How to Produce a Professional e-Mail Marketing Campaign

A process for ensuring success in e-mail marketing

e-Mail campaigns, although inexpensive to deliver, are equally as production intensive as any other marketing campaign. We'll walk you through the process of creating, sending and tracking e-mail campaigns so it becomes a breeze. Basic versions of our campaign development processes are below:

First e-Mail Marketing Campaign Process:
1. Set goals and priorities
2. Design template(s) – See Template Design Process
3. Prepare lists and import into e-mail marketing software
4. Write copy for article(s)
5. Copy templates and add content to create each mailing
6. Add database personalization functions
7. Add campaign tracking functions for web analytics software
8. Send Campaign – See Campaign Deployment Process

Monthly Enewsletter Campaigns Process:
1. Brainstorm and research topics
2. Create schedule of mailings for at least 3 months
3. Write outlines for each issue
4. Write and create individual issues - See Individual e-Newsletter Issue Deployment Process

Individual e-Newsletter Issue Deployment Process:
1. Collect recent links and pictures
2. Write articles
3. Write landing pages if required
4. Create e-mail by placing articles, pictures and links in a template copy
5. Add database personalization functions to the message
6. Add campaign tracking functions for web analytics software
7. Send mailing to test group for final review
8. Confirm list segment and size
9. Send Campaign – See Campaign Deployment Process

Template Design Process:
1. Design to client wishes (after creative strategy meeting)
2. Include send to friend link
3. Include at least one link to web site
4. Get internal approval
5. Send to client for approval
6. Mark as template in system

Campaign Deployment Process:
1. Set up filter for final campaign recipients
2. Double check correct segment and number of recipients
3. Set up test filter for campaign testing
4. Set up campaign with final message and final recipient filter
5. Test using test function within filter (Do not send tests any other way)
6. Confirm approval from all stakeholders
7. Deploy campaign to final recipients