"Is your cybersecurity business losing leads because your cold emails are secretly landing in spam? Here's how to fix it."

Picture this: You’ve spent hours crafting the perfect cold email campaign for your cybersecurity business. You’re excited, knowing your message has the potential to land new clients and grow your company. You hit send, eagerly waiting for responses, but instead, you’re met with silence. What went wrong? You check your email metrics and realize your emails have been banished to the dreaded spam folder, unseen and ignored by your prospects.

This is a common story for many cybersecurity businesses trying to break through the noise with cold email outreach. Your valuable insights, solutions, and offers are lost because your emails aren’t even making it to the inbox. The good news? You can fix this! Let’s explore the top reasons your cold emails might be going to spam and how you can turn things around to boost your deliverability.

1. Lack of Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

• Reason: Email authentication verifies the sender's identity. Without it, emails are more likely to be flagged as spam.
• Solution: Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for your domain. These protocols help email servers recognize your emails as legitimate, increasing your chances of reaching the inbox.

2. Using Spammy Words or Phrases

• Reason: Words like "free," "guarantee," "act now," and too much punctuation (!!!) can trigger spam filters.
• Solution: Use professional and straightforward language that is relevant to your audience. Avoid common spam trigger words in both your subject line and email body.

3. Low Sender Reputation

• Reason: Email service providers (ESPs) track your sending domain and IP address reputation. A poor reputation can lead to more emails being marked as spam.
• Solution: Build a strong sender reputation by sending emails consistently, keeping bounce rates low, and aiming for positive engagements like opens and clicks.

4. High Complaint Rate (Spam Reports)

• Reason: If recipients often mark your emails as spam, future emails are more likely to end up there.
• Solution: Send relevant content to your audience. Include an easy-to-find unsubscribe link, and promptly remove unsubscribed contacts from your list.

5. Poor List Quality (Purchased or Scraped Lists)

• Reason: Sending emails to outdated or unverified lists can result in high bounce rates and complaints.
• Solution: Build a high-quality email list with verified, opt-in contacts. Regularly clean your list to remove inactive or incorrect email addresses.

6. Misleading Subject Lines

• Reason: Subject lines that don’t match the content of your email can lead to spam complaints.
• Solution: Make sure your subject lines reflect the email's content. Avoid clickbait tactics and keep your messaging clear and honest.

7. Unoptimized HTML Code

• Reason: Emails with complex HTML, excessive images, links, or videos can trigger spam filters.
• Solution: Stick to simple, text-only emails. Avoid using links and images in your initial outreach. Instead, ask for permission before sending additional resources like links or attachments. This approach not only reduces spam risks but also respects your prospect’s inbox.

8. Lack of Engagement

• Reason: ESPs monitor recipient engagement. Low rates of opens, clicks, or replies can land your emails in spam.
• Solution: Personalize your emails to make them more relevant and engaging. Segment your audience to tailor content to their needs and interests.

9. No Unsubscribe Option

• Reason: Emails without an easy-to-find unsubscribe link are often marked as spam.
• Solution: Always include a clear and working unsubscribe link. Respect unsubscribe requests promptly to comply with regulations like CAN-SPAM and GDPR.

10. Sending Too Many Emails Too Quickly

• Reason: Sending a large volume of emails in a short time can flag your domain/IP as suspicious.
• Solution: Warm up your sending domain by starting with smaller batches and gradually increasing the volume. Monitor engagement rates to ensure your audience is responsive.

By implementing these tips, your cybersecurity business can keep its cold emails out of spam folders and improve overall email deliverability.

Ready to improve your email outreach? Schedule a call with us today, and let’s boost your deliverability rate together!

Tell me your secret strategy to avoid spam folder in comments.