| Using past delivery as an accurate indication of | | | | all links work correctly and all images look OK. |
| current delivery is a trap. Mail filters are constantly | | | | Checking from a network connection outside of |
| being updated to help squelch the constant inundation | | | | where the message is being designed can help to |
| of spam. Using simple testing methods will help email | | | | verify that links and images are not only available |
| marketers be proactive by making changes before | | | | within the local network. |
| messages are sent, rather than after. | | | | Give your message the six-second test. Since |
| Send to email accounts created solely for testing. | | | | most messages are given the average of |
| All the big ISP's offer free email accounts, so open | | | | six-seconds or less, it can be helpful to have |
| one or two accounts per ISP. Sending to this list of | | | | someone view your message for six-seconds and |
| addresses can provide insight into whether the | | | | then ask them what they remember or what caught |
| message is going to the inbox, bulk folder, or is being | | | | their eye. If the important elements or the |
| filtered by the ISP. These test accounts are also an | | | | call-to-action is not being recalled then the message |
| excellent way to check message rendering, and to | | | | might need to be modified. |
| verify that the message's 'call to action' is above the | | | | Several email clients now display messages with |
| scroll bar fold. Sending to these seed addresses | | | | images turned-off by default, requiring the message |
| before, during, and after a mail campaign can be very | | | | recipient to take action before images are displayed. |
| helpful in gauging overall deliverability to major ISP's. | | | | Checking the effectiveness of a message without |
| Another good way to test delivery is by sending | | | | images displayed can be extremely helpful. If the |
| a couple of smaller mailings before reaching out to | | | | call-to-action or critical contact information is not |
| the entire audience. Waiting a couple of hours | | | | being rendered it is useless. |
| between sends will help with overall delivery and | | | | Test to a mobile device group. With a rapidly |
| allow for adjustments if there are delivery problems. | | | | growing number of people checking their emails on |
| A high spam complaint rating will almost certainly | | | | mobile devices, marketers should know exactly what |
| get messages directed to the spam folders, and | | | | their messages look like on these devices. Setting up |
| nothing will generate spam complaints faster than an | | | | a test group of co-workers with various mobile |
| unsubscribe link that is hard to locate, overly involved, | | | | devices can help to insure that enough of the subject |
| or not functioning properly. A quick test message to | | | | is being displayed - some mobile devices will truncate |
| a personal account can quickly check to verify that | | | | subject lines. It is good to know if devices are still |
| the unsubscribe process is easy to find, easy to use | | | | displaying a text version of the email message |
| and working properly. | | | | (marketers should always have a text only version). |
| Testing is not only important for delivery. It is also | | | | Keeping the message short and limiting image size will |
| critical to insure that your audience has a positive | | | | also help message viewing. |
| experience once they receive your message. Nothing | | | | Remember the quote, "An ounce of prevention is |
| drives away a potential engaged audience member | | | | worth a pound of cure"? Maybe Ben Franklin was |
| than a message that can't be read or a call-to-action | | | | trying to tell email marketers that it is better to try |
| that can't be acted upon. | | | | to avoid problems in the first place, rather than trying |
| Spend a couple of minutes and make sure that | | | | to fix them after they arise. |