Resource Checklist Beginner
Email Marketing Launch Checklist
Everything you need to check before and after launching your first email marketing campaign. Covers list setup, deliverability, content, testing, and post-send analysis for small businesses.
Launching an email campaign without a checklist is a recipe for embarrassing mistakes — broken links, wrong send times, or landing in spam folders. Use this checklist every time you send a campaign to make sure nothing slips through.
Pre-Launch: List and Setup
- Email list is permission-based (all subscribers opted in)
- List has been cleaned of invalid, bounced, or inactive addresses in the last 90 days
- Subscribers are segmented by relevant criteria (new vs. existing customers, interests, purchase history)
- Unsubscribe link is present and clearly visible
- Physical mailing address is included in the footer (required by CAN-SPAM)
- Reply-to address is set to a monitored inbox
- Sender name is recognizable (your business name, not a generic “no-reply”)
Pre-Launch: Content and Design
- Subject line is under 50 characters and compelling (no ALL CAPS or spam trigger words)
- Preview text (preheader) is written and not left as default placeholder
- Email has a single, clear call to action (CTA)
- CTA button or link is prominent and tested (clicks through to the correct page)
- All links in the email have been clicked and verified
- Images have alt text in case they do not load
- Email renders correctly on mobile (test on a real device or use your platform’s preview tool)
- Email renders correctly in major email clients (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail)
- Spelling and grammar have been checked
- Any personalization tokens (e.g., first name) have fallback values set
Pre-Launch: Deliverability
- SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are configured for your sending domain
- Sending domain is authenticated in your email platform
- Email has been tested with a spam score checker (aim for a score under 3)
- You are not sending from a free email address (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.)
Pre-Launch: Final Steps
- Send a test email to yourself and at least one colleague
- Review the test email on both desktop and mobile
- Send time is scheduled for optimal engagement (Tuesday-Thursday, 9-11 AM local time is a good starting point)
- You have confirmed the correct segment or list is selected as the recipient
Post-Launch
- Monitor delivery rate within the first hour (flag if below 95%)
- Check open rate after 24 hours (benchmark: 20-25% for small businesses)
- Check click-through rate after 24 hours (benchmark: 2-5%)
- Review bounce report and remove hard bounces from your list
- Respond to any replies within 24 hours
- Document what worked and what you would change for the next campaign
When your email campaigns start driving leads, you need a system to track and follow up with them. SMBcrm helps small businesses manage every lead from first touch to closed deal.
Quick Reference: Email Metrics to Track
| Metric | What It Tells You | Healthy Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery Rate | Are emails reaching inboxes? | 95%+ |
| Open Rate | Is your subject line working? | 20-25% |
| Click-Through Rate | Is your content compelling? | 2-5% |
| Unsubscribe Rate | Are you sending relevant content? | Under 0.5% |
| Bounce Rate | Is your list clean? | Under 2% |
Return to this checklist before every send. It takes five minutes and can save you from costly mistakes that damage your sender reputation or your relationship with subscribers.