10-Step Email Marketing Checklist

Email has been a big part of life since the ’90s. It may be retro, but it’s far from irrelevant. In marketing, it’s still a very personal and cost-effective strategy. There are two main types:

• First-party email: These are your own subscribers. They’ve “opted in” and trust you to send content that matters to them (newsletters, offers, etc.)
• Targeted emails: Here, you’re reaching potential customers using lookalike audiences (similar to yours) or rented lists based on certain behaviors and interests.

In my 10+ years crafting newsletters for publications, I’ve learned how email can connect with people — and miss the mark, too! It’s an ongoing experiment, from subject lines to length (and always, always previewing before you send).

This 10-step email marketing checklist covers some core basics, whether you’re managing it yourself or seeking some support.

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1. Determine who your audience is

Are you writing for millennial women who golf in Atlanta? Or maybe busy Cleveland parents looking for preschools? Knowing your audience first helps shape your message.

• Meet your existing subscribers. If you’re already sending emails, review your analytics (open rates, click-through rates and engagement) to see what’s resonating.
• Check Google Analytics. Use GA4 to track your website visitors’ behavior and interests. 
• Send out surveys. Gather direct feedback about preferences, needs and pain points.
• Refine over time. Regularly check your data — at least quarterly or after major campaigns — to keep your email “persona” fresh and messaging relevant.

2. Set clear email campaign goals

Vague goals lead to vague results. Figure out exactly what you want from your campaign.

• Create specific objectives. It may be increasing leads, boosting sales or “nurturing” subscribers — i.e., giving helpful content until they’re ready to make a purchase.
• Define KPIs (key performance indicators) you can measure. Open rates are often 20-30%, depending on industry. For click-through rates (CTRs), aim for 2-5%. Typical goals for conversion rates, like making a purchase or call, are around 1-3%.
• Consider the big picture. Ensure your email goals, like boosting leads or engagement, support your overall marketing strategy.

3. Build (and segment) your email list

Email marketing is about reaching more people, but they must be the right people for you.

• Grow your list. Encourage email sign-ups through your website, social media, gated content or events — i.e., places they’re already engaging with you. Offer incentives like discounts or guides. Keep it simple: Just ask for an email and name.
• Use double opt-in. Standard on most email platforms, this ensures quality subscribers and lowers fake sign-ups and bounce rates.
• Segment people’s actions. Use data like purchases, page views or demographics (age, location, etc.) to group subscribers for more personalized, relevant campaigns. Integrating your email with your CRM system (HubSpot, Salesforce, etc.) can help.

4. Create engaging and relevant content

Why would someone want to read your emails? Tips or offers? A playful tone or professional? Consider who you are and what your audience wants.

• Personalize your emails. Address people by name (which you gathered in the sign-up process). Tailor content to their interests, such as recent purchases or browsing behavior.
• Write concise and relevant copy. Aim to solve a problem, educate or entertain vs. a “hard sell.” A good guideline for newsletters is 3-5 sections with 50-125 words each for readability. Use clear headings and bullet points for skimmability.
• Use art effectively. A few high-quality images break up text and support your message. About 1-3 per email is plenty. Keep file sizes small (under 100KB) to ensure fast loading.
• Be conversational. Use an approachable tone and keep things short for readability. 

5. Design a mobile-responsive email template

While this is standard on major email platforms, always double-check. Something that might look “perfect” on a desktop could be squished or tricky to navigate on mobile.

• Keep your design simple. Use easy-to-read fonts like Arial or Helvetica, optimized images under 100KB and clean templates with a clear visual hierarchy to guide readers.
• Don’t crowd too much in. Keep sections short and allow for breathing room. Some “white space” between text blocks and images improves readability and focus.
• Test it out: Most platforms let you preview a mobile view right from your desktop. Check both views to ensure all looks good.

6. Optimize for deliverability

Did you know 15% of legitimate marketing emails don’t reach inboxes — even if people opted in? Lower those odds by following a few best practices.

• Clean your email list regularly. Remove inactive users (no opens in 3-6 months) and bounced addresses. Automate the removal or re-engagement of inactive contacts.
• Avoid spam triggers. Nix spammy words (e.g., “free,” “urgent,” “act now”) and excessive punctuation to reduce your chances of ending up in junk folders.
• Set up proper authentication methods. Most email platforms support DKIM, SPF and DMARC to boost deliverability and reduce spam flags. You’ll set this up by adding some simple code to your website’s DNS (domain name system), which verifies your emails.

7. Include clear calls-to-action (CTAs)

Your emails should guide people to do something specific (buy, sign up, learn more, etc.). Make these CTAs fast to find and compelling.

• Be direct, actionable and specific. Use clear language like “Shop now,” “Get your free guide,” “Book a demo” or “Learn more.”
• Use bold buttons or standout text. Make your CTAs pop with buttons in contrasting colors or use larger, bold text, all-caps, a different font style, etc.
• Place CTAs strategically. In copy-rich emails, place them at the top, middle and end. For copy-light emails with one key image, one strong CTA is enough. For emails with multiple sections, include a CTA for each important piece of content.

8. Test and review before sending

Double-check everything is working properly. Catch any errors and fine-tune your content for optimal results.

• Conduct A/B tests. Create two versions of subject lines, images or CTAs. Your email platform will send each to a small segment, then automatically send the “winning” version to the rest for maximum impact.
• Always test first. Your email platform will let you see a preview version. Check it for formatting, broken links, and how quickly images load on different devices.
• Do a final copy review. Watch for typos, grammar errors and correct personalization tokens (e.g., a recipient’s name or company pulled from your list).

9. Schedule and send emails

Timing is everything. Knowing when to send your emails can make all the difference in engagement and results.

• Identify optimal send times. Most platforms suggest the best times based on behavior and time zones. You can also review past campaign data for patterns.
• Use automation tools. Schedule emails at optimal times.
• Space out email frequency. Avoid overwhelming people. You might limit promotional emails to once a month, for example, and sales sequence follow-ups to once a week.

10. Monitor performance and adjust

Analyzing your emails’ results is essential to refining and improving your future campaigns.

• Track key metrics over time. Again, a “good” open rate is around 20-30%, 2-5% is a solid click-through rate and 1-3% conversions are fairly typical.
• Identify trends and optimize poorly performing elements. For subject lines, for instance, try different lengths or tones, like questions or urgency. For CTAs, test placement, wording or button colors to boost clicks.
• Keep refining. Use insights to tweak future campaigns and better segment your audience (and your messages to them).

Even though email marketing’s been around for decades, it’s constantly evolving. Be mindful of your basics — and speak to your audience — to keep growing along with it.

Need some support with your email strategy? Talk to us. Zoe Marketing & Communications offers extensive targeted email marketing services, along with custom newsletters.

To keep learning about how email marketing works, explore these additional blogs:

• What are best practices to keep my email marketing out of spam filters?
• What is targeted email marketing and how does it work?