Before you send: Your Pre-flight Email Checklist

Here is a checklist of some key elements that should be in your email newsletter or promotion
before you press the “Send” button:

Your “From” and “Subject” Lines:
Does your “From” line include your company name or brand?

Does your “Subject” line:

• meet the guidelines for length (5-8 words, 40 characters including spaces)?
• incorporate a specific benefit?
• include your brand (if for some reason your “From” line does not)?
• create a sense of urgency?
• avoid words or punctuation — such as “Free” or exclamation
• points — that could trigger spam filters?

Your Email Copy:

• Will the content of your email be interesting and meaningful to the people you’re sending it to?
• Is your email personalized with the recipient’s first name, last name, or both, if appropriate?
• Is your email copy clear and concise?
• Will your contacts know what to do once they’ve read your email? Should they call to request your free offer? Print out a coupon? Provide comments and feedback on an article?
• Does your email clearly explain how your product or service can help [benefit] the recipient? Save them money? Time? Aggravation?
• Have you used appropriate graphics while also making good use of white space?

Important Last-Second Checks:

• Are you prepared to handle inbound email responses and questions resulting from your
• outbound email campaigns? Follow-through is as important as the first contact.
• Have you proofread the “From” line, “Subject” line, and email copy thoroughly?
• Have you checked all links to be sure they work properly?
• Have you previewed and sent yourself a test in both HTML and text formats?

When you can answer “yes” to these questions, you are ready to hit the “Send” button. Congratulations!