1. Subject line

The subject line should be relevant, enticing, and not spammy. The subject line should clearly convey what the benefit is of reading your email. It should also should avoid the common flags for spam filters, which you can read more about here.

2. Link to view webpage version

Always include a link to allow recipients to view email in web browser. Even after every step is taken to assure proper email design, an email client can still display an email poorly. Include a link in every email to view the email as a web page. HubSpot makes this easy for you; learn how in the email creation tutorial.

3. Logo

The logo at the top of your email should be consistent with your website and company branding, so recipients can easily recognize who this email is coming from.

4. Personalization

Personalize each of your emails using personalization tokens, especially in your greeting. Readers are more likely to click and reconvert if they feel like this email is just for them.

5. Call to Action (CTA)

Include a primary CTA linking to a landing page. This will encourage your email recipients to reconvert on your site, indicating to you that they are more qualified leads, ready to be reached out to by someone on your sales team.

6. Identifiable benefits

Make the benefits of your offer crystal clear. Outline them using easily scannable bullet points, so your recipients won't have to read dense paragraphs of text to understand why they should click on your link.

7. Relevant image

Include a relevant image of the primary CTA you're discussing in this email. This image should clearly convey what the offer is, or what the benefit would be of clicking through to your website. Link this image to the same landing page as that primary CTA.

8. Social share buttons

Include social share buttons so that your recipients can easily share your content on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Not only can you content spread virally, but having the website page version of your email shared on social media sites can improve the SEO of that page, so it could get more traffic from the search engines.

9. Physical mailing address

Always include a valid, physical mailing address in your email footers (P.O. boxes don't count). Not only will this ensure that your email complies with CAN-SPAM rules, but your email will look more reputible as well.

10. Opt-out link

It's essential to include an unsubscribe link in your email; in fact, HubSpot will not let you save your new email templates until you include the code for the unsubscribe link. This also ensures that you're complying with CAN-SPAM rules.