Design & Copy

Roger, Did You Copy That?

Good email copy in November 2026 follows the same core rules it always did. Spell everything correctly, write like a person, keep it short…
Are Branded Subject Lines Right For Your Company?

For most senders in November 2026, your brand name belongs in the From name. It only earns a place in the subject line when…
Personalization No-No: Using a Subscriber’s Name Too Often

A first name works best in an email when it shows up once or twice: in the greeting, and maybe in the subject line…
Use Your Subject Line to Increase Your Open Rates

A good subject line still decides whether your email gets opened. In November 2026 it needs to be short (about 25 to 30 characters…
Using Google Docs as an Email QA Checklist Alternative

As of November 2026, Google Sheets is still a good free tool for a shared email QA checklist. It’s the spreadsheet app in the…
Outlook 2007 Rendering and the Word Engine That Still Shapes HTML Email

Outlook 2007 swapped Internet Explorer for Microsoft Word as its HTML rendering engine, and classic Outlook for Windows still uses that Word engine in…
Create a Better User Experience

Yes, your emails should follow one consistent template, and in November 2026 the case is stronger than when this post first ran. A fixed…
Making the Basics Better in Your Email Newsletter

A newsletter that gets the basics right still needs four things to work in November 2026: a clean, light HTML template, a subject line…
Knock Knock, Who’s There? How to Choose Your Email From Name

The From Name is the first thing your subscribers look at before they decide to open, ignore or report your email, so it should…
Missing the Mark With Email Design: Lessons From a Scotts Campaign

Most homeowners picture a perfectly manicured lawn, with shrubs and accent plants that leave the neighbors green with envy (no pun intended). Most lawns…