Email Marketing Specialist — Build a Cold‑Outreach → Opt‑In Affiliate Funnel (iGaming / Comparison)

Email Marketing Specialist — Build a Cold‑Outreach → Opt‑In Affiliate Funnel (iGaming / Comparison) Type: Contract (with potential for ongoing retainer) Category: Email Marketing / Marketing Automation Experience level: Expert About us We run an independent online‑casino comparison brand for the Australian market (reviews, rankings, bonus and payout comparisons). Revenue is affiliate‑based — we earn when readers click out to an operator and sign up. We already have landing pages and four A/B lander variants live; we now need an email engine that turns cold reach into a warm, opted‑in audience we can monetise compliantly. What we need Design, set up, and document a complete email funnel that does two jobs: Cold outreach — a compliant cold‑acquisition layer whose only goal is to earn a genuine opt‑in (not to sell on first touch). Opt‑in nurture funnel — once subscribed, a welcome + nurture sequence that drives clicks to our comparison pages and affiliate offers. This is a build‑and‑document engagement: we want the funnel working and a clear rationale for the decisions you made so our team can run it after handoff. Scope of work 1. Choose the email platform (and justify it). Evaluate and recommend the ESP / sending stack (e.g. Instantly, Smartlead, Lemlist, Mailgun, Brevo, Klaviyo, etc.) for our two layers — cold sending vs. opt‑in broadcast/automation may need different tools. Deliver a short written rationale: why this provider over the alternatives, deliverability track record, pricing at our volume, iGaming/affiliate content tolerance, API/automation fit, and any risks. 2. Set it up. Domains, sending accounts, SPF / DKIM / DMARC, tracking domain, warm‑up, list/segment structure, suppression and unsubscribe handling. Build the cold‑outreach sequence focused on a single CTA: opt in to our list. Build the opt‑in funnel: confirmation/welcome, a value nurture sequence, and offer emails that link to our landers (we'll provide UTM conventions; each variant must be trackable separately). Set up basic reporting (open/click caveats acknowledged, but click + landing‑page conversion is what we measure). 3. Explain & hand off. A concise playbook doc: the funnel map, why each step exists, sending limits/warm‑up schedule, how to add new offers, and how to read the metrics. A 30‑minute walkthrough call. You're a great fit if you have Proven cold‑email deliverability experience (domain/inbox warm‑up, DNS auth, avoiding spam folders). Built opt‑in funnels end to end in a real ESP/automation tool. Experience in affiliate, iGaming, finance, or another high‑scrutiny vertical (a plus). Can explain trade‑offs in writing, not just execute. Deliverables ESP/stack recommendation + written rationale. Fully configured sending infrastructure (auth, warm‑up, lists, suppression). Cold‑outreach sequence (opt‑in goal) + copy or copy framework. Opt‑in welcome + nurture + offer sequences, wired to our landers with UTMs. Playbook doc + handoff call. To apply, please answer: Which ESP/stack would you choose for a cold‑reach → opt‑in affiliate funnel in a regulated vertical, and why? (2–4 sentences is fine.) How do you keep cold email compliant and out of spam at scale? Share one funnel you've built with rough results (opt‑in rate / deliverability / click‑through).