What is DMARC and Why Should Your Sales Team Care?
Let's cut the jargon. Think of DMARC as the bouncer for your company's email club. Its full name is Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance, which is a mouthful that only an IT department could love. For you, the sales leader or AE just trying to hit quota, it means one thing: getting your emails into the prospect's inbox instead of their spam folder.
Without DMARC, anyone can send an email pretending to be from your domain (@yourcompany.com). These are the phishing scams and spammy impersonators that make everyone's life harder. Inbox providers like Google and Yahoo are cracking down, and as of 2024, they require strong authentication for bulk senders. If you don't have DMARC set up, your carefully crafted outreach is likely getting flagged as suspicious before it's ever seen. For a deeper dive into how to optimize your outreach and ensure your emails land in the right place, check out this step-by-step email management guide for sales teams.
Why should you, a sales professional, care about this technical alphabet soup? Because poor deliverability kills pipeline. Every email that lands in spam is a lost opportunity. Every bounced message is a wasted lead. Fixing your DMARC setup isn't an IT chore; it's a direct lever you can pull to increase reply rates, book more meetings, and close more deals. It’s the foundation of a modern outbound sales strategy. If you’re looking to further boost your outreach results, consider exploring the top email outreach tools for cold email and automation to complement your DMARC efforts.
The Prerequisites: SPF, DKIM, and DNS Access (The Annoying But Necessary Part)
Before you can set up DMARC, you need to get a couple of other things in order. Yes, it's a bit of a pain, but there's no skipping this step. You'll need access to your company's Domain Name System (DNS) records. This is usually managed where you bought your domain (like GoDaddy, Cloudflare, or Namecheap). If you don't have access, find the person on your team who does—and bring them coffee.
Once you're in, you need to make sure two other records are already in place: SPF and DKIM.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework): This is basically a guest list for your email domain. It's a TXT record in your DNS that lists all the services and servers authorized to send email on your behalf (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, your CRM, your sales engagement platform).
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): This is a digital signature that gets attached to every email you send. It uses a cryptographic key pair to prove the email hasn't been tampered with in transit. It’s like a wax seal on a letter, verifying it’s the real deal.
How DMARC Works with SPF and DKIM
DMARC is the boss that ties it all together. It tells receiving email servers what to do when an email arrives claiming to be from your domain. The server checks for two things:
Does the sender's IP address match the approved list in the SPF record?
Is there a valid DKIM signature that matches the domain?
If the email fails these checks, the DMARC policy you create tells the server how to handle the imposter. It’s the bouncer checking the ID (SPF) and the signature on the credit card (DKIM) before letting someone into your exclusive club. To further improve your deliverability and streamline your outreach, consider implementing premium inbox management strategies that work hand-in-hand with DMARC, SPF, and DKIM.
How to Create a DMARC Record
Alright, let's get to it. You don't need to be a coder to create a DMARC record. It’s one TXT record with a few tags. We’ll start safe, then harden gradually.
Step 1: Start in monitor mode (safe)
Create a TXT record at the host name:_dmarc.yourdomain.com
With this value:
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; ruf=mailto:dmarc-forensics@yourdomain.com; fo=1; adkim=r; aspf=r
What these mean (in human):
p=none— Monitor only; don’t block anything yet.rua— Where to send aggregate reports (daily XML summaries).ruf— Where to send forensic samples (optional; some providers limit these).fo=1— Ask for failure reports on either SPF or DKIM fail (optional).adkim/aspf— Alignment:r(relaxed) is forgiving;s(strict) is tighter.
Why start here: You’ll see who’s sending as you (legit tools and possible spoofers) without interrupting real email.
Step 2: Read the reports and fix alignment
Over 1–2 weeks, review the rua reports (use a DMARC report viewer or download CSVs) and clean up:
Add missing senders to SPF (marketing platform, support desk, etc.).
Enable DKIM for every tool that sends as your domain.
