BoldTrail: Troubleshooting Email Deliverability & Open Rates

We understand the frustration when a client misses an important property alert or check-in. Our technical team has verified that our domain authentication (DKIM & DMARC) is correctly set up. This means our emails are technically "verified" and secure.

However, email providers (like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook) use complex, changing algorithms to sort mail. This guide explains why emails might still miss the inbox and how to interpret your CRM tracking data.

1. The "Promotions" Tab vs. Spam Folder

A common misconception is that if an email isn't in the "Primary" inbox, it went to Spam. This is especially true for Gmail users.

• The Promotions/Updates Tab: Gmail automatically filters marketing emails, newsletters, and automated system alerts (like property notifications) into the Promotions or Updates tabs.
• The Reality: If your email is in these tabs, it was successfully delivered. It simply wasn't prioritized as a personal, 1-to-1 conversation.
• The Fix: Ask your clients to drag one of your emails from the "Promotions" tab to the "Primary" tab. Gmail will ask if they want to do this for all future messages. They should click "Yes."

2. Why Emails Hit Spam (Even with Verified Tech)

Even with our security settings in place, the following factors can trigger spam filters:

• Low Engagement: If you send property alerts to 1,000 leads and only 5 open them, email providers assume the content is unwanted and will start filtering it to spam for everyone.
• Spam Trigger Words: Subject lines using excessive capitalization, multiple exclamation points, or phrases like "FREE," "GUARANTEE," or "$$$" can trigger filters.
• Image-Heavy Emails: Emails that are just one large image (like a flyer) with very little text are often flagged.

3. Understanding "Opened" Status Inaccuracies

You may notice that the "Opened" status in BoldTrail doesn't always match reality. This is due to privacy features implemented by major tech companies.

Important Note: Email tracking relies on a tiny, invisible image (a pixel) loading when the email is opened.

• False Negatives (Status says "Unopened" but they read it): Many email clients (like Outlook or certain mobile apps) block images by default. If the client reads your text but doesn't download images, the CRM never receives the signal, and it reports the email as "Unopened."
• False Positives (Status says "Opened" but they didn't read it): Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) on iPhones and Macs automatically "pre-loads" all email images on a proxy server to protect user privacy. This tricks the CRM into thinking the client opened the email, even if they deleted it without looking.

4. Best Practices: How to Improve Your Deliverability

You cannot control the algorithms, but you can influence them.

Important Strategy: Send 1-1 Emails via Gmail/Outlook One of the best ways to keep your CRM emails out of spam is to first establish a relationship using your direct email provider (e.g., your actual Realty Concepts Gmail account), not the CRM.

How to Sync Your Realty Concepts Gmail to BoldTrail

• Why? When you send a 1-to-1 email from Gmail and the client replies, Google/Outlook "whitelists" the conversation. They see that you are having a real, two-way conversation.
• The Benefit: Once that 1-1 reply happens, future automated emails from the CRM (sent from that same email address) are far more likely to land in the Primary Inbox because the "trust" has already been established.
• Recommendation: When you get a new lead, send the very first welcome email manually from your phone or Gmail. Once they reply, then turn on the BoldTrail drip campaigns.

Other Tips:

• The "Safe List" Request: When you first speak to a new lead, tell them: "I’ll be sending you property listings from [Your Email]. Please check your spam or promotions folder today and mark me as 'Safe' or 'Not Spam' so you don't miss out."
• Clean Your Lists: If a lead hasn't opened an email in 6 months, stop emailing them or move them to a different campaign. Continuing to email "dead" leads hurts your reputation with Gmail and Yahoo.

FAQ

BoldTrail's Help Article: Keeping Emails Out of the Spam Folder

Q: Can IT fix this on the backend? A: We have already ensured our backend authentication (DKIM/DMARC) is verified. This proves we are who we say we are. The placement of the email (Inbox vs. Spam) is now determined by the receiver's email provider based on the content and your sender reputation.

Q: My client swears they didn't get the email. A: Ask them to search their inbox for your name specifically, including their Trash and Spam folders. If they are on a work email address (e.g., @companyname.com), their corporate firewall may be blocking external marketing emails. Ask for a personal email address (Gmail/Yahoo) instead.