What if your email strategy worked perfectly…until it crossed a border?

In this episode of Email After Hours, Guy Hanson and Danielle Gallant sit down with global email expert Alexandre “Alex” Coussy. They unpack the realities of email marketing across borders, with a deep dive into Australia’s unique ecosystem.

From regional mailbox providers like BigPond and Optus to Microsoft dominating the market share outside the US, the conversation reveals why deliverability strategies that work in North America or Europe can quickly fall apart in other regions. Alex shares practical insights from his international experience across France, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Australia, highlighting the importance of localization, technical precision, and adhering to privacy laws.

Whether you're scaling into new markets or optimizing an existing program, this episode offers a clear roadmap to staying compliant, relevant, and effective—no matter where your audience is.

What you’ll learn:

Why Australia’s mailbox providers (like BigPond and Optus) require a different deliverability approach
What makes Australian consent laws stricter and how they differ from US regulations
How to diagnose and recover from regional bounce spikes with a structured approach
Why localization (seasonality, tone, and culture) directly impacts engagement and performance
How to use AI as a practical workflow tool, not just a trend, for email marketing

…and more!

About Alex Coussy

Alexandre “Alex” Coussy is a CRM and lifecycle marketing specialist with over eight years of experience across France, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Australia. He specializes in customer retention, email deliverability, marketing automation, and data-driven personalization strategies.

With a strong focus on optimizing customer journeys across channels, including email, SMS, web, and WhatsApp, Alex helps brands improve engagement, lifetime value, and campaign performance. Known for his global perspective and hands-on approach, he brings both strategic insight and practical execution to modern email marketing challenges.

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Episode Highlights:

[01:55] Which mailbox provider would you have a beer with?
[03:05] Australia's unique regional mailbox provider landscape
[04:58] Microsoft's 30% market share & strict validation requirements
[07:03] Diagnosing 50% bounce rates on regional providers
[08:38] Australia's explicit consent Requirements vs. US cold email
[14:52] Content-based enforcement: The Lululemon $700K fine
[17:33] Practical AI use cases: Alt-text and gender prediction
[20:11] Is Australia behind on AI adoption? A measured approach
[22:48] The CRM collective: Australia's email community hot topics
[24:35] The future of email marketing: AI integration in workflows
[26:36] Dream AI product: Automated campaign research & planning
[28:37] Key takeaways: Global email strategy requires local execution

Episode Resources:

Alexandre Coussy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexcoussy/
Coucou Marketing Website: http://www.coucoumarketing.com/