Align from addresses (e.g., make sure your sales platform uses
from: yourdomain.com).Remove old services you no longer use from SPF.
Step 3: Turn the dial up (protect the domain)
When you’re confident legit mail passes SPF or DKIM with alignment:
Quarantine a slice of traffic first:
v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; pct=25; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; adkim=r; aspf=r
p=quarantine— Failing mail goes to spam.pct=25— Apply policy to 25% of messages so you can spot surprises.
If everything looks good, move to 100%:
v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; pct=100; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; adkim=r; aspf=r
Finally, full enforcement (recommended end-state):
v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; adkim=s; aspf=s
p=reject— Spoofed mail is blocked outright.Consider
adkim=s; aspf=s(strict) once you’ve validated every sender.
Pro tips for sales teams
Use a dedicated domain (e.g.,
getyourdomain.com) or subdomain for outbound (e.g.,out.yourdomain.com) with its own DKIM and DMARC; it isolates risk and reputation.Warm new domains/subdomains gradually; ramp daily send volumes over weeks, not days.
Rotate DKIM keys annually or when vendors recommend it.
Keep SPF under 10 DNS lookups (SPF hard limit). Use vendor-recommended
include:statements.Track reply-rate and bounce-rate alongside DMARC pass rates. The goal is pipeline, not just green checkmarks.
Troubleshooting Checklist
Some replies go missing after enforcement: A tool is sending with a misaligned
From:or broken DKIM. Check vendor docs; ensure the envelope and header domains align.SPF “too many lookups” error: Consolidate includes, remove unused vendors, or use vendor-hosted SPF flattening if available.
Marketing vs. sales sender confusion: Ensure each platform has DKIM enabled for the exact domain/subdomain it uses.
Cold outreach flagged as spam despite passes: You’re authenticated, but reputation/content/volume are off. Lower daily volume, increase relevance, prune stale lists, and personalize.
Optional: Add BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification)
Once DMARC is at p=quarantine or p=reject, you can publish a BIMI record to display a verified logo in some inboxes. It won’t fix bad content, but it can lift trust and open rates at the margin.
default._bimi.yourdomain.com TXT v=BIMI1; l=https://yourcdn.com/brand/your-logo.svg; a=https://yourcdn.com/brand/your-vmc.pem
Don’t want to juggle DNS, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC? Topo can handle it for you
If you’d rather focus on pipeline than TXT records, we’ve got you. Topo sets up and monitors the whole deliverability stack so your team can send with confidence:
Audit & setup: We review your DNS, align all sending tools, and implement SPF/DKIM correctly.
DMARC done right: Start at
p=nonewith reporting, then progress to quarantine/reject safely—no lost legit mail.Ongoing monitoring: We watch DMARC reports, adjust alignment, and fix issues before they hit your reply rates.
Deliverability hygiene: Domain warmup, list quality, custom tracking domains, and cadence tuning tied to outcomes (meetings booked, not just opens).
Sales-first guidance: Practical recommendations for messaging and volume so you protect sender reputation and keep your pipeline moving.
What is DMARC and Why Should Your Sales Team Care?
Let's cut the jargon. Think of DMARC as the bouncer for your company's email club. Its full name is Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance, which is a mouthful that only an IT department could love. For you, the sales leader or AE just trying to hit quota, it means one thing: getting your emails into the prospect's inbox instead of their spam folder.
Without DMARC, anyone can send an email pretending to be from your domain (@yourcompany.com). These are the phishing scams and spammy impersonators that make everyone's life harder. Inbox providers like Google and Yahoo are cracking down, and as of 2024, they require strong authentication for bulk senders. If you don't have DMARC set up, your carefully crafted outreach is likely getting flagged as suspicious before it's ever seen. For a deeper dive into how to optimize your outreach and ensure your emails land in the right place, check out this step-by-step email management guide for sales teams.
