Dan Straton: “Follow This Golden Rule and You’re on the Way to Email Marketing Success”

What does a typical day look like at ZeroBounce? Is it challenging to work in Customer Support? Also, what are some of the most common email marketing issues companies struggle with? Our colleague Dan Straton answers all these questions in the interview below, where he also gives you:

• his “golden rule” for great email deliverability, and
• his top 3 ingredients for a successful email campaign.

Meet Dan, and see his rules for email marketing success

What does a usual workday look like for you?

Most of the days, depending on the work shift I’m in, I try to wake up as early as possible: around 5-6 a.m. I want to take advantage of every second and be productive throughout the day.

So, I start by working out, making a healthy low-carb breakfast and coffee, and reading for at least an hour. I was inspired by a Latin phrase – “Mens sana in corpore sano” – which means “a healthy mind in a healthy body.”

After this spartan routine, I jump into work: I get up to speed with the events, chats, and tickets, and start taking care of our clients. In between chats, I read about the newest trends in email marketing and try to catch up on everything that matters.

How has the pandemic changed the way you work?

The only difference I felt has been an increase in activity. All businesses have had to adjust to this new environment and keep their customers updated. As you know, email has been their number one channel.

But for email to work, you must use a fresh, accurate list. Otherwise, you risk deliverability issues. So, many businesses have turned to us to help them clean their data.

In this time of crisis, more than ever, they need a reliable email validation service. Everyone wants to reach their customers with updates and marketing offers, and we’re privileged that ZeroBounce is part of their email toolkit.

What were some of the most challenging chats you’ve had with our customers so far?

For me, the most challenging are the chats in which you’re trying to explain the value of email validation in just a few words. It’s a complex topic and it can be hard to cover concisely and in a manner that’s easy to understand.

The same goes for explaining how important it is to have an excellent list cleaning tool. There are so many on the market and you have to pick the best one for you.

Another thing that can be challenging is to describe the benefits of using our scoring system, ZeroBounce A.I., to validate catch-all emails.

So, it’s not always easy, but the reward for providing the best customer experience is priceless.

From your observations, what are people mostly complaining about when they reach out to us? What problems are they looking to solve?

The most common problems I’ve encountered are high bounce rates and lists with old emails. Most of our customers are aware that getting bounces affects their sender reputation and that causes their campaigns to land in spam.

So, they come to us with old, outdated and risky lists and leave with valid, genuine contacts they can email safely. It’s a pretty sweet deal!

What’s the number one deliverability advice you give our customers?

The best advice I can give is:

• maintain your email hygiene by cleaning your lists regularly, and
• keep track of subscribes and unsubscribes. Never email people who unsubscribed.

Follow this golden rule and you’re on the way to email marketing success.

Oh, and take advantage of our deliverability tools! We have two great testers and everyone who has a ZeroBounce account can enjoy one of each test for free, every month.

What would you say are the top 3 ingredients of a successful email campaign?

My top 3 would be:

• an email sending tool with a good reputation,
• a list of valid emails (you can have it by using an awesome email validation service), and
• great content (make your content compelling and personal. Get closer to your audience).

I’m positive that if you have these ingredients, your campaign will land in the Inbox folder and your email marketing will start to flourish.

What’s the best part about your job at ZeroBounce?

When someone reaches out to us via chat, you never know what mood they’re going to be in. People have been through a lot these past few months. And even before the pandemic, stress can take a toll on all of us.

The best part about my role at ZeroBounce is when I manage to improve someone’s mood by solving their problem and offering the best customer experience.

Calm and empathy go a long way, and knowing you made someone’s day a little better helps tremendously.

What do you most like to do when you don’t have to do anything?

Usually, I like to spend time with my three best friends: Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and Friedrich Nietzsche, and listen to their stories. I love spending time with my wife, watching a movie or a documentary together. And I really enjoy cooking!

Want to learn more about Dan? Connect with him on LinkedIn. And follow his advice: get your list in shape, so you can land in the inbox.

You may also like:

? Brian Minick, ZeroBounce COO: “If You Haven’t Started A Newsletter Yet, You’re Missing the Bus“

? Cezar Mitrenca, Customer Support Team Leader: “There’s A Reason They Call Us Email Geeks!“

? Anca Vasile, Customer Support: “Email Validation Helps Marketers Be Seen“