If you are involved in Email Marketing Campaigns it’s probably happened to you. You press the SEND button and you notice that misspelled word, the wrong text, or that broken link. It’s happened to us all. Even if we send of the perfect email, we still have to deal with filters, getting subscribers, and the issue of tracking our effectiveness. 

It’s no secret that this great marketing tool keeps us up late at night. No matter how manyemail marketing campaigns we’ve done. But with mistakes comes lessons. And those lessons have taught us that we need to check these 3 key items.  

When it comes to Email Marketing Campaigns, content is numero uno. With this knowledge, you must make sure first and foremost the content is your primary focus. Also, check the layout design. how this info is presented is a part of the content. Make it appealing.

 

If you want your email opened, these two items must be handled the right way. The needs to be from a branded name. The Subject Line needs to be short and sweet. Think newspaper headlines here. Try keeping it under 35 characters as a rule of thumb.

You need to avoid hard bounces. Try to keep your list as clean as possible. Be vigilant on checking and clearing invalid addresses from previous email marketing campaigns. I know it’s tedious, but it needs to be done.  Make sure you have tested with Outlook, AOL, Hotmail, & Yahoo. And see if HELO lines up with the SPF record. Finally, you should be checking in on your sender score.

 

There is a difference between knowing and doing. So here’s a list of things to ensure your doing is correct. Some of them are no brainers but sometimes overlooked. 

 

 

• Content is formatted in brief paragraphs, with the call to action visible.
• The content relates to your brand and pertains to the audience your sending to.
• Content has been proofread by two or more people.  
• Links have action words as anchor text.
• Try to use senders name if possible. Other greetings are highly filtered.
• An unsubscribe link is visible and functional.
• Avoid the verbiage “unsubscribe” or “opt-out”.
• Include a link to your company’s privacy policy.
• Make sure the reply address works and someone is reading replies.
• Font should be between 10-12 pt.
• Font color should differ from background color.
• All images should have the ability to be clicked. Stay away from image maps.
• Keep a low word count within your graphics.
• Include links for mobile and web versions.
• Make sure all links are in working order.
• Do not use ALL CAPS. 
• Avoid CLICK HERE links.
• All links should link back to your site.
• Avoid attachments.

 

• The address in “From” is your company’s name.
• Subject line should look like a newspaper headline.
• Keep Subject line under 35 characters.
• Make sure sure Subject line is related to content in email.
• Avoid the word “free”.
• Do not use “!!!” or “???”. Try and avoid punctuations. 

• The email list is actually yours and not bought.
• All previous unsubcribers are not on current list. 
• Email is made in both HTML and Text formats.
• Make sure when you schedule your delivery time, AM-PM is correct. 
• Check the time zones against the target time you want scheduled. 
• Your tracking method has been inserted. 
• Your email has been tested with all the major email clients. 
• Know your sender score and keep it in good standing.