Why should you, a sales professional, care about this technical alphabet soup? Because poor deliverability kills pipeline. Every email that lands in spam is a lost opportunity. Every bounced message is a wasted lead. Fixing your DMARC setup isn't an IT chore; it's a direct lever you can pull to increase reply rates, book more meetings, and close more deals. It’s the foundation of a modern outbound sales strategy. If you’re looking to further boost your outreach results, consider exploring the top email outreach tools for cold email and automation to complement your DMARC efforts.
The Prerequisites: SPF, DKIM, and DNS Access (The Annoying But Necessary Part)
Before you can set up DMARC, you need to get a couple of other things in order. Yes, it's a bit of a pain, but there's no skipping this step. You'll need access to your company's Domain Name System (DNS) records. This is usually managed where you bought your domain (like GoDaddy, Cloudflare, or Namecheap). If you don't have access, find the person on your team who does—and bring them coffee.
Once you're in, you need to make sure two other records are already in place: SPF and DKIM.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework): This is basically a guest list for your email domain. It's a TXT record in your DNS that lists all the services and servers authorized to send email on your behalf (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, your CRM, your sales engagement platform).
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): This is a digital signature that gets attached to every email you send. It uses a cryptographic key pair to prove the email hasn't been tampered with in transit. It’s like a wax seal on a letter, verifying it’s the real deal.
How DMARC Works with SPF and DKIM
DMARC is the boss that ties it all together. It tells receiving email servers what to do when an email arrives claiming to be from your domain. The server checks for two things:
Does the sender's IP address match the approved list in the SPF record?
Is there a valid DKIM signature that matches the domain?
If the email fails these checks, the DMARC policy you create tells the server how to handle the imposter. It’s the bouncer checking the ID (SPF) and the signature on the credit card (DKIM) before letting someone into your exclusive club. To further improve your deliverability and streamline your outreach, consider implementing premium inbox management strategies that work hand-in-hand with DMARC, SPF, and DKIM.
How to Create a DMARC Record
Alright, let's get to it. You don't need to be a coder to create a DMARC record. It’s one TXT record with a few tags. We’ll start safe, then harden gradually.
Step 1: Start in monitor mode (safe)
Create a TXT record at the host name:_dmarc.yourdomain.com
With this value:
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; ruf=mailto:dmarc-forensics@yourdomain.com; fo=1; adkim=r; aspf=r
What these mean (in human):
p=none— Monitor only; don’t block anything yet.rua— Where to send aggregate reports (daily XML summaries).ruf— Where to send forensic samples (optional; some providers limit these).fo=1— Ask for failure reports on either SPF or DKIM fail (optional).adkim/aspf— Alignment:r(relaxed) is forgiving;s(strict) is tighter.
Why start here: You’ll see who’s sending as you (legit tools and possible spoofers) without interrupting real email.
Step 2: Read the reports and fix alignment
Over 1–2 weeks, review the rua reports (use a DMARC report viewer or download CSVs) and clean up:
Add missing senders to SPF (marketing platform, support desk, etc.).
Enable DKIM for every tool that sends as your domain.
Align from addresses (e.g., make sure your sales platform uses
from: yourdomain.com).Remove old services you no longer use from SPF.
Step 3: Turn the dial up (protect the domain)
When you’re confident legit mail passes SPF or DKIM with alignment:
Quarantine a slice of traffic first:
v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; pct=25; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; adkim=r; aspf=r
p=quarantine— Failing mail goes to spam.pct=25— Apply policy to 25% of messages so you can spot surprises.
If everything looks good, move to 100%:
v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; pct=100; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; adkim=r; aspf=r
Finally, full enforcement (recommended end-state):
v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; adkim=s; aspf=s
p=reject— Spoofed mail is blocked outright.Consider
adkim=s; aspf=s(strict) once you’ve validated every sender.
