From the statistics I have been reading recently, email marketing continues to be an important part of any B2B lead generation strategy in 2014. However, have you maximized it’s effectiveness by ensuring your emails are delivered and read? Email Monks have compiled a 28 pointer checklist in infographic form. Here are some of the items that need to be addressed:
1. Set up a correct “from” address: Use a recognizable address and do not use a “do-not-reply” email
2. To and Reply address: Configure the “to” and “reply” address as First and Last name, not the email address or a “do-not-reply” email
3. Keep the subject line engaging, short and personalized.
4. Measure, measure, measure. Use Google Analytics or the analytics in your email marketing
5. Remember to include social sharing buttons in your email.
6. Usually at the top, add a “View web version” or “View online” link. For subscribers who are unable to read emails well in their email clients due to renderability issues, this will enable them to view your email online.
7. Unsubscribe button: now required by many local laws, include a link or button for subscribers to easily unsubscribe.
8. CAN Spam compliance: Be disciplined and follow the CAN Spam regulations. Include your physical address and contact number in the footer.
9. List selection and Hygience: Regularly check and clean your lists so you are sending the most relevant information to your subscribers.
10. Segment: Do not keep all subscribers on one list. Instead, segment them and serve them interest based content.
11. Personalization Setup (Dynamic Tags): Everyone likes to see their name so insert dynamic tags such as name and company wherever required for better personalization.
12. Plain Text and HTML Formatting: It’s good to send out HTML emails, but do not forget your plain text readers. Most email services make it easy for you to send emails in both HTML and plain text formats.
13. Spam Test: Regularly put your emails through spam tests to reduce the amount of emails that go to your spam folder.
14. Schedule at the Right Time and Date: Schedule emails for the right people at the right time. Do not forget to take into account holidays which may or may be the most appropriate day to email depending on your target audience.
15. Throttle the Number of Emails per Hour: Check your ISPs maximum number of emails per hour and ensure that you have throttled emails accordingly
16. Automated Testing: Automated tools can help testing emails on different clients and check compatibility.
17. Manual Testing: Automation is great but also do some manual testing.
18. Test on Popular Email Clients: Check how your email looks i the most popular email clients such as Apple, Gmail, Outlook, Apple iPad, Apple Mail, Google Android and Outlook.com
19. Check From Address & Reply To Address: Are these being displayed correctly in your emails?
20. Check Subject Line: Cross check symbols or personalization you have incorporated while setting up the Subject Line and ensure it is displayed correctly.
21. Snippet Text: Show the sneak peak – provide 100 characters or less of snippet text.
22. Johnson Box: Make sure to include the Johnson’s box in the right size.
23. Test Links: Click everything and test all of your links – view online, unsubscribe, social sharing and more.
24. Personalization: Check whether the tags inserted into the system are working correctly.
25. Image Alt Tags and Image Rendering: Image a shoe image with an alt text “Buy mangoes”. Check the alt tags of all images and make sure they get displayed properly.
26. Recheck for CAN Spam Compliance: Double check you have incorporated all of the requirements.
27. Test Plain Text and HTML Formatting: See if both versions are displayed right.
28. Proofread and Check the Tone and Length of Content: Do not make typos! Check the content twice (three times if you need to), the tone, length and every other detail.
Bookmark this post or download the .pdf version of this email sending checklist here. Let us know in the comments below how often do you send emails to your list and which one of these checkpoints do you tend to overlook?
