Great stuff Jack. As you shift directions this was probably a really wise move.

Going forward, I’d quit worrying about open rates. They aren’t always very accurate. Whether people open email on their phone or the web may affect whether the tracker can tell it was opened. It depends on the email service and app. Then there are services like Hey email which flat out block trackers.

You could also have people that open the email, then just delete without even reading. Isn’t reading the email what you really want? Or clicking whatever link is in the email?

Focus on emailing regularly and serving your audience. Forget the open rates. Everything will fall into place over time. :-)