Email List Best Practices for SaaS and Fintech Growth

Improving your B2B SaaS email footprint can drive growth. 5 tactics to consider (some might look like bad ideas): [1] 𝗖𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲 - As new email triggers get added and user bases grow, the volume of emails ejected per day balloons exponentially. With Google's stricter spam policies, this can spell trouble. - I often see PMs build new notifications and keep them on by default. This should be done sparingly. - It's better for users to get fewer, more important emails than be swamped with an email upon every action. [2] 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 - Here's a mistake I made - I once set the subject line of an automated email as: "[Alert] {First Name}, here are results matching your criteria". - Users were frustrated as they were lost in a sea of emails with the SAME subject line. - Using personalization isn't enough. Think about unique tokens in subject lines, especially for alerts and digests. - Using a solitary emoji for a few (not all) might be worth experimenting with. [3] 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳-𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 - Emails synced with a cron job (like a digest) are often set at optimal sending times. - The problem: every other platform is sending emails at that time too. - This might be counter-intuitive, but one should experiment with sending emails (with less time sensitivity like a digest) during downtimes. [4] 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻-𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 - I've seen reset password emails with chunky, branded banners and flashy footers. - Adopt plain-text for system emails to avoid consuming real estate unnecessarily. - At max, plug in a logo + a single-line footer with the un-subscription link. - It also helps with avoiding the wrong inbox profile. [5] 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 - Most emails are "personalized" by referencing the name or company. - That's not personalization. That's just token insertion. - With LLMs on the rise, the best personalization will be contextualizing the copy based on the persona at hand. Let me explain the last point with an example. Assume the product is a Project Management tool like Asana or Clickup. Say they launch a new analytics dashboard view. A Marketing manager might get: "Our new Analytics Dashboard gives you a bird's-eye view of your marketing campaigns' progress. Track key performance indicators like campaign completion rates and team productivity, helping you optimize resource allocation and hit your marketing goals faster." But for the same feature, a software lead might get: "We've just launched our Analytics Dashboard, allowing you to visualize your development team's velocity and sprint progress. Monitor critical metrics like code commit frequency and bug resolution times to streamline your development cycles and boost overall productivity" -- What are your SaaS email tips?

I analyzed 100+ SaaS onboarding email sequences. Here's what actually works: 📊 After reviewing over a hundred onboarding email sequences across various B2B SaaS products, clear patterns emerged distinguishing what drives user activation from what gets ignored. ⏱️ Timing is as crucial as content ▪️ First email: Sent within 3 minutes of signup to capitalize on user engagement. ▪️ Key information: Delivered promptly, ideally within the first day, to guide users effectively. ▪️ Follow-up emails: Aligned with typical user behavior patterns, not arbitrary schedules. 🧠 Subject line psychology ▪️ Specific value propositions: Outperform generic welcomes. ▪️ Personalization: Including the user's name or specific goals can increase open rates. ▪️ Concise phrasing: Subject lines under 7 words tend to perform better. 📱 Content structure that converts ▪️ Single, clear CTA: Avoid multiple calls to action to reduce decision fatigue. ▪️ Bulleted action steps: Enhance readability and user engagement. ▪️ Mobile-first design: Essential, as a significant portion of users access emails on mobile devices. ▪️ Strategic placement of social proof: Position testimonials or success stories before key actions to build trust. 🔄 Effective sequence logic ▪️ Optimal sequence: 7–10 emails over 14 days. ▪️ Day 0: Immediate value and quick win. ▪️ Days 1–2: Core feature education. ▪️ Days 3–7: Use cases and success stories. ▪️ Days 8–14: Advanced features and potential upsells. 💡 Key insight: Emails that help users visualize outcomes ("Here's what you'll achieve") tend to drive more engagement than those focusing solely on product features. What strategies have you found effective in your onboarding email sequences?

