Writing a great email means nothing if it lands in the spam folder. Deliverability is the science of actually getting into the inbox — and engagement is the art of keeping people excited to open your emails week after week.
How to Stay Out of the Spam Folder
Spam filters are sophisticated. They don't just look at keywords — they look at your sending behaviour, engagement rates, and technical setup. Here's what to watch for:
📧 Technical Foundations
- Use a reputable email platform — Mailchimp, ConvertKit, Constant Contact, or your CRM's built-in email tool. Don't send mass emails from Gmail or Outlook.
- Authenticate your domain — Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. Your email platform will guide you through this. It proves you're a legitimate sender.
- Use a consistent "From" name and address — People should recognize who the email is from. "Johnder Perez | RE/MAX Hallmark" is better than "noreply@company.com".
- Warm up new email addresses — If you're starting fresh, don't blast 5,000 people on day one. Start with small batches and scale up over weeks.
✍️ Content Best Practices
- Avoid spam trigger words — "FREE!!!", "Act now!", "Limited time offer", "Congratulations, you've been selected" all raise red flags.
- Don't use all caps or excessive punctuation — Writing like this: "AMAZING DEAL!!!" is a one-way ticket to the spam folder.
- Balance text and images — Emails that are just one big image with no text look suspicious to filters. Aim for at least 60% text.
- Include a plain-text version — Most email platforms do this automatically, but double-check.
- Always include an unsubscribe link — It's legally required and keeps your list healthy.
📊 List Hygiene
- Remove inactive subscribers — If someone hasn't opened an email in 6 months, send a re-engagement campaign. If they still don't engage, remove them.
- Clean bounced emails immediately — Hard bounces (invalid addresses) hurt your sender reputation. Remove them after the first bounce.
- Never buy lists — Purchased lists have high bounce rates and spam complaints. They'll tank your deliverability for months.
- Monitor your unsubscribe rate — A healthy rate is under 0.5%. If it's higher, you're sending too often or your content isn't resonating.
How to Be Genuinely Engaging
The best defence against spam folders is high engagement. When people open, click, and reply to your emails, inbox providers reward you with better placement.
Write Like You Talk
Drop the corporate speak. If you wouldn't say it at a coffee meeting, don't put it in an email.
Tell Stories
A short anecdote about a client win, a showing gone wrong, or a market insight beats a dry data dump every time.
Ask Questions
"What's the biggest thing holding you back from selling?" Questions invite replies — and replies boost deliverability.
Give Before You Ask
Provide value 4–5 times before making any kind of ask. Build goodwill first.
Be Specific
"3 homes under $600K in Scarborough" is more compelling than "New listings available."
Show Personality
People subscribe to people, not brands. Let your voice, humour, and perspective come through.
Metrics That Matter
Key Takeaways
- →Deliverability is built on technical setup, clean lists, and consistent engagement
- →High engagement = better inbox placement — write emails people want to open
- →Clean your list regularly — inactive subscribers hurt your sender reputation
- →Replies are the most powerful engagement signal — encourage them