Look, let’s be honest. There’s nothing more frustrating than spending an hour writing a great offer for your customers, hitting send, and then... crickets.
You check your stats and realise half your list didn't even see it. Why? Because Google and Outlook decided your business was a nuisance and chucked your email straight into the junk folder.
It’s not just annoying. It’s costing you money.
Every email that lands in spam is a missed phone call, a missed booking, or a sale that went to your competitor down the road instead. If you’re paying for an email platform but your messages aren't getting through, you’re essentially setting fire to your marketing budget. I’ve seen some email platform costs spiral out of control because owners keep paying for bigger lists while their results keep dropping.
We need to fix this. And we need to fix it now.
Here’s the good news: you don’t need to be a computer genius to sort this out. Most of the time, your emails are hitting spam because of three or four specific things that are easy to overlook.
Why the big guys are picking on you
Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook have one job: to keep their users happy. They do that by blocking rubbish.
The problem is, their "rubbish detectors" are getting incredibly sensitive. If your business email isn't set up perfectly, you look like a scammer from overseas, even if you’re just a local plumber in Coorparoo trying to send out a seasonal discount.
Over the last year, the rules changed. Google and Yahoo brought in new requirements that basically say: "If you don't prove exactly who you are, we aren't letting you in."
If you haven't touched your email settings in two years, I can almost guarantee you’re failing these tests.
The 'ID Cards' of the email world
Think of this like a bouncer at a pub. If you show up without ID, you aren't getting in.
In the email world, there are three main "ID cards" you need to have attached to your domain (your business website address).
1. SPF (The Guest List)
This tells the world which servers are allowed to send email on your behalf. If you use Outlook for your daily emails but Mailchimp for your newsletters, both need to be on this list. If they aren't, the receiving server thinks someone is pretending to be you.2. DKIM (The Digital Wax Seal)
This is like a digital signature that proves the email hasn't been messed with since it left your outbox. It’s a bit of code that sits in the background. Without it, you look suspicious.3. DMARC (The Instructions)
This is the most important one lately. It tells Google what to do if an email fails the first two tests. If you don't have this set up, many big providers will just block you by default now.What you should do: Don't try to code this yourself. Ask your web person or your IT mate: "Are my SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records set up for my marketing platform?" If they look at you blankly, find someone else to help. It takes about 20 minutes to fix but saves you thousands in lost business.
Stop acting like a spammer
Even if your technical settings are perfect, you can still get blocked if you act like a pest.
I see this all the time with Brisbane businesses. They get busy, don't email their list for six months, and then suddenly blast everyone three times in a week because they want to make extra sales for a holiday or a quiet period.
To Google, that looks like a hijacked account.
Consistency is key. If you haven't emailed your list in ages, don't just blast them with a hard sell. Ease back into it. Send something helpful first.
Also, watch your language. Using "FREE!!!" in all caps in your subject line is a one-way ticket to the junk folder. So is using bright red fonts or too many images. Keep it simple. Write like you’re emailing a mate.
The 'Ghost' Problem
One of the biggest reasons you’re hitting spam is because you’re emailing people who don't care.
If you have 1,000 people on your list, but 400 of them haven't opened an email from you in a year, those 400 people are actively hurting your business.
When Google sees that people are ignoring your emails, it assumes your content is boring or irrelevant. So, it starts hiding your emails from the people who do actually want to read them.
The Fix: You need to clean your list. I know it feels wrong to delete potential customers, but trust me, they aren't customers if they aren't seeing your messages.
Every three to six months, go through and remove anyone who hasn't opened an email in the last 90 days. Your "open rates" will skyrocket, and Google will start putting you back in the primary inbox. It’s much better to have 500 people who actually read your stuff than 2,000 who ignore you. This is how you start making money instead of just making noise.
Don't use a Gmail address for business
If you are still sending your business emails from yourbusiness@gmail.com or bigpond.com, stop. Just stop.
Not only does it look unprofessional to a customer, but it’s also a nightmare for deliverability. Professional email tools are designed to work with custom domains (like @yourbusiness.com.au).
If you’re using a free personal email address to send bulk marketing, you’re going to get flagged as spam almost instantly. It costs about $10-20 a month to have a professional Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 account. It’s the best money you’ll ever spend on your business's reputation.
How to test if you're in trouble
Want to know if you have a problem right now? There’s a free tool called "Mail-Tester".
You send one email to a specific address they give you, and it gives you a score out of 10. It’ll tell you exactly which "ID cards" you’re missing and if your IP address is on a blacklist.
If you score below an 8, you’ve got work to do.
What should you do first?
If you're worried about your emails disappearing, do these three things this week:
1. Check your 'ID cards': Ask your IT person if your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are active. 2. Clean the 'Ghosts': Log into your email tool and delete anyone who hasn't opened an email in 6 months. Be ruthless. 3. Simplify your emails: Stop using fancy templates with heaps of graphics. Plain text with one or two links usually gets through much better and feels more personal to the customer.
The Bottom Line
Email marketing is still one of the cheapest and most effective ways to get more bookings and sales. But it only works if people actually see the emails.
Don't let a few technical settings or a messy list stand between you and a busier schedule. Sort the tech out, be consistent, and treat your customers' inboxes with respect.
If you’re sitting there thinking "I don’t have time for this DNS rubbish," that’s fair enough. You’ve got a business to run.
We help local Brisbane businesses sort this stuff out every day so they can get back to work while the phone keeps ringing. If you want us to take a look at your setup and make sure you're actually reaching your customers, let's have a chat.
You can find us at Local Marketing Group. We’ll tell you straight what’s working and what’s a waste of your time.