Pro tips for sales teams
Use a dedicated domain (e.g.,
getyourdomain.com) or subdomain for outbound (e.g.,out.yourdomain.com) with its own DKIM and DMARC; it isolates risk and reputation.Warm new domains/subdomains gradually; ramp daily send volumes over weeks, not days.
Rotate DKIM keys annually or when vendors recommend it.
Keep SPF under 10 DNS lookups (SPF hard limit). Use vendor-recommended
include:statements.Track reply-rate and bounce-rate alongside DMARC pass rates. The goal is pipeline, not just green checkmarks.
Troubleshooting Checklist
Some replies go missing after enforcement: A tool is sending with a misaligned
From:or broken DKIM. Check vendor docs; ensure the envelope and header domains align.SPF “too many lookups” error: Consolidate includes, remove unused vendors, or use vendor-hosted SPF flattening if available.
Marketing vs. sales sender confusion: Ensure each platform has DKIM enabled for the exact domain/subdomain it uses.
Cold outreach flagged as spam despite passes: You’re authenticated, but reputation/content/volume are off. Lower daily volume, increase relevance, prune stale lists, and personalize.
Optional: Add BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification)
Once DMARC is at p=quarantine or p=reject, you can publish a BIMI record to display a verified logo in some inboxes. It won’t fix bad content, but it can lift trust and open rates at the margin.
default._bimi.yourdomain.com TXT v=BIMI1; l=https://yourcdn.com/brand/your-logo.svg; a=https://yourcdn.com/brand/your-vmc.pem
Don’t want to juggle DNS, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC? Topo can handle it for you
If you’d rather focus on pipeline than TXT records, we’ve got you. Topo sets up and monitors the whole deliverability stack so your team can send with confidence:
Audit & setup: We review your DNS, align all sending tools, and implement SPF/DKIM correctly.
DMARC done right: Start at
p=nonewith reporting, then progress to quarantine/reject safely—no lost legit mail.Ongoing monitoring: We watch DMARC reports, adjust alignment, and fix issues before they hit your reply rates.
Deliverability hygiene: Domain warmup, list quality, custom tracking domains, and cadence tuning tied to outcomes (meetings booked, not just opens).
Sales-first guidance: Practical recommendations for messaging and volume so you protect sender reputation and keep your pipeline moving.
FAQ
What's the difference between p=none, p=quarantine, and p=reject?
Think of it like this: `p=none` just watches and reports, `p=quarantine` sends suspicious emails to the spam folder, and `p=reject` tells the bouncer to throw them out entirely. Always start with `p=none` so you don't accidentally block your own legitimate emails.
What's the difference between p=none, p=quarantine, and p=reject?
Think of it like this: `p=none` just watches and reports, `p=quarantine` sends suspicious emails to the spam folder, and `p=reject` tells the bouncer to throw them out entirely. Always start with `p=none` so you don't accidentally block your own legitimate emails.
What's the difference between p=none, p=quarantine, and p=reject?
Think of it like this: `p=none` just watches and reports, `p=quarantine` sends suspicious emails to the spam folder, and `p=reject` tells the bouncer to throw them out entirely. Always start with `p=none` so you don't accidentally block your own legitimate emails.
What's the difference between p=none, p=quarantine, and p=reject?
Think of it like this: `p=none` just watches and reports, `p=quarantine` sends suspicious emails to the spam folder, and `p=reject` tells the bouncer to throw them out entirely. Always start with `p=none` so you don't accidentally block your own legitimate emails.
Can I set up DMARC without SPF and DKIM?
Nope. That's like hiring a bouncer (DMARC) but not giving them a guest list (SPF) or a way to check IDs (DKIM). SPF and DKIM are the non-negotiable prerequisites that DMARC needs to do its job. You have to set them up first.
Can I set up DMARC without SPF and DKIM?
