Use this checklist to make sure your organization’s e-mails get through, get opened and get read.

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

Never look at e-mail as the way to quickly achieve a goal. (“We’re short of a goal. Quick! Send out an e-mail!!”) If you do, you’re abusing the relationship. Think about your e-mail as a long-term relationship tool that requires relevant information and quality communication, or you’ll rapidly see your opens decline and your unsubscribes increase.

2. Protect your reputation.
Delivery is critical in the e-mail game, and delivery depends on reputation. Make sure that you’ve built a list that is permission based. This means people must have specifically opted in to receive e-mail from you. Also, make sure that your list is kept clean by immediately removing people who unsubscribe — it’s the law — and that bad addresses (bounces) are cleaned off.