My Important Checklist for Emails

First, email marketing is not dead but used improperly and ineffectively which creates the perception that email marketing is dead. In fact, email marketing is the best way to connect with your TRUE followers – these are the people who actively follow your content and consciously open your email news letters. Your email list should not be filled with people who are on the fence with your content.

As a side note, if every email you send is a sales pitch or something that asks your followers to do something all the time, then you’re doing it wrong. If you follow groupon or living social, you know what I mean. The same principal applies with Social, give value then ask in return.. always. Okay, so here’s the checklist:

1. Customize

Whatever direct email you send, try to make it as customized to the person or group of people you are sending to. Nothing is worse than an email that smells of “automation” or “blasted email” that you know was sent out to hundreds of other people – but I get why this happens and its because its scalable, quicker, and easier to automate a blast email . The truth is the magic happens when there’s quality not quantity so put in the time and effort to scale quality . For example, when I send an email pitching my services, the email provides specific examples catered to their business of how I can help. “Your mobile app [name], can utilize snapchat and Instagram influencers because … and here’s how..” Most clients don’t need influencers but when I see one that does, I include it.

2. Tone

What is your tone like? A good piece of advice is write how you speak. People are tired of mundane professional speak because they read it every day. Of course there’s a balance but write in a way that brings out character and your own personal tone. People respond to a real human tonality. How many times do you read anything for that matter and get turned off by mundane professional – business talk? Every damn day! Please add some character and personal tone in the way you write.

3. Subject Line

I like to keep my subject line short, creative, and direct that invokes curiosity! This will most likely catch the readers eye if they are sifting their their emails. For example: “I Quit!” or “I just hooked you up”, “Do not do this”, “The Biggest Mistake” etc. Again be creative and customized if you can.

4. Don’t Sell in the Email itself

As your content or body, don’t try to sell within the email. Again provide value. Go tell a story or provide useful information that gives something back to the readers. Then provide a link to your website that does the selling for you. The main idea is to not have your email come off as “sales-pitchy”. How many of you can’t wait to open your group-on or living social email and learn about all the amazing deals and prices that are going on?

5. The TL;DR

People’s attention span are getting shorter and shorter especially in a 24/7-365 world. Provide them an option to just get the main objective points of your email so they at least came away with something and also include your call to action if you have one or what step you want them to take next. The amount of times I read the TL; DR rather than the actual content is too damn high!

6. Who the Email is From

When you sign your email, make sure that you use your name and not the company name. It’s always good to read something from another human being and not an entity. Again, think being very personal. It’s the only way to truly connect with your users.

So there’s MY checklist for every email I create. again, email isn’t dead but used improperly, however email is no longer for the masses but rather for your trusted hardcore audience. Hopes this helps!