After reviewing data from 1,000s of inboxes at RevGrowth, these 8 practices have made the biggest impact for consistent 99% email deliverability:   Most teams skip at least one of these, then wonder why their cold emails land in spam.   Here's what we do:   1. Use Secondary Domains - Never send from your main domain > We buy secondary domains through Porkbun for cheap, easy management   2. Track Replies Only - Open and click tracking hurt deliverability > I keep reply tracking on and turn everything else off. Clean signal, less risk   3. Send Fewer Emails Per Mailbox - I stick to 30 emails/day per mailbox, max > Spread your volume across several domains. Fewer red flags, more consistency   4. Warm Up Slowly - Ramp up sending volume over time. > Start low, increase gradually. This builds trust with inbox providers.   5. Double-Verify Your Lists - Bad data kills sender reputation > We use LeadMagic, Icypeas, and Prospeo.io for email search, then verify with LeadMagic. Clean lists = low bounce rates   6. Use Modern Sending Platforms - Old-school SEPs drag down deliverability > I recommend EmailBison or Smartlead   7. Automate CRM Syncing - Manual updates cause errors and missed follow-ups. > OutboundSync handles real-time syncing with HubSpot or Salesforce. Less manual work, more accuracy.   8. Stick to Plain Text - Links and images lower inbox rates. > I write text-only emails. They look more human and get better placement.   Our team applies these 8 steps in every workflow ourselves & all client accounts.   What’s been your biggest deliverability challenge lately?

We grew an email list from 0 to 500K subscribers in just 10 months. If I were starting from scratch today, here's exactly how I'd do it again: 1) Nail the Lead Magnet: The fastest way to grow your email list is by offering something valuable in exchange for an email. Think of it like this: people won't give up their email for nothing. Create something they can't ignore: a discount, exclusive content, or a tool they can’t find elsewhere. For us, offering free travel guides was a game-changer. 2) Optimize for Opt-Ins Everywhere: Your website, blog, and even social media accounts should work like opt-in machines. For example: - Add pop-ups and fly outs on key pages. - Place CTAs above the fold. - Use scroll-triggered modals when visitors are engaged. We tested endlessly, and this attention to detail paid off big. 3) Tap Into Paid Growth Early: Ads get a bad rep, but when done right, they’re a growth accelerant. We launched targeted ads promoting our lead magnet and built a funnel that turned traffic into email signups. Paid campaigns helped us scale fast while testing which offers resonated with our audience. 4) Partner with the Right People: Collaborations can grow your list faster than any single effort. Whether it’s co-branded giveaways, email swaps, or shoutouts, find brands or creators that share your target audience. A well-executed partnership will unlock exponential growth. One really unique thing we did: We bought a bunch of viral social accounts and rebranded them for our business. This was huge in kickstarting massive and sustainable growth. And we fast-tracked the social proof we needed to build trust and scale quickly. 5) Focus on Quality, Not Just Quantity: A big list is meaningless without engagement. From Day 1, we focused on high-value emails to ensure subscribers opened, clicked, and stayed. Here’s a pro tip: Consistency wins. Sending emails weekly or bi-weekly keeps your list warm and engaged. 6) Build a Content Machine: Pair email growth with an organic content strategy that feeds your funnel. Blog posts, social media, and SEO aren’t just good for traffic—they create trust. The more valuable content you share, the more people will want to hear from you. 7) Leverage Cheap Marketing Channels in Ways Others Haven’t: This is going to ruffle some feathers but we absolutely dominated cold email for user acquisition. To the tune of 6 figure subscriber acquisition. No one was doing cold email for B2C the way we did it. This proved to be the most scalable yet cheapest acquisition channel we had. — To recap: - Offer something valuable for free to grow your list. - Use every channel—paid and organic—to drive opt-ins. - Build relationships with partners who already have your audience. The result? A system that scales. Your list is the one asset you fully own—start building it ASAP!

Email automation isn’t about spamming inboxes, it’s about creating a thoughtful, trust-building journey that leads to conversions. Here’s a streamlined approach to getting email right: 1. Set a Consistent, Friendly Cadence Nurturing works best with a consistent rhythm. Start with every 2-3 days, then shift to every 5 days after the first month. Aim for around 10 emails in those first 30 days to stay top of mind. If someone unsubscribes, they likely weren’t the right fit anyway. 2. Use Tools That Make Automation Easy Popular tools like Beehiiv, High Level, Salesforce, Pipedrive, and MailChimp offer powerful yet user-friendly options. Choose one that fits into your workflow, so your team can quickly adapt based on what resonates with your audience. 3. Focus on Value Before the “Ask” The best email strategies follow the “Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook” model—giving value before asking for anything. For SaaS, this means: - Add value: Share insights, case studies, and helpful content that establish trust. - Mix in a CTA: After a few value-driven messages, add a clear call-to-action—whether it’s a demo, trial, or quote request. - Plan for 7-10 touchpoints: SaaS buyers often need multiple interactions before they’re ready to commit. Patience and consistency pay off. Effective email automation is about staying relevant, delivering value, and building a relationship over time. When done right, you’ll earn not just a sale but a loyal customer who trusts your brand. #SaaSMarketing #DemandGen #B2BMarketing

