What Can We Learn from Travis Hazlewood About Email Deliverability?
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GrokIn brief
Travis leads email deliverability at Ortto, bringing five years of cross-platform experience to keep both platform and customer emails landing in inboxes.
At a glance
Quick Takeaways
- Deliverability success starts with proper email authentication (DMARC, DKIM, SPF).
- Human-centered communication improves engagement and reduces spam complaints.
- Use a systematic hiring process to build a reliable deliverability team.
- Celebrate specific wins publicly to boost morale.
- Maintain a clean list by regularly removing unengaged contacts.
Who is Travis Hazlewood?
Travis leads email deliverability at Ortto, bringing five years of cross-platform experience to keep both platform and customer emails landing in inboxes.
How does he stay motivated when tackling tough problems?
He leverages his ADHD-driven hyper-focus, treating each challenge like a puzzle that needs that final piece to click into place.
What major obstacle did he overcome recently?
He built a new deliverability and compliance team while simultaneously hiring a replacement and planning his wedding.
What’s his favorite way to recognize good work?
He gives concrete, public praise that links the action to a positive outcome, ensuring the impact is visible to the whole team.
What’s a funny mistake he’s made?
He once fell through a ceiling joist while exploring his sister’s attic, turning an embarrassing moment into a memorable story.
What’s a non-negotiable principle for him?
The Oxford comma – he believes clear punctuation prevents miscommunication.
What single tip does he give for better deliverability?
Authenticate every email, secure sign-up forms, send relevant content, audit engagement, clean inactive lists, and avoid over-mailing.
How would he explain DMARC to a non-technical person?
He compares DMARC to a credit-card fraud filter that protects a brand’s reputation by blocking suspicious email traffic 👉 LINK.
Where can you learn more about email authentication?
Check out Palisade’s guide on Email Authentication Best Practices for detailed steps.
Questions readers ask
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to start improving email deliverability?
Begin with proper authentication (DMARC, DKIM, SPF) and clean your list of inactive recipients.
How often should I audit my email engagement metrics?
Monthly reviews help spot trends early and keep your sender reputation healthy.
Can I automate list cleaning without losing valuable contacts?
Yes, use engagement-based thresholds (e.g., no opens in 90 days) and segment before removal.
What role does human-centered content play in deliverability?
Personalized, timely content reduces spam complaints and boosts open rates, directly improving inbox placement.
How does DMARC enforcement affect my brand’s email reputation?
DMARC signals to ISPs that you’re protecting your domain, leading to higher trust and better deliverability.
Written by
Dominic LandryDeliverability & DNS
Dominic Landry works on email deliverability and DNS configuration at Palisade, from SPF and DKIM records through to DMARC enforcement.
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