Campaign numbers tell you what to fix, but only when you read them in the right order. Bounce speaks about the list, open rate about the subject and deliverability, reply rate about the target and the copy. Start from reply rate and you fix the wrong thing.
This guide walks through the Colldly screens in the order to look at them and says what is normal, what is a problem and what to do about it.
Bounce rate first
Under 3% is fine. Above 5% stop the campaign and clean the list, otherwise you are destroying your domain. Bounce is the one number to deal with immediately.
Open rate speaks about the subject line
Above 40% is solid, above 60% excellent. A low open rate means a weak subject line or a deliverability problem. Careful: some clients block images, so it is an indicative number.
Reply rate is what matters
Good campaigns reach 3 to 10%. A high open rate with a low reply rate means the subject line attracts but the copy does not deliver value or the call to action is unclear.
Look at the sequence steps
Split replies by step. When most come to the second and third email, the follow-ups do the work and adding another one pays off. When nobody replies to follow-ups, rewrite them.
Clicks show interest
Whoever clicked a link showed interest even without replying. These are the warmest contacts for a call or a more personal follow-up.
Decide based on one number
High bounce means clean the list. Low open rate means change the subject line. Low reply rate means change the offer or the segment. Always change one thing at a time, otherwise you never learn what worked.
- Bounce rate under 3%
- Open rate above 30% (on a verified list)
- Reply rate above 3% of contacted companies
- You know which sequence step brings the most replies
- The heatmap set the sending window
- You decided about the campaign on one number, not a feeling