I’ll never let a dirty email list near my SaaS again. A year ago, we were flying blind at Ajelix. Users signed up, but every week, more support tickets rolled in: “Didn’t get my confirmation.” “Can’t reset my password.” Our marketing emails were invisible. We kept tweaking subject lines and templates, changing ESPs, convinced that was the problem. The real issue? We had dozens of invalid or abandoned addresses in our list that no one questioned. Each bad email quietly chipped away at our sender reputation until even legitimate users couldn’t get through onboarding. At one point, our bounce rate spiked past 5% which is deadly for SaaS. We burned weeks blaming providers, migration tools, cold outreach tactics, anything but the real problem: a dirty list. Cleaning our lists before sending changed everything: - Bounce rate went from 5% to under 0.2% - Support tickets for missing emails dropped 70% - Open rate jumped from 20% to 67% Now, we validate every email with our API before it enters our system. It’s non-negotiable. It took nearly a year of losing users and budget for this lesson to stick. If you’re running SaaS or outbound, don’t make the same mistake. One bad import or unchecked signup can trash months of growth. What’s your process for keeping lists clean? Want to avoid the mess? You can run your list through Mailerio and start seeing clean results now: https://mailerio.com/ How are you handling this in your own process?

Most deliverability issues boil down to bad data. Either you’re sending to people you shouldn't, or you’re sending things the right people don’t care about. Here's what might be contributing to your issue… First, the most common list growth missteps: 💌 Not getting explicit permission at signup. I’m not talking about what legally counts as an opt-in… for example, acquiring a list of “opt-in” addresses from a partner or affiliate. If they’re not aware of the fact that your brand will be emailing them, just don’t do it. 💌 Not clearly setting expectations. They should know exactly what they’re signing up for before they submit their address. And ideally, you follow up with a welcome email that reinforces who you are and why you’re in their inbox. Then you stick to what you promised! If you haven’t defined re-engagement or sunset policies yet, skip ahead to Step 6 — it walks you through how to build them. 💌 Not validating email addresses at the point of entry. Sometimes, even the most legitimate brands pull in trash signups… perhaps because they’re running a sweepstakes that entices people to share disposable email addresses. Or their form isn’t protected with a CAPTCHA (or similar line of defense against bot signups). Quick plug for real-time email verification if you’re collecting a LOT of addresses and delivery rates are often below ~95%. 💌 Sending mail that’s disconnected from what they signed up for. For example, if your last sweepstakes attracted people who only wanted a free iPad, not your content. Keep it relevant to what you’ll be emailing them about, people! Email is about quality, not quantity. Now on to common flaws in list management: 💌 Changing your frequency or volume without warning. Mailbox providers like consistency. When they notice changes in recipient reaction or sending volume, they’re likely to figure you’ve been hacked (and someone else is running amok with your sender reputation), or you’re doing something squirrely (in which case, well, maybe you don’t deserve the inbox anymore). 💌 Sending infrequently (e.g. once every 6 months). This one’s also a red flag for mailbox providers since they don’t have enough recent sending history to know if you’re safe for their users. Not to mention, recipients may forget about you, making them more likely to mark your emails as spam. 💌 Not acting on engagement data. You’ve gotta pay attention to your positive engagement signals (e.g. opens and clicks) and the negative ones (e.g. marking your email as spam or unsubscribing) to ensure you’re only sending to people who actually want to hear from you. Suppressing people who’ve asked to get off the ride isn’t just good for deliverability… it’s also legally required in a lot of parts of the world. 💌 Not having a re-engagement or sunset policy. Want to know what ‘unengaged’ should mean for your brand, or how to build re-engagement flows? Check out my most recent blog post for Send It Right.