Sending an email campaign isn’t just a box to tick, it’s a chance to connect with real people who’ve invited you into their inbox. That’s powerful… and a little scary.
Because when email goes wrong, broken links, botched personalisation, the dreaded “oops, wrong list”, it goes wrong fast. Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose.
At Jarrang, we send millions of emails per year. We've seen what works, what fails, and how to avoid costly mistakes. It all comes down to one thing: process.
Here’s the simple, proven checklist we use before every single send. Your future self will thank you.
1. Proofread like a pro
Even the best-designed email will lose credibility if it’s riddled with typos. Spelling and grammar mistakes can make your brand look careless or unprofessional, especially in subject lines or key call-to-actions.
Pro tip: Always proofread your email more than once. Reading it out loud helps you spot awkward phrasing. If you can, ask a colleague to review it with fresh eyes.
2. Test every link
Every CTA, image, and button in your email should lead exactly where it’s meant to. A broken link can mean a missed conversion — or worse, a frustrated subscriber.
Tools can help test links across clients, but don’t underestimate the power of a human check either.
3. Confirm your audience
Double‑check that the right segment or list is selected. Fine‑tuned targeting beats "batch and blast" every time as this can hurt open rates and increase unsubscribes.
4. Refine the subject line
It should be clear, relevant, and free of errors. Don’t forget to preview the subject line and preheader on mobile and desktop to ensure it looks sharp.
5. Send test emails
View the message in different inboxes, and on multiple devices to catch layout quirks.
Things to check:
- Formatting and layout on mobile vs desktop
- Image load speed and responsiveness
- Alt text and fallback fonts
6. Preview across clients
Use tools to preview rendering or build your own checklist of most common clients based on your audience's behavior.
Key email clients to test:
- Apple Mail (iOS & macOS)
- Gmail (mobile & desktop)
- Outlook (Windows & web)
- Yahoo Mail
7. Validate send time
Whether you’re sending right away or scheduling ahead, timing is everything. Make sure the campaign is set for the correct day, time, and timezone.
8. Verify "From" & "Reply‑To"
Use a friendly, recognisable sender name and ensure replies land in a monitored inbox.
9. Check the unsubscribe link
It’s not just best practice — it’s the law. Make sure your unsubscribe link is visible, functional, and compliant with GDPR or CAN-SPAM regulations
10. Audit personalisation & dynamic content
If you’re inserting names or product counts, preview with multiple data variations to catch missing fields or odd capitalisation.
Need a second pair of eyes on your email workflows?
Investing a few extra minutes in these ten checks can save hours of crisis management and keep your audience’s trust intact. Drop us a line; we’re always happy to help.
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