Constant Contact

Before You Send: Your Email Checklist

Email

• Your From Name and Subject Lines:

• Does your from name 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 multiple exclamation marks - 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 or 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?