There are few rules in email marketing and it is fair to say those following merely constitute advice, but ignore them at your peril. If you value your email list them at least consider them.

Before you send your email into the harsh realities of the internet, go through your bullet points to see if they contravene these rules. If so and you think it worth the risk then by all means go for it. Email marketing is about the edge. But at the very least, give them a thought.

• Does it grab you

If the heading seems tired and unengaging then it may be that you have read it too often. But consider if they will be just as boring to those on your email lists.

• Is the joke funny

It might have seemed hilarious when you first thought of it and your staff might have agreed. Consider it closely though. Will it travel? And you know your subscribers. Will it put them off or make them laugh.

• Will they see it

A clever pun, an obscure connection, a reference to a bit of news might be obvious to you. Ask yourself if it will bewilder the recipients who have not seen the same television programmes.

• Misleading

Successful email marketing requires trust. If you offer half price when it is really ballpark then it is likely that you might have nearly made a sale.

• Relevant

The advantage of running email lists is that you can build up information as to likes and dislikes. Will the word or phrase get to them? If not then they might just click that unsubscribe box.

• Too many

If you have got this far then you probably negate my argument but it is clear that just throwing another bullet point in and hoping that it might grab the intention is not good enough. Each one must be a sharp tool.

A bullet point is a call to arms, an incitement to click through, the enticement to buy. If your bullet points do not do that, and only that, then they are being wasted. In email marketing you get just the one go.