Most campaigns that disappoint do so for predictable reasons: they try to say too much, go to everyone, arrive at an odd hour, or cannot be read on a phone. This checklist follows one fictional example, a Hawke’s Bay orchard shop launching its autumn apple boxes, to show what each step looks like in practice.
1. Give the campaign one job
The orchard shop’s goal is simple: pre-orders for autumn apple boxes, delivered in the North Island. Everything else, from the harvest story to the new café menu, can wait for the newsletter. One goal makes the subject line, the content and the button obvious.
2. Send to the right people
Only North Island customers can get delivery, so the shop uses segmentation by region and excludes anyone who bought a box in the last month. Every recipient has opted in, because under the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007 a marketing email needs consent. If you are unsure whether your list qualifies, read about permission to send email campaigns.
3. Write a subject line that says what is inside
“Autumn apple boxes are back: order by Friday” beats a clever pun. Keep it short enough to read on a phone, and add a preheader that completes the thought. Our article on writing the ideal subject line has more examples.
4. Personalise where it helps
A first name in the greeting is a start. More useful is showing each reader the nearest pick-up point or the delivery day for their area. Personalisation in Mailpro uses the fields in your contact list.
5. Keep it clear and local
- One headline, a short paragraph, a photo of the actual orchard, and one button.
- NZ English spelling and plain language.
- Prices in NZ dollars including GST, with delivery costs stated up front.
- A greeting in te reo Māori such as “Kia ora” if it suits your brand, spelled correctly.
6. Design for the phone
Use a single column, large text and a button that is easy to tap. Mailpro’s responsive templates adapt to small screens, but check that images are compressed for readers on rural connections.
7. Include what the law requires
The footer must identify the business and include a free unsubscribe link that keeps working for at least 30 days. Opt-outs take effect within 5 working days, so do not re-add people who have left.
8. Send at a sensible NZ time
The shop schedules the send for a weekday morning in NZ time, avoiding the Easter weekend and ANZAC Day. Remember that daylight saving ends on the first Sunday in April, so check that the scheduled time is still right. Our FAQ on the best time to send a newsletter suggests starting points to test.
9. Test before you send
Send a test to two or three people, on a phone and a computer. Click every link, check the prices and dates, and read the plain-text version.
10. Measure against your own history
After a week, the shop checks clicks and pre-orders, not just opens, and compares them with last autumn’s campaign rather than with international averages. Opens can be inflated by privacy features, so clicks and sales are the better guide. Then it notes what to change next time.
Ready to run your own? Go back to email campaigns in New Zealand or start with 500 free credits.