Ep 55: Talk Turkey - The Q4 Email Gut Check

It’s crunch time.

Jordan Gordon breaks down a no-BS audit you can run this week to see whether your email program is actually inboxing, or just propped up by Apple Privacy opens and bot clicks.

From ISP splits (Gmail vs. iCloud) to the “ladder” segmentation test (0–30 / 31–60 / 61–90+ days), Jordan shows how to spot false signals, clean up your sends, and shift from campaign volume to revenue-driving automations before Black Friday.

What you’ll learn:

• How to read ISP-level signals and uncover the Apple Privacy mirage
• The ladder test: a simple way to see who’s truly receiving your emails
• Bot clicks (Proofpoint, Outlook/G Suite) vs. real engagement—and what to exclude
• When to cool campaigns, tighten segmentation, and let flows carry Q4
• Why “more sends” can tank deliverability—and how to ramp safely

#emailmarketing #retentionmarketing #ecommercegrowth #deliverability #klaviyo #customerretention #dtcpodcast #marketingops #inboxing #emailstrategy #q4prep #blackfriday2025 #ecommercemarketing #emailsegmentation #automations #pilothouse #dtcbrands #marketingpodcast #growthmarketing #digitalmarketing

00:00 — Introduction

01:32 — Talk Turkey: The Q4 email gut check begins

05:53 — The deadly combo: Increasing audience and frequency at once

10:13 — The risk of scaling sends without the right tools

12:12 — How to run an ISP-level audit (Gmail vs. iCloud)

14:07 — The Ladder Test: Find out who’s really seeing your emails

18:58 — The bot-click trap and false engagement signals

34:56 — Less is more: Shrink sends, grow deliverability and revenue

Work with Pilothouse: ⁠⁠https://www.pilothouse.co/get-in-touch?utm_source=dtc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=e&rPodcast⁠⁠

Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DTCPodcast⁠

Subscribe to DTC: ⁠⁠https://www.directtoconsumer.co/⁠⁠

Listen to DTC Podcast: ⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dtcpodcast⁠