Email Marketing Checklist: 9 Essential Questions

Need to send an email? In this article, you’ll discover 9 essential questions to ask before sending your message. Get ready for valuable tips that will make your email sends spot-on every time.

Email marketing is an intimate form of communication. And with great power—the privilege of access to the inbox—comes great responsibility—the obligation to respect recipients’ permission, keeping emails valuable, actionable, and useful.

For me, the seconds before clicking “Send” on a big campaign are always tense. Almost like ripping off a band-aid.

The best way to do it is to follow a strict checklist before sending any email. So, in this article, I’m sharing an email marketing checklist with nine questions to ask before clicking “Send.”

Email Marketing Checklist

1. Did I write a catchy subject line?

Or, put another way, “Would I open this email if I received it?”

Your readers receive a lot of emails, which means yours needs an impactful subject line to grab their attention. Also, it’s important that subject lines increase value without hinting at costs. In other words, the reader should feel that your email’s content is extremely useful and won’t cost them a cent.

The subject line is, therefore, your first call to action (CTA). So avoid words that cause friction. Joanna Wiebe, from Copyhackers, mentioned at the Authority Intensive conference that CTAs are like closed doors: the reason people don’t click is because they’re afraid of what’s on the other side.

Depending on the type of email you’re sending, the subject line should make clear the value that clicking brings. Here are some of my favorite examples:

• “Where to drink beer now” (Easter Boston)
• “You can help end food waste” (WWF)
• “About last night” (Victoria’s Secret)
• “It’s not just driving. It’s therapy. Keep going.” (Porsche)
• “A mother’s love is something special” (Epilepsy Foundation)

Some studies indicate that subject lines should be short. And it’s true that, historically, subject lines with 4 to 15 characters perform very well.

But it’s also true that the best emails are creative and speak directly to the reader. If that means you need a longer subject line, don’t worry—go for it.

At the end of the day, marketers should run their own tests to understand what works for their audiences. Subject lines are crucial, so make sure you master them!

2. What will my readers see?

Every email provider allows you to set who sends the emails, but… whose email is it really? Not only is it important to set the sender, but you should also understand exactly what your readers will see before they open your message.

This includes the “from” address and subject, but can also include the first words of the email or even the alt text of images. The rule is simple—if it can appear in the inbox, it needs to be optimized.

To ensure that every available space is filled with attractive text, make sure your entire email is ready for readers.

First, all images should have alt text. Imagine you use an image of a coffee cup. If we were talking about a blog post, SEO would come into play and it would be important to use strategic keywords as alt text.

But in the beautiful world of email marketing, SEO is not king! Use alt text that excites, scares, or engages the reader. “Ready for a hot cup of coffee on us?” is much more interesting than cup_coffee_final_really_final.jpg.

Another important point: personalize the snippet. Please! The email snippet is a small preview of the email’s content that appears in the inbox before it’s opened.

If you don’t personalize it, what will appear to your reader are the first words of the email body. When does this not work? For example, when emails start with “View as webpage” and these words take up precious snippet space. Your reader’s attention is gold—don’t waste it.

3. Is this email really for whom?

Contact list segmentation is one of the biggest missed opportunities in email marketing. Let’s be honest—in 2024, segmenting by demographic and firmographic characteristics may not be enough.

Your segmentation should be based not just on demographics, but also on behavior. You can, for example, trigger an email when:

• A lead views a product page;
• A customer leaves items in the cart without checking out;
• A reader visits your blog three times…

The possibilities are endless to ensure you have a message for every possible user. Here are some types of emails that should be segmented based on the recipient:

• Newsletters: create different versions for paying customers and leads, for example. Not all your contacts are at the same stage of the buying cycle.
• Receipts: what was the purchase amount? Include relevant calls to action based on the customer’s transaction history.
• Drip campaigns: have automated campaigns ready for unique products and solutions, as well as different buyer personas.
• Promotions: your best customers probably don’t need a coupon. Save it for new leads and small buyers, and offer your biggest buyers more value.

4. Is this email personal enough? Or too personal?

Generic emails rarely work these days. In fact, I’ll let you in on a secret—starting an email with “Dear Customer” or “Welcome” is the first step to being ignored by your readers.

On the other hand, too much personalization can be uncomfortable. Data is a double-edged sword. There’s a fine line between using personalization to get an email read and making people feel uncomfortable. At a certain point, personalization can start to have a negative effect.

A simple rule for personalization is to use only data and information you would use personally if you were approaching your customer in a physical store. The “deeper” data can help you craft the perfect message and segment lists behind the scenes, but don’t display it.

5. Is the copy perfect?

Not all of us are Seth Godin, Noah Kagan, or Joanna Wiebe—some of the best copywriters today—but that doesn’t mean you can’t write an excellent email. The copy doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does have to be pretty good. Here are some tips to keep your copy relevant and effective.

• Make every word count: One word should lead the reader to the next, and each sentence should lead to the next. Don’t include sentences or words that just take up space. Remember, it’s harder to write short copy than long, so take time to cut what’s unnecessary.
• Write amazing sentences: Some time ago, I read a post by Demian Farnworth on Copyblogger and I think it’s important to share this excerpt, loosely translated:“No sentence will be effective if it contains only facts. It must also contain emotion, imagery, logic, and promise.Here’s a great example: ‘Baby shoes: for sale, never worn.’Ernest Hemingway wrote that, and this six-word story is possibly his best (according to him). Why? It’s a story that sells a pair of shoes… shoes with intense emotional connotation.See, your sentences don’t have to say much—just the right things. Our imagination will fill in the blanks.”
• Be yourself: Good writing depends entirely on authenticity, especially when it comes to writing copy that sells. Don’t try to write like Seth Godin or anyone else. Just write as you know, put emotion into your text, and keep writing.

