Building your emails, how to do it right!

When writing an email to promote a discount, update terms and conditions, or announce an important message you should follow some key points.

I have two:
1. Tech side (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
2. The HTML/Text part or content part.

The tech side:
In the world today when the war on spam is becoming more and more sophisticated  its important to understand some configuration you need to do in order to authenticate your sender and make sure your clients receive your emails. 

1. SPF

Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is a simple email-validation system designed to detect email spoofing by providing a mechanism to allow receiving mail exchangers to check that incoming mail from a domain comes from a host authorized by that domain's administrators.

You can read more on Wikipedia here. 

2. DKIM

Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM) is an email authentication method designed to detect email spoofing. It allows the receiver to check that an email claimed to have come from a specific domain was indeed authorized by the owner of that domain.[1] It is intended to prevent forged sender addresses in emails, a technique often used in phishing and email spam.

You can read more on Wikipedia here. 

3. DMARC

Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) is an email-validation system designed to detect and prevent email spoofing. It is intended to combat certain techniques often used in phishing and email spam, such as emails with forged sender addresses that appear to originate from legitimate organizations. Specified in RFC 7489, DMARC counters the illegitimate usage of the exact domain name in the From: field of email message headers.[1]

You can read more on Wikipedia here.

In the content part:
When it comes to the content part you first need to understand the why. Why are you sending this email? Which segment of clients are going to receive this email?  

I usually like the following email layout:

I separated the email into 3 main parts:

1. Header:

You will need your logo and a nice CTA (most of your clients will open your email on a mobile device this is why you should give them a fast and easy way to your site without scrolling to the end of your email. 

You can also add a nice image (make sure it's not too large.

2. Main Message Section

Where you add your main message, of course in this part you need a clear CTA in it. 

The longer it is the more CTAs you need to add. Your approach should be mobile only. Your customers need to see always a way to your site. 

3. Reputation Section

This is where your social media jumps in including your T&C and address. 

You can also add more links to different parts of your site (about us, games, promotions, banking, VIP program and so on) 

My Flow of work before sending an email:
I believe that the best approach when writing an email is first of all think about the customer, what will bring him to your site not about the configuration and other things. The sole purpose of an email is to bring the customer to visit your site.

If you think too much about SPAM or other types of configuration you will lose your customer. The customer needs to understand what you want from him. In so many emails I see things like 20FREEBONUS instead of 20 free bonus. Your message isn't clear and customers will miss your point.

The same goes to clear CTAs (if the background of the email is dark the CTAs should be light. CTAs are the doors to your site if customers can't find them they wont come. BTW hyperlinks that are the same size as the rest of your text are like small windows to your site...your clients might miss them.

1. So, write content that will bring your customers to the site

2. Add clear CTAs with clear message (Activate, Claim and so on...) 

3. Check content for repetition and spamy words and remove what you think you don't really need.

4. Send test emails and check it on many devices (prefer real phones and email clients than emulators)

5. Send your email