Pre-event checklist
First email broadcast checklist
The first broadcast to a real email list is the moment your sender reputation is born or burned. The seven steps below verify domain authentication, list health, content discipline, and the Brunson voice before any send button is pushed.
Run before: First broadcast send
When: Before the first broadcast to a list larger than 50 verified subscribers.
Verified · editorial policy
The 7-step checklist
Step 1
Verify SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are set on the sending domain
Use mail-tester.com or mxtoolbox to confirm all three records are present and aligned. Missing DMARC is the most common cause of inbox-vs-spam.
Done when: mail-tester scores 9/10 or better on the test send.
Step 2
Warm the sending domain if it is new
If the sending domain has sent fewer than 500 emails, ramp up over 2-3 weeks. Hitting a 5,000-person list cold from a new domain almost guarantees inbox placement failure.
Done when: The sending domain has sent 500+ emails to verified inboxes with normal open rates (20-40%) and zero unverified bounces.
Step 3
Clean the list of unconfirmed subscribers
Remove every subscriber who has not opened anything in 90+ days. Bounce rate above 2% on the first send torches sender reputation faster than any content choice.
Done when: The list is free of subscribers with no engagement in 90+ days and the projected bounce rate is below 1%.
Step 4
Verify the unsubscribe link works
Send the test broadcast to yourself, click unsubscribe, confirm the database state changed and a confirmation page loaded.
Done when: A test unsubscribe round-trips end-to-end and the database state is updated.
Step 5
Write the broadcast in Seinfeld-email shape
Specific subject line referencing a specific thing, plain text body, one CTA at the bottom. No hero images, no fancy templates, no marketing flourish.
Done when: The broadcast renders correctly in plain-text-only clients and the subject line is under 50 characters.
Step 6
Verify the from-name and reply-to address
From-name should be a real human, not 'Team Acme'. Reply-to should hit a real inbox a human reads.
Done when: From-name is a human name, and a test reply arrives in a real human inbox within the hour.
Step 7
Send a test broadcast to a small segment first
5-10% of the list, 30 minutes before the main send. Watch the open and reply rate for 30 minutes; if the segment lands cleanly, send to the rest.
Done when: The pilot send completes with an open rate consistent with prior list behavior and no immediate spam complaints.
Related Brunson terms
If a step fails, diagnose the element
Frequently asked
- Should the first broadcast pitch the product?
- No. The first broadcast establishes deliverability and engagement; pitching diminishes both. Save the pitch for the third or fourth broadcast, after the inbox path is proven.
More checklists
Run the diagnostic on your live page
The free 90-second Launch Diagnostic labels which Brunson failure mode your page hits — Wrong Person, Weak Offer, or Weak Belief — so you know which checklist to run first.