Advanced Email

Marketing Tips
Top 10 Checklist To
Improve Email Deliverability
 Deliverability Checklist

1. Relevant 6. Test
2. Deliverable 7. Simple
3. Compatible 8. Fresh
4. Personable 9. Recognizable
5. Focused 10. Viral
More about this topic online:
http://emailmarketingtips.verticaltraction.com/2010/03/16/top-10-improve-email-
deliverability-and-response/
Relevant: Appeal to each of your
primary audiences
Unless you only offer one product/service and
subscribers would only subscribe for one reason,
you need to segment your list and provide
relevant content to each segment.
See my recent post: 6 Easy Steps to Implement
An Email Segmentation Strategy
http://emailmarketingtips.verticaltraction.com/20
10/03/02/6-easy-steps-to-implement-an-email-s
egmentation-strategy/
 Deliverable: Dot your I's and cross
your T's.
• Setup domain authentication (previous post)
• Keep your list clean (stop sending to unopens)
• Watch your text to image ratio
• Don't go overboard with the superlatives, ALL CAPS and
spammy words
• Include a copyright and link to your privacy policy
• Use clean HTML code - sloppy errors are flags

Don't let mistakes affect deliverability. All sorts of things

affect deliverability but don't let the basics slip by.
Compatible: Design for the various
previews in email clients
Preview your email templates in the major
email tools such as Outlook, Gmail, Yahoo,
Hotmail, Apple MailThis is the best
reference I've found for understanding
which CSS styles render in which email
tools: http://
www.campaignmonitor.com/css/
Personable: A friendly person wrote
this - not a company
The days of stuffy corporate speak are
over. You are trying to build a relationship
with your prospects through multiple
channels. Don't blow it in email.
 Focused: Don't create distractions
and keep it short
For whatever reason, many email templates
are full of distractions (navigation links,
house ads, etc). Focus on:

• Your subscribers' needs

• Your goals
 Simple: Simplify the layout
Unfortunately, most marketers don't revisit
their email layouts and templates as often
as they should. If you aren't testing, how
do you know what to change?
 Fresh: Work in design elements
that keep it fresh
Just a visual queue to your subscribers that
this isn't a resend and they should take
notice.
 Recognizable: Review your from,
subject line and headline strategy
Don't get too generic with your from email
and from name and don't change them.
You want subscribers to add you to their
address book. If you change your address
and/or from name, it won't be in their
address book.
Choose something recognizable and run with
it.
 Viral: Make it interesting and
incorporate share icons
How much effort does it take from the first key
strokes of an article to the moment you hit send
to get your email out to your subscribers?
If you add up the hours and cost, you might take
your email marketing more seriously. Take
another hour or so to review headlines, intros
and photos to make your email something
people want to share (assuming your content is
compelling in the first place).
BONUS: Useful: Reference previous
and up-coming content
People don't read every email you send.
Reference previous content and hint and
upcoming content.
 Other Posts You Might Find Useful
• 6 Easy Steps to Email Segmentation
http://emailmarketingtips.verticaltraction.com/2010/03/02/6-easy-steps-to-
implement-an-email-segmentation-strategy/

• How to Manage Your Email Reputation

http://emailmarketingtips.verticaltraction.com/2010/03/05/how-to-manage-your-
email-reputation/

• Dedicated Landing Pages: The Other 50% of your Email Marketing

Campaign
http://emailmarketingtips.verticaltraction.com/2010/01/30/dedicated-
landing-pages-the-other-50-percent-of-your-email-marketing-campaign/

• Welcome New Subscribers with a Campaign

http://emailmarketingtips.verticaltraction.com/2009/12/22/welcome-
new-email-subscribers-with-a-campaign/
 About
• I’m a 15-year veteran of interactive marketing
• For the past 6 years, I have focused on email marketing and squeezing
out every last percentage point possible in email response rates

Rob Van Slyke

Interactive Consultant
rob@verticaltraction.com
713-681-7771
vertical traction
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Advanced Email Marketing Tips Blog

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http://www.verticaltraction.com/
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