6. Does this email go beyond words?

While writing is a fundamental pillar in marketing strategies and makes up the majority of an email marketer’s work, it’s important to diversify the content used to capture and retain the audience’s attention more effectively. Incorporating multimedia elements such as podcasts, videos, and interactive catalogs has proven to be a growing and effective trend.

The use of visual content in emails has increased significantly in recent years. In 2022, about 71% of marketers said they regularly use multimedia elements in their email campaigns, a notable increase from 25% in 2013.

Personalization and interactivity are also key in modern email marketing. Elements like animated GIFs, interactive buttons, and sliding image galleries are gaining popularity, allowing for a more engaging and dynamic user experience.

While written content remains relevant, the strategic integration of visual and interactive elements in email marketing has proven crucial for increasing engagement, converting leads, and building audience loyalty in today’s digital landscape.

7. Does this email have a call to action?

I’ll let you in on a secret: emails don’t have to convert readers into customers right away. In fact, that’s very difficult, sorry to say. That’s what landing pages are for… However, emails can and should be used to drive traffic to these landing pages, as well as to blog articles—are you reading this article because you got an email?—social media accounts, webinars, and a range of other things.

Remember, every email should encourage the recipient to do something. This request can be as simple as asking the reader to forward the email to a friend, or as important as encouraging them to buy a house.

If the email is designed to be promotional, keep the focus on a single call to action (CTA) so as not to confuse readers with multiple actions and create escape points. If the goal is, for example, to get them to sign up for a free trial, focus on that and resist the temptation to ask them to follow your company on Instagram.

Here are four simple steps for a successful CTA:

1. Convey value: Clearly communicate the benefit the user will get by clicking. This is a primal part of being human: reward leads to action. It’s simple! Use action verbs and phrases that highlight the value, like “Get your free guide” or “Start saving today.” Avoid generic expressions like “Click here” and opt for specific language that reinforces the advantage to the user.
2. Position your CTA strategically: Place CTAs in strategic locations where the user is most likely to act. Put them near relevant information, at the end of persuasive sections, and in areas of high visual impact. For long emails, consider CTAs at the top, middle, and end. Test different positions (through A/B variations) to determine what works best for your audience.
3. Use buttons wisely: Buttons should be visually distinct and easy to click. Use contrasting colors, clear shapes, and sizes suitable for mobile devices. Include white space around buttons to make them stand out. The button text should be concise and direct, clearly indicating the action to be taken when clicked.
4. Avoid friction words: Eliminate words that may create hesitation or resistance in users. Avoid terms like “buy,” “pay,” or “subscribe” in the early stages of the conversion funnel. These are too advanced for the beginning of the relationship between your company and your potential customer. Take it easy—instead, use language that reduces the perception of commitment, like “try,” “discover,” or “explore.” Focus on immediate benefits rather than long-term obligations.

8. Is this email responsive?

An email is responsive when it can be easily read on both a 4-inch smartphone and a 27-inch desktop monitor.

Go for a clear visual hierarchy that prioritizes the most important content, and a simple, clean layout with legible and adaptable elements (images, typography, and buttons). Use white space to let elements breathe and, above all, test your emails on various devices and real email clients to ensure a consistent experience.

Consider using adaptive content techniques, where certain elements are shown or hidden depending on the device, ensuring an optimized experience for each platform.

Remember, the goal is to create an email experience that is pleasant and functional on any device the recipient chooses to read your message.

9. Am I doing growth hacking?

First, what is this buzzword? Growth hacking is an innovative marketing approach aimed at driving rapid and efficient business growth through creative and low-cost strategies.

Focused on experimentation and data analysis, this methodology combines marketing, technology, and analytics techniques to identify and exploit growth opportunities. Growth hackers formulate hypotheses, run quick tests, and use metrics to validate strategies, which may include viral marketing, product optimization, strategic use of social networks, and referral programs.

The goal is to achieve exponential growth with limited resources, prioritizing tactics that offer the highest return on investment and are easily scalable.

Why is this approach important in email marketing? Because small changes can have a huge impact on traffic, social sharing, and conversion. At its core, growth hacking is essentially thinking outside the box. Here are some ways to start using this strategy in your emails:

• Use links to your social networks in your emails (but don’t forget that these links shouldn’t cannibalize other more important links and buttons);
• Make your transactional emails more interesting by offering upsells, promotions, and links to useful content—take advantage of every communication moment;
• Constantly test different elements like subject lines, content, design, and sending times to optimize open and click rates;
• Encourage users to invite others in exchange for rewards, creating a viral growth cycle;
• Use analytics tools to identify patterns and optimization opportunities;
• Clean your list of inactive users.

Conclusion

With this email marketing checklist in mind, I’m sure sending your emails will be more peaceful. Review each step before finalizing your communication and ensure your message reaches and is read by more people.

Finally, after going through these points, it’s time to take a deep breath and click “Send” with confidence, knowing you’ve followed a rigorous process to maximize your communication’s impact.

And of course, for even more confidence in your message—count on E-goi to send your communications. Our platform is a champion in deliverability and also offers an intuitive and easy-to-use platform.

Create your account and don’t forget to follow this email marketing checklist before clicking send.

Good luck!