Low Open Rates? A Deliverability & Targeting Troubleshooting Checklist

Spencer McMurtry

Email deliverability checklist with SPF, DKIM, DMARC and warmup steps

You sourced a great list, launched the sequence…and heard crickets. Open rates are flat. That’s not just cosmetic; it’s a canary for deeper issues. Before you rewrite copy, use this step-by-step checklist to diagnose and fix what’s really going on.

First, don’t blame the subject line (yet)

If messages land in spam or Promotions, even the best subject won’t help. Start with deliverability.

Iceberg of email deliverability—subject line on top; hidden causes of low open rates: SPF/DKIM/DMARC, un-warmed domain, poor list, blacklist.

The technical deliverability checklist

1) Verify SPF, DKIM, DMARC

These are your domain’s “passport” and signature. Missing/misconfigured records are the #1 reason campaigns don’t get seen.
Fix: Use an email DNS checker. If anything fails, update records with your domain provider (most tools have step-by-step docs).

2) Warm the sending domain

New or dormant domains blasting volume look suspicious.
Fix: Ramp gradually over several weeks; mix in real, positive interactions. Warmup features in tools like Instantly/Smartlead can help—but don’t outrun reputation.

3) Check blacklists & reputation

If you’re listed, many servers won’t even try delivery.
Fix: Audit against public lists and follow the specific delisting instructions; address the root cause (hard bounces, spam complaints).

Interrogate your list quality

4) Verify emails

High bounce rates crush reputation—then inboxing for valid contacts suffers.
Fix: Run lists through a verifier before uploading.

5) Tighten targeting

Irrelevant outreach earns spam complaints and disengagement.
Fix: Narrow by title, industry, intent, and stage. Fewer, better-fit sends beat broad blasts.

Now optimize message content

6) Subject lines (and preview text)

Avoid spammy vocabulary, ALL CAPS, and emoji overload.
Fix: Personalize, be specific, and keep curiosity + clarity balanced. Pair with strong preview text—don’t waste it on “Hi, I’m…”.

7) From name, cadence, and send pattern

Inconsistent “from” identities, too-fast cadences, or midnight sends can hurt engagement.
Fix: Keep human-looking patterns; throttle where needed.

Turn guesswork into a diagnosis

Spreadsheets can prove a point, but they’re slow and fragile. Cross-campaign questions—“Is this a DMARC issue on one domain?” “Which subject works for VPs in SaaS?”—need unified data.

Outreach Magic connects to your tools via webhooks (no manual CSV uploads) and enriches every record (title, industry, company size, tags, sentiment, days to positive). You get one dashboard for email + LinkedIn so you can: