git:20260130.9b3c151 to git:20260130.4caa77f

---

name: email-metrics-benchmarks

description: Email metrics to track, 2X levers, and structure checklist for cold outreach. Use when analyzing campaign performance, setting benchmarks, or optimizing email metrics.

---

# Email Metrics & Benchmarks

## Email Metrics to Track

### 2X Levers (Metrics you can realistically double)

| Metric | Current Baseline | Good | Great |

|--------|------------------|------|-------|

| Cold email reply rate | 0.5-1.0% | 2-3% | 5%+ |

| Email open rate | 20-40% | 50% | 60%+ |

| Email click rate | 2-5% | 5-8% | 10%+ |

---

## Performance by Outreach Type

| Outreach Type | Reply Rate |

|---------------|------------|

| Cold outreach (no signal) | 6-8% |

| Signal-based outreach | 18-22% |

| Multi-signal stacked | 35-40% |

| Website visitor follow-up | 25-30% |

| Champion job change | 20-25% |

---

## Email Structure Checklist

```

Opening (trigger) + Assumption + Social proof with numbers + Open-ended question

```

### By Seniority

| Target | Max Sentences | Max Words |

|--------|---------------|-----------|

| BTL (Managers, ICs) | 3-4 sentences | 90 words |

| ATL (VPs, C-Level) | 2-3 sentences | 60 words |

---

## Deliverability Benchmarks

| Metric | Target | Warning | Critical |

|--------|--------|---------|----------|

| Bounce rate | <2% | 2-5% | >5% |

| Spam rate | <0.1% | 0.1-0.3% | >0.3% |

| Unsubscribe rate | <0.5% | 0.5-1% | >1% |

---

## Sequence Performance

### Email 1

- Highest open rate

- Sets the tone

- Most important to optimize

### Email 2 (Day 3)

- 40-60% of Email 1 opens

- Different angle

- Shorter than Email 1

### Email 3 (Day 14)

- New subject line

- Fresh approach

- Delegation ask effective

### Email 4 (Break-up)

- Often highest reply rate

- Creates urgency

- Clean exit

---

## Optimization Priorities

### If Open Rate Low (<30%)

1. Test subject lines

2. Check sender reputation

3. Verify deliverability

4. Test send times

### If Reply Rate Low (<2%)

1. Improve relevance/personalization

2. Shorten message

3. Strengthen CTA

4. Add social proof

5. Test different frameworks

### If Meeting Rate Low (<20% of replies)

1. Qualify better in message

2. Improve CTA clarity

3. Reduce friction to book

4. Follow up faster

---

## Quick Diagnostics

| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |

|---------|--------------|-----|

| Low opens | Subject line or deliverability | A/B test subjects, check spam score |

| Opens but no replies | Message relevance | More personalization, shorter copy |

| Replies but no meetings | Weak CTA or poor qualification | Clearer ask, better targeting |

| High unsubscribe | Too aggressive or wrong ICP | Reduce frequency, refine targeting |