Strategy & Deliverability

Full assessment of your email deliverability, authentication and sender reputation — plus lifecycle strategy, segmentation roadmap, programme architecture and measurement framework. From US$15,000.

US$15,000
Project engagement fee
3–4 weeks
Typical engagement timeline
Includes roadmap
Strategic document with implementation guidance

What is Strategy & Deliverability?

Strategy & Deliverability is a project engagement designed for companies with existing email programmes that need strategic direction. It combines a thorough technical assessment of your email infrastructure — including authentication, sender reputation and deliverability — with a strategic redesign of your lifecycle architecture, segmentation model and measurement framework.

If your team is experiencing deliverability issues, declining inbox placement, or you know your email programme is underperforming but you are not sure where to start, this engagement provides the diagnostic clarity and strategic direction you need. We assess what is working, what is not, and design a roadmap for rebuilding your email infrastructure properly.

The engagement produces a strategic roadmap document that can be executed by your internal team, or used as the blueprint for an Automation Build or ongoing Management engagement with AppLabx. Every recommendation is grounded in your actual data, your existing infrastructure, and your business objectives — not generic best-practice templates.

Who it's for

Built for teams with existing email programmes that need strategic direction and infrastructure improvement.

Existing programmes needing direction

Companies with active email programmes that lack a clear strategic framework — sending campaigns without lifecycle logic, segmentation model or measurement architecture.

Deliverability and inbox placement issues

Teams experiencing declining open rates, poor inbox placement, authentication failures or sender reputation problems that are limiting campaign performance.

Organisations ready to rebuild properly

Businesses that recognise the need to rebuild their email infrastructure from the ground up — with proper authentication, segmentation, journeys and measurement in place.

What's included

Every deliverable from audit to strategic roadmap — managed as a single fixed-fee engagement.

From US$15,000
  • Deliverability and authentication audit (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
  • Sender reputation review
  • List hygiene assessment
  • Segmentation strategy design
  • Customer journey mapping
  • Measurement and attribution framework
  • Strategic roadmap document
  • Implementation guidance

How it works

Five phases from discovery to strategic roadmap delivery.

  1. Discovery & audit (Week 1)

    We gather access to your ESP, domain records and sender reputation data. Our team conducts a full deliverability and authentication audit — reviewing SPF, DKIM and DMARC configuration, inbox placement data and sender reputation signals.

  2. Assessment & analysis (Week 1–2)

    We analyse your current subscriber data, list hygiene practices, segmentation model and existing automation. This phase identifies deliverability gaps, infrastructure weaknesses and opportunities for lifecycle improvement.

  3. Strategy design (Week 2–3)

    Based on the assessment, we design your segmentation strategy, map customer journeys, define lifecycle architecture and build a measurement and attribution framework tailored to your business objectives.

  4. Roadmap delivery (Week 3–4)

    We compile all findings and recommendations into a strategic roadmap document — prioritised by impact and effort, with clear next steps for implementation.

  5. Implementation guidance

    We walk your team through the roadmap, answer questions and provide guidance on execution priorities. This can transition into an Automation Build or ongoing Management engagement if needed.

Pricing

From US$15,000
  • One-time project engagement (not a retainer)
  • Full deliverability and authentication audit
  • Sender reputation and list hygiene review
  • Segmentation strategy and lifecycle architecture
  • Measurement and attribution framework
  • Strategic roadmap document with implementation guidance

Note: This is a one-time project fee. Pricing may vary depending on the complexity of your existing infrastructure and the number of domains or brands under review. We will provide a fixed quote after the initial discovery call.

Frequently asked questions

What does Strategy & Deliverability cover?

Strategy & Deliverability is a project engagement that assesses your current email infrastructure and designs a strategic direction for your programme. It covers deliverability and authentication audit (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), sender reputation review, list hygiene assessment, segmentation strategy design, customer journey mapping, measurement and attribution framework, and a strategic roadmap document with implementation guidance.

How long does the engagement take?

The engagement typically runs over three to four weeks. Week 1 focuses on discovery and audit, weeks 1–2 on assessment and analysis, weeks 2–3 on strategy design, and week 3–4 on roadmap delivery and implementation guidance. Timelines can be adjusted depending on the complexity of your existing infrastructure.

What do you need from us to start?

To begin the engagement, we need access to your email platform (ESP), domain authentication records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), sender reputation data from tools like Google Postmaster or Sender Score, your current subscriber data and segmentation setup, and any existing email performance reports. We will provide a full access checklist during the onboarding call.

Is this the same as the Email Marketing Audit?

No. The Email Marketing Audit is a diagnostic review of your current email programme that identifies gaps and opportunities. Strategy & Deliverability goes further — it includes the audit, but also delivers a complete strategic roadmap with segmentation design, lifecycle architecture, measurement framework and implementation guidance. The audit informs the strategy; this engagement produces the strategy.

What happens after the strategy is delivered?

After delivery, you receive the full strategic roadmap document and implementation guidance. Many clients then move into an Automation Build or ongoing Management engagement to execute the roadmap. We can also support implementation on a project basis if you prefer to execute in-house with our guidance.

Can this lead into an Automation Build?

Yes. Strategy & Deliverability is designed to feed directly into an Automation Build engagement. The strategic roadmap and lifecycle architecture produced in this engagement become the blueprint for the automation implementation — ensuring any builds are grounded in a clear strategy rather than built on assumptions.

Ready to fix your email infrastructure?

Book a 30-minute strategy call to discuss your current email programme, deliverability challenges and strategic goals. We will confirm scope and provide a detailed proposal within 48 hours.

No commitment required. We will review your current setup and advise on next steps.