Every email program needs a periodic audit and review. Why? Email is changing constantly and 2022 will present new challenges to marketers as ESP get more sophisticated and contacts expect greater personalization..
Answering these 20 questions provides a solid foundation and rationale for keeping, revising or tossing elements, campaigns, conversion funnels and other elements of any email program.
Conceptual Assessment
1. Why are you evaluating your email program?
2. Briefly describe the nature of your email marketing effort.
3. What is the vision of the business?
4. How well is the vision reflected in the current email program?
5. Indicate your top three primary program goals:
Inform and educate
product sales
integrate with other departments and channels
cultivate leads
membership
support sales force
grow list
gather data for personalization
6. If you could “wave a magic wand” what would you like to have happen?
Factual Audit
7. Who is your ESP and how long have you been with them?
8. Do you have more than one ESP and if so, why?
9. How many active contacts do you have on file?
10. How many inactive contacts are on file?
11. How many unsubscribes did you have last year?
12.. What is the volume and frequency of your emails per day/week/month?
13. What is your most popular content?
Process Audit:
14. Do you have a formal email planning, content creation and approval process
15. Do you segment your list(s)?
16. On a scale of 1 to 10, rank your ability to personalize emails.(1=not at all, 10=great)
17. Do you deploy A/B testing of emails?
18. Do you have any email funnels that are automated?
19. How often do you gather, analyze and report KPI’s or other measurements and are these distributed within the organization?
20. Have you identified perceived obstacles or barriers to the success of your email program?
Feel free to download this list and use it to asses your email program. Consider assigning some questions or sections to appropriate stakeholders. If you would like assistance with your audit or want to discuss implementing proposed changes, please contact me at tkothman@thomas-advisors.com.
© Thomas Advisors LLC. 2021