- Jean Derespina
The Every-Email-You-Send Checklist
It’s important to create impeccable habits for your email communications. This not only refers to email marketing broadcasts, but also applies to every professional digital communication you send.
Develop consistent best practices for all emails:
Start with a personalized greeting.The font, color, and size of your body text should be consistent and easy-to-read. Choose a font color that stands out on a white background. Hint: be sure your choices are viewable on mobile devices, where up to 50% of emails are read.
Do not use a background color or image. Some email clients will not load them or the resulting color can be different than expected (hence the prior font color suggestion).
Set up a clear signature block. It should represent your professional or company brand.If your email includes images, use them cleverly and sparingly, and be sure each has an alt-tag label for text readers.
So… before you hit Send:
Closely look at all recipients’ name and address. Autofill can cause unexpected serious problems here!
If you have multiple email accounts and use an email client such as in Outlook, be sure you’re sending your message from the correct address.
Is your subject line clear and concise?
Did you include your attachment? Is it the correct and most recent version of your file?
Check all hyperlinks (including the links in your signature block).
Proof read, spell check, grammar check. You already know this, but I’m just saying.
Watch your tone. This may not be as easy as it sounds in written communications. I like the 24-hour rule, which simply states that you should wait until the next day to respond to any contentious emails. If this isn’t possible, read it out loud and run it by another person. Then, wait at least an hour and read it again.
Hope this helps you communicate with confidence. Please share your tips.
