3.5. Think Like a User

Imagine your own inbox—it’s flooded with marketing emails. What makes you open one?

  • A real, human-like subject line.
  • A friendly, useful message.

Final Results & Takeaways

After testing every possible email strategy, here are the metrics I’ve consistently maintained:

  • Cold Emails: 30-40% open rate, 3-5% click-through rate.
  • Warm Emails: 60-70% open rate, 30-40% click-through rate.

These numbers took months of testing to achieve. If you’re starting out, follow these steps to avoid my mistakes and get results faster.

Key Takeaways:

✔ Cold emails take time—don’t rush it.

✔ Automate everything possible.

✔ Personalization > Mass emails.

✔ Keep emails short, clear, and valuable.

✔ If your emails aren’t getting opened, rethink your approach.