Nope. That's like hiring a bouncer (DMARC) but not giving them a guest list (SPF) or a way to check IDs (DKIM). SPF and DKIM are the non-negotiable prerequisites that DMARC needs to do its job. You have to set them up first.
Can I set up DMARC without SPF and DKIM?
Nope. That's like hiring a bouncer (DMARC) but not giving them a guest list (SPF) or a way to check IDs (DKIM). SPF and DKIM are the non-negotiable prerequisites that DMARC needs to do its job. You have to set them up first.
Can I set up DMARC without SPF and DKIM?
Nope. That's like hiring a bouncer (DMARC) but not giving them a guest list (SPF) or a way to check IDs (DKIM). SPF and DKIM are the non-negotiable prerequisites that DMARC needs to do its job. You have to set them up first.
Why are Google and Yahoo forcing DMARC now?
Because they're tired of their users' inboxes being flooded with spam and phishing attempts. By requiring DMARC, they're making domain owners take responsibility for their email security, which cleans up the inbox for everyone and makes your legitimate emails more trustworthy.
Why are Google and Yahoo forcing DMARC now?
Because they're tired of their users' inboxes being flooded with spam and phishing attempts. By requiring DMARC, they're making domain owners take responsibility for their email security, which cleans up the inbox for everyone and makes your legitimate emails more trustworthy.
Why are Google and Yahoo forcing DMARC now?
Because they're tired of their users' inboxes being flooded with spam and phishing attempts. By requiring DMARC, they're making domain owners take responsibility for their email security, which cleans up the inbox for everyone and makes your legitimate emails more trustworthy.
Why are Google and Yahoo forcing DMARC now?
Because they're tired of their users' inboxes being flooded with spam and phishing attempts. By requiring DMARC, they're making domain owners take responsibility for their email security, which cleans up the inbox for everyone and makes your legitimate emails more trustworthy.
How long does it take for a DMARC record to work?
While the change can be quick, it can take up to 48 hours for your new DMARC record to fully propagate across the internet. Be patient. Your DNS provider's dashboard will usually give you an estimate of when the changes will go live.
How long does it take for a DMARC record to work?
While the change can be quick, it can take up to 48 hours for your new DMARC record to fully propagate across the internet. Be patient. Your DNS provider's dashboard will usually give you an estimate of when the changes will go live.
How long does it take for a DMARC record to work?
While the change can be quick, it can take up to 48 hours for your new DMARC record to fully propagate across the internet. Be patient. Your DNS provider's dashboard will usually give you an estimate of when the changes will go live.
How long does it take for a DMARC record to work?
While the change can be quick, it can take up to 48 hours for your new DMARC record to fully propagate across the internet. Be patient. Your DNS provider's dashboard will usually give you an estimate of when the changes will go live.
Sources and references
Topo editorial line asks its authors to use sources to support their work. These can include original reporting, articles, white papers, product data, benchmarks and interviews with industry experts. We prioritize primary sources and authoritative references to ensure accuracy and credibility in all content related to B2B marketing, lead generation, and sales strategies.
Sources and references for this article
Sources and references
Topo editorial line asks its authors to use sources to support their work. These can include original reporting, articles, white papers, product data, benchmarks and interviews with industry experts. We prioritize primary sources and authoritative references to ensure accuracy and credibility in all content related to B2B marketing, lead generation, and sales strategies.
Sources and references for this article
Sources and references
Topo editorial line asks its authors to use sources to support their work. These can include original reporting, articles, white papers, product data, benchmarks and interviews with industry experts. We prioritize primary sources and authoritative references to ensure accuracy and credibility in all content related to B2B marketing, lead generation, and sales strategies.
Sources and references for this article
Sources and references
Topo editorial line asks its authors to use sources to support their work. These can include original reporting, articles, white papers, product data, benchmarks and interviews with industry experts. We prioritize primary sources and authoritative references to ensure accuracy and credibility in all content related to B2B marketing, lead generation, and sales strategies.
Sources and references for this article