A QA (Quality Assurance) checklist is always useful to complete at the end of an email copy task. But what’s even more useful is to have all these things in mind before starting to write! Take a look at our guide for writing great copy so you can ensure that your QA checklist is full of lovely ticks and your client receives the best possible results.

1. Meet the brief

Let the brief be your guide. Read it, then read it again, and refer closely to it as you write. Look out especially for the client’s messaging requirements and their brand/product’s unique selling points. Straying from the brief will result in an unhappy and confused client.

2. Use the copy brand guidelines

Follow everything from exactly how the client refers to their products and their brand name, to whether they use upper or lower case for certain words and how they like to use punctuation. And cross-check against the brief - whoever wrote the brief may have prepared it in a hurry, or may not be an expert on the brand guidelines. Cover your back, just in case they have missed something.

3. Pay attention to tone of voice (TOV)

You should find guidance on this in the brand guidelines. When writing for a client, you need to shift your writing style and tone to match theirs. The guidelines will show you whether to be formal or more relaxed, how to address their consumers (‘this is your chance’ rather than ‘this is a chance’), whether they enjoy humour in their copy etc. It will depend on the guidelines, but make sure you incorporate every element the client asks for. More on TOV here.

4. Write to fit the design

If you have a design to work from when writing your copy, great! Keep to the amount of copy needed whilst including the key messages, and present your copy document so it mirrors the design layout. Make sure all elements are considered, i.e. titles, subtitles, body copy, CTAs. If you don’t have a design to work from, speak to the designer so they can give you an idea of what might be needed, or ask for an example from a previous project if it’s available.

5. Always sense-check

Ensure the copy makes sense as a journey from the top of the email to the bottom. This includes all titles, subtitles, body copy and CTAs. Imagine it’s a story that needs to flow, and ensure there is no repetition.

6. Use CTAs correctly

Calls-to-actions (CTAs) are the words that prompt the consumer to take further steps or actions beyond reading the email, so they’re important! Consider whether their placement works well and ensure they complement the copy they follow, that they fit the TOV and whether they need to be direct (Order Now) or soft (Discover More).

7. Include subject line and preheader options

Be careful that they work with the body copy and are pushing the key messages. Don’t allow them to repeat each other or other main elements, such as the titles and ensure they complement each other. You can check out our tips on writing great subject lines and preheaders here.

8. Check your spelling and grammar

Do your own read-through as well as using the spelling/grammar check tool. Errors aren’t always as obvious as you think!

9. Action amends directly

Make sure all the changes you make during the amends round are clear for the designer to see; following a pre-agreed process is the best way to do this. Pay attention to the client’s comments and address each one. If you are unsure about one or don’t agree with their amend for any reason, feed back to the relevant person explaining your reasons and always suggest an alternative.

10. Keep track of amends

Keep a record of all amends that have been made throughout the process so they can be referred back to if needed. If you’ve followed these tips, you should be able to check off each item from this QA list once you’ve finished your draft. Happy ticking!

✅ Has the objective of the brief been met?

✅ Have you met the brand guidelines’ requirements?

✅ Does the tone of voice align with the client’s?

✅ Does the copy fit the email design?

✅ Does all copy make sense as a journey?

✅ Are the CTAs and their placement logical/actionable?

✅ Are subject lines and preheaders included and do they complement each other?

✅ Have you checked spelling and grammar?

✅ When applicable, have all amends been actioned?

At ActionRocket, we can help with all that is CRM and digital marketing and we know email particularly well! So if you want help with ensuring your email copy QA checklist is full of lovely ticks send us a message here and we will get back to you. Another tick!