Your Email List Is Lying To You

Your Email List Is Lying To You

Author: Dorien Morin-van Dam July 30, 2026 Duration: 33:01

Your open rates aren't the problem you think they are. In this episode, we're getting under the hood of email marketing — the welcome sequences, the authentication settings, and the domain reputation scores most small business owners have never even heard of, let alone checked.

This conversation covers why a healthy open rate isn't what you think, what's actually happening when your emails start landing in spam, and why "open rates are dead" as a metric (Apple's already skewing yours). We also get into AI's role in writing and designing email content, what belongs above the fold, and a simple, repeatable process for cleaning a stale list without losing subscribers for good.

If you have an email list sitting untouched, or you're not sure whether your emails are even reaching the inbox, this episode gives you a clear checklist of what to look at next.

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Hank Hoffmeier is an author, speaker, and podcast host with a passion for all things digital and social. With more than 25 years of experience in sales and marketing, he's been dubbed the Digital Marketing Infotainer because he makes marketing fun and successful.

'Strategy Talks: Content Strategy for Small Teams', Season 5, is where content marketing meets real business results. Hosted by hands-on content strategist Dorien Morin-van Dam, each episode delivers a focused conversation with a guest expert who shares a specific, repeatable play. You'll leave with a clear problem definition and a set of steps you can take this week.

No fluff. No theory. Just strategy you can use.

New episodes each week! We stream live on LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook.


Dorien Morin-van Dam knows what it's like to build a content engine without a massive budget or staff. In Strategy Talks: Content Strategy for Small Teams, she brings that practical, hands-on perspective to every conversation. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a direct line to operators who are in the trenches, sharing the specific, repeatable plays they use to turn thoughtful content into genuine business pipeline. Designed for founders, small teams, agencies, and solo consultants, each half-hour episode is tightly focused. You'll find discussions rooted in one of three critical areas: the fundamentals of content strategy and planning, the nuts and bolts of distribution and SEO, or the practical application of AI for content operations. The goal is always clarity-first, by defining a common problem many face, and then by unpacking a tangible solution. Listening to this podcast feels like having a seasoned strategist in your corner, cutting through the noise to deliver actionable insights you can apply almost immediately. If you're responsible for content but short on resources, these conversations provide the structured thinking and tactical advice to make your efforts more effective and less chaotic.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Strategy Talks: Content Strategy for Small Teams
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