regardless of the rise of TikTok and other social media platforms, email is still one of the most reliable ways to get your marketing messages to prospects. More than 4.3 billion people use email and this number will continue to grow.

If you send Newsletters and other marketing emails for your business, you probably like to plan ahead. But what happens when you decide to run a flash sale? These spur of the moment decisions are not uncommon for my team, especially during the holidays. Real-time customer feedback can inspire us to release a special offer for a limited time.

Email Marketing Checklist: Do this before you rush to hit send

Drafting an email quickly isn't as complicated as it seems, but being in a hurry can lead to costly mistakes. Whether you're creating a flash sale announcement or a last-minute update, taking a few extra moments to review your email can make all the difference.

Before you hit send, double-check for these common pitfalls—and learn how to avoid them, even when you're short on time. With this quick checklist, your emails will look professional, resonate with your audience, and deliver results.

Related: How to get people to open – and read – your emails

Proofread your copy

Grammatical and spelling mistakes can leave a bad impression on your brand, so this step is not one you can skip. Thankfully, with so many spell checking tools available, it only takes a minute to catch and fix any mistakes. Don't forget to also check any copy you might include in your images.

Check your email address and sender name

Can your customers and prospects easily recognize who the email is from? Make sure your email address and sender name match your branding. An unknown sender can cause confusion and even put people off report the email as spam or delete it immediately.

Make your click subject line

Did you know that 42% of consumers open an email based on its subject line? A poor subject line can mean your email goes straight to the trash or, worse, marked as spam. Work with your team to write clear and engaging copy – and don't forget to add a short introductory text. Often, that text is what entice people to click.

Ensure correct formatting

Most people don't have the patience to wait for images to load and can be unforgiving about broken designs. To avoid any embarrassing issues, test your emails and check that they display correctly across devices.

Review all your links

Your email can look great and be compelling enough to grab the attention of your subscribers. But if they click on a broken link, it's game over. Broken links damage your credibility and damage yours conversion rateso check each link before you print the item and make sure it has the correct tracking parameters.

Evaluate your call to action (CTA)

Is your CTA clear, actionable and easy to find? It should match your goal, whether that's driving traffic, increasing signups, or making sales. If you're not sure, brainstorm a few options and let your team vote on the one that feels strongest.

Keep your email consistent

Failure to comply with GDPR, CAN-SPAM and other email compliance laws and regulations may result in your message being placed in spam. Remember to include an unsubscribe link in your email and stay away from fraudulent content.

Related: 8 Easy Ways to Improve Your Website by Lowering Bounce Rates

Additional tips for sending a quick but successful marketing email

By going through the checklist above, you'll avoid mistakes and maximize your email's chance of success – even when time is tight.

Before you go, check these other aspects to make sure you're in good shape to hit the send.

• If you haven't sent any marketing emails in a while, reaching your entire list at once can be dangerous. A sudden increase in volume can cause unwanted filters. To avoid this, consider sending your email to groups. This way, you will warm up your IP and have a higher chance landing in the inbox.
• or high jump rate it affects overall email deliverability and prevents even your engaged subscribers from receiving your emails. To keep your bounces below the industry standard of 2%, check the health of your email list. Are all your contacts still valid? Filter out outdated and fake email addresses.
• Emailing dormant accounts and people who previously reported your emails as spam can also sink your delivery. If you haven't already, remove anyone who submitted a spam complaint and set up a system to automatically remove them from your list. Also, for higher engagement, avoid emailing stale contacts. If someone hasn't opened your emails in over six months, it's time to let them go.

Ready to send your email? Once you've checked all the essentials, don't overdo it. If your message is useful and relevant, send it with confidence that it will resonate with your audience.