12.12
Reference
Pre-send checklist, subject line patterns by type, and CTA patterns. Run these before every email leaves.
Pre-send checklist
Run this before every email
Voice
Could any sentence appear in a generic SaaS email? If yes, rewrite it.
Is there a forbidden phrase anywhere in the copy? Find it and replace it.
Does it sound like something a smart person would actually say aloud?
Is it in American English, with Oxford commas?
Are there any em-dashes? Remove them.
Structure
Is there one clear idea in this email? If two, cut one.
Does the subject line match the register and content of the email?
Is the opening the point, or does it delay the point?
Is there exactly one CTA?
Is the CTA a specific action with a specific verb?
Is the sign-off short? ("Best" or a name only)
Email-type fit
Does the warmth of the opening match the warmth score for this email type?
Does the ask match the ask intensity score?
If time-sensitive, is the deadline stated clearly and honestly?
If high personalization, is it actually personalized, or just a first name in the salutation?
Does any personalization reference an exact date or a stack of credentials? Replace with one specific detail in natural language.
Does the email length match the type? Cold outbound and post-engagement should be 3–5 sentences. Upgrade prompts can run to 7.
Sequencing
If part of a sequence, does this email stand alone without the previous ones?
Is the spacing between sends appropriate to the relationship warmth?
Is there a suppression trigger if the reader converts or replies?
Subject lines
Subject line patterns by type
| Email type | Subject line approach | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cold outbound | Specific observation about them | The Calloway project |
| Nurture | Curiosity or concrete benefit | What's eating your revision time |
| Onboarding | Functional: what this helps them do | Your first project takes two minutes |
| Feature announcement | The outcome, not the feature name | Client feedback, without the inbox chaos |
| Upgrade prompt | Aspiration-led: what becomes possible | Ready for a second studio member? |
| Discount and offer | Specific offer + real deadline | 30% off Visualist, ends Friday |
| Re-engagement | Something new, or a quiet hook | Something new in Visualist since you last visited |
| Webinar and educational | Outcome or hook, not the event title | How to take on a 4th client without a 4th PM |
| Post-engagement | Named reference to the interaction | After our call this morning |
CTA patterns
CTA patterns
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