Email campaign setup

Setting up a campaign

1. 01

   Purpose

   One clear aim: a sale, an event, news or advice.

   Output: Campaign brief

2. 02

   Audience

   Who receives it, and whether they agreed to.

   Output: Chosen segment

3. 03

   Content

   Subject, preview text, body and call to action.

   Output: Draft

4. 04

   Test

   Test sends checked on phone and desktop.

   Output: Approved email

5. 05

   Send and review

   Scheduled, sent and reviewed a few days later.

   Output: Results note

Choosing the audience and checking consent

Decide who the campaign is for: everyone, recent customers, people interested in a particular product, or people near an event. Then check they can be emailed. The ICO's guidance says consent or the soft opt-in is normally needed before sending unsolicited marketing email to individuals, and that people must be able to opt out in every message. Make sure everyone who has unsubscribed is excluded, and do not add addresses from bought lists.

Content checks

Links and tracking

Click every link in the test email, including images and buttons, and check they open the right page. If you tag links so your website analytics can see visits from the campaign, check the tags are correct. Personalised fields, such as a first name, need a fallback for people whose name is missing, so nobody receives an email starting 'Hello ,'. Check links again after any late edits.

Example: an event invitation

Test sends

Send tests to a few people using different email apps and devices, and read them as a customer would. Check images, layout, spelling, prices, dates and the unsubscribe link. Ask someone who did not write the email to read it; they will spot what the writer misses. Fix anything found and resend the test.

Scheduling

Choose a send time when your audience is likely to read email, based on your own past results rather than general advice. Avoid sending offers that end before people will see them. Check the time zone setting in your email platform. Leave time for a final check before the send.

Reviewing results

A few days after sending, look at clicks, sales or bookings, unsubscribes and complaints, against the campaign's purpose. Note what to repeat or change next time. Treat open rates with caution, since email apps handle images differently. Keep a short log of campaigns and results so patterns become visible over time, such as which subjects or offers drew more clicks.

Subject line and preview text

The subject line and preview text decide whether people open the email. Say plainly what is inside, such as an event date, a new product or a useful tip, rather than relying on vague curiosity. Keep the subject short enough to read on a phone, avoid misleading wording, and use the preview text to add a second piece of useful information. The sender name should be one people recognise, usually the business name.

Readable for everyone

Use real text rather than putting important information inside images, since some email apps block images by default and screen readers cannot read text in pictures. Add short descriptions to images, keep good contrast between text and background, and make buttons large enough to tap on a phone.