Email Newsletter Send Checklist
An email marketing checklist for every newsletter or campaign: audience, content, links, tracking, deliverability, test sends and post-send review in one run.
- Typical schedule per send
- The checklist 5 sections, 22 items
- Variables
{{campaign}}
Use this checklist before every newsletter or email campaign goes out. An email cannot be unsent, so the checks must happen before you press the button: the right segment, working links, a subject line that renders, and an unsubscribe link that works. It suits small teams that send a regular newsletter as well as occasional product or promotional campaigns.
Who owns it
The person who presses send owns the run. A second person should check the test email, because the author is the worst proofreader of their own email. If legal or product must approve claims or prices, assign that item to them.
Common pitfalls
- Wrong audience. Sending to "all contacts" instead of the right segment is the most damaging mistake. Check the recipient count against what you expect.
- Merge tags without fallbacks. "Hi {FIRST_NAME}," in the inbox looks careless. Set a fallback value and test with a contact who has no first name.
- Image-only emails. Many clients block images by default. The message must make sense as text.
- Ignoring deliverability. Missing SPF, DKIM or DMARC records on the sending domain, or sending to old unengaged contacts, puts you in the spam folder.
Running this as a Runbook checklist gives each send an owner, a reviewer and a record of what was checked.
The checklist: Send email campaign: {{campaign}}
Audience
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Segment or list for
{{campaign}}selected and the recipient count looks right -
Unsubscribed, bounced and suppressed contacts excluded
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Contacts have consented to this type of email
Rules on consent for marketing email differ by country. Follow the rules that apply to your recipients.
-
Long-inactive contacts excluded or sent to separately optional
Content
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Subject line and preview text written and checked for length
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From name and reply-to address correct, and replies go to a monitored inbox
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Copy proofread by a second person
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Prices, dates, offers and claims checked against the source
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Merge tags have fallback values
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Images have alt text and the email makes sense with images turned off
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One clear main call to action
Links and tracking
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Every link clicked in the test email and the target page checked
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UTM parameters added to links for analytics
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Landing page for the call to action is live and works on mobile
Test and compliance
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Test email sent and checked on desktop and mobile, including dark mode
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Rendering checked in the main email clients your audience uses optional
Tools like Litmus or Email on Acid help for important campaigns.
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Unsubscribe link works and the sender's postal address is in the footer
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Sending domain has SPF, DKIM and DMARC set up
Send and review
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Send time scheduled for the recipients' time zone
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A/B test configured with a clear winner rule optional
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Results reviewed after a few days: opens, clicks, unsubscribes and complaints
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Learnings noted for the next send
Checklist as Markdown
Frequently asked questions
What should I check before sending an email newsletter?
Check the audience and recipient count, proofread the copy, test every link, confirm merge tags have fallbacks, and send a test to desktop and mobile. Make sure the unsubscribe link works and your sending domain is authenticated. Then schedule the send for your recipients' time zone.
How do I keep my newsletter out of the spam folder?
Authenticate your sending domain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, only email people who opted in, and remove contacts who have not engaged for a long time. Keep a reasonable balance of text and images, and make unsubscribing easy. A sudden jump in volume or complaints hurts your sender reputation.
What is preview text in an email?
Preview text is the short line shown after the subject line in most inboxes. If you do not set it, the email client shows the first text it finds, which is often "View in browser". Use it to add to the subject line, not repeat it.
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