Before you hit the “broadcast email” button, use this email checklist:
Whether you’re a serious B2B business or a light hearted B2C company, mistakes can be damaging. The lengthy process of creating and sending html emails can be made challenging if your legal department, P.R or other influencing parties change the design or copy just as your proofing your creations!
To make matters worse, it is frustratingly easy to overlook some relatively crucial elements without vigilant proofing. This lack of care and attention could quite obviously reflect onto your brand as clumsy or lazy.
| ~ Keep your workspace tidy:
This is a simple one, with many different assets, images, copy and lists circulating you’ll make light work of projects by filing your materials by each project. |
~ Don’t forget your text versions!
(a) Don’t Forget it! Yeah, we know, text versions are dull, but did you know that spam filters prefer it?! Without a text version you could look like a lazy spammer. Another reason not to forget it is that some mobile devices still use text based previewers, so don’t forget the little guys. (b) Check it! Like we said before, with the changes that are likely to be going on, you’ll need to make sure your links for calls-to-action are updated or replaced according to the html design. (c) However… we would suggest leaving large amounts of your top-loaded links at the bottom of a text version, before your footer with the usual address and unsubscribe links, as these long links can pack out the start of your email and force your main content down the page. |
| ~ Get help from colleagues:
It’s likely that you’ve been staring at the screen for hours and this is when you’re most likely to miss something, the old saying “a fresh pair of eyes” is poignant here. This is known as a proof list, testing the email to a select few people before the overall broadcast. |
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| ~ Right click, print & pin!
You may feel like a rookie doing this, but print out the check list below, you’ll be laughing when the guy next to you has sent a ‘dud’ to thousands. |
Email campaign delivery checklist
To help you check your own email campaigns against Email Design Best Practice advice, download our Expert Email Design Guide:
