Email Subscription Best Practices
Follow these best practices to create email subscriptions that deliver value without overwhelming recipients.
Template Design Principles
1. Purpose-Driven Templates
Every template should have a clear purpose and audience:
✅ Good Template
❌ Poor Template
Name: “SDR Discovery Call Summary” Purpose: Help SDRs quickly review
their calls and identify follow-up actions Includes: - Overall score
with specific feedback - Customer pain points identified - Next steps and
action items - Missed opportunities for coaching
- Executive Summary (1-2 key metrics)
- Action Items (what needs to be done)
- Key Findings (important discoveries)
- Supporting Details (additional context)
- Raw Data (only if necessary)
3. Actionable Content
Every included field should answer one of these questions:
- What action should I take?
- What should I know for my next interaction?
- What requires escalation or help?
- How can I improve?
If a field doesn’t drive action or provide essential context, consider
excluding it from the template.
Subscription Strategy
1. Recipient Alignment
Match subscriptions to recipient needs:
| Recipient | Subscription Focus | Template Type |
|---|
| Individual Contributors | Their own interactions | Detailed, action-oriented |
| First-Line Managers | Direct reports only | Coaching and metrics |
| Senior Leadership | Team/region summaries | High-level insights |
| Cross-functional Teams | Specific topics | Filtered, topical |
2. Frequency Considerations
Balance timeliness with email volume:
- Immediate Delivery: Critical issues, customer escalations
- Daily Digests: Routine reviews, standard meetings
- Weekly Summaries: Trend analysis, coaching opportunities
- Monthly Reports: Strategic reviews, performance tracking
3. Attendee Filter Strategy
Use attendee filters strategically:
Template Configuration Tips
1. Field Naming Conventions
Transform technical field names into human-readable labels:
| Original Field Name | Better Display Name |
|---|
score_overall | Overall Call Score |
next_steps_extracted | Follow-Up Actions |
competitor_mentions | Competitors Discussed |
pain_points_identified | Customer Challenges |
2. Smart Field Selection
Follow the “Rule of 7±2” - include 5-9 key fields for optimal readability:
- Start with all fields from the configuration
- Remove internal/system fields
- Exclude fields that rarely have values
- Group related fields together
- Order by importance and workflow
3. Focus on Relevant Fields
To reduce noise in emails:
- Only include fields that typically have values
- Exclude internal or system fields
- Group related information together
- Consider creating multiple templates for different use cases rather than one template with all fields
4. Strategic Use of Filter Templates
Leverage filter templates to create focused, exception-based reporting:
- For Coaching: Apply filters to highlight critical improvement areas (scores below 3)
- For Recognition: Use filters to celebrate exceptional performance (scores above 8)
- For Risk Management: Combine thresholds to show only extremes (very high or very low scores)
- Test Thoroughly: Verify filter behavior with real data before deployment
Filter Template Use Cases
| Use Case | When to Use | Score Range |
|---|
| Critical Coaching | Focus on urgent improvement needs | Below 3 |
| Performance Issues | General coaching and development | Below 7 |
| Success Stories | Recognition and best practices | Above 8 |
| Exception Reports | High-level management review | Below 3 or Above 8 |
Example Filter Templates
// Critical Coaching - Shows fields with scores below 3
{{if and .HasScore (lt .Score 3)}}true{{end}}
// Performance Issues - Shows fields with scores below 7
{{if and .HasScore (lt .Score 7)}}true{{end}}
// Success Stories - Shows fields with scores above 8
{{if and .HasScore (gt .Score 8)}}true{{end}}
// Exception Reports - Shows only very high or very low scores
{{if and .HasScore (or (gt .Score 8) (lt .Score 3))}}true{{end}}
Remember that filter templates only affect score fields. Always include enough context fields (like account name, date, participants) to make filtered scores actionable. If all score fields are filtered out and no other fields are included, the email won’t be sent.
5. Email-Level Filtering Best Practices
Email Filters provide powerful control over when emails are sent. Use them strategically:
When to Use Email Filters
| Scenario | Recommended Approach | Example Filter |
|---|
| Coaching Focus | Only send when intervention needed | Any score ≤ 3 |
| Executive Alerts | Focus on exceptions and risks | Any score ≤ 2 OR Any score ≥ 9 |
| Quality Control | Ensure sufficient data before sending | Score count ≥ 5 AND Average score exists |
| Topic-Specific | Send only when relevant fields present | Has field “Competitor Mentioned” |
Email Filter vs Field Filter Strategy
Use both filter types together for maximum effectiveness:
- Email Filter: Determines IF the email should be sent at all
- Field Filters: Control WHAT appears in the email that is sent
Scenario: Manager coaching emailsEmail Filter: Any score ≤ 5 (only send if coaching is needed)Field Filters: Show all scores ≤ 7 (include marginal areas for context)Result: Email only sent when real issues exist, but provides full coaching context
Common Email Filter Patterns
// High-Risk Alerts
OR(
"Risk Score" ≤ 2,
"Churn Indicator" ≤ 3,
AND(
Has field "Competitor Mentioned",
"Satisfaction" ≤ 5
)
)
// Comprehensive Quality Reviews
AND(
Score count ≥ 10,
Average score ≤ 6,
Any score ≤ 3
)
// Product Feedback Collection
OR(
Has field "Feature Request",
Has field "Bug Report",
"Product Satisfaction" ≤ 5
)
Test email filters with historical data before deploying. You can temporarily set a simple filter like “Any score ≥ 1” to verify emails are being generated, then progressively make it more restrictive.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
❌ Don’t: Include every available field
✅ Do: Curate fields based on recipient needs
2. Generic Templates
❌ Don’t: Use one template for all purposes
✅ Do: Create role-specific templates
3. Poor Naming
❌ Don’t: “Template 1”, “Test Template”, “New Template”
✅ Do: “Sales Manager Weekly Review”, “SDR Coaching Summary”
4. Neglecting Mobile
❌ Don’t: Assume emails are read on desktop
✅ Do: Put key information at the top, use clear formatting
5. Set and Forget
❌ Don’t: Create subscriptions and never review them
✅ Do: Regularly audit and update based on feedback
Implementation Workflow
Follow this workflow when setting up new email subscriptions:
-
Define the Purpose
- Who needs this information?
- What actions should they take?
- How often do they need updates?
-
Create the Template
- Start from the Analysis Configuration
- Select relevant fields
- Customize display names
- Order by importance
-
Configure Subscriptions
- Set appropriate attendee filters
- Choose the right recipients
- Link to the template
-
Test Thoroughly
- Run test analyses
- Verify email content
- Check delivery
-
Gather Feedback
- Ask recipients about usefulness
- Monitor email engagement
- Iterate based on needs
Measuring Success
Track these metrics to ensure your email subscriptions are effective:
- Engagement Rate: Are recipients opening and reading emails?
- Action Rate: Are follow-up actions being completed?
- Feedback Quality: Are recipients finding emails valuable?
- Noise Ratio: Are you sending too many/too few emails?
Governance and Maintenance
Regular Audits
Schedule quarterly reviews to:
- Remove inactive subscriptions
- Update templates based on feedback
- Consolidate redundant subscriptions
- Add new fields as configurations evolve
Documentation
Maintain documentation for:
- Template purposes and audiences
- Subscription ownership
- Change history
- Standard operating procedures
Access Control
Establish guidelines for:
- Who can create/modify templates
- Subscription approval process
- Template naming standards
- Archive procedures
Quick Start Templates
Here are some proven template configurations to get started:
Sales Development Template
- Call Score (0-10)
- Pain Points Identified
- Budget Discussion
- Next Steps
- Follow-up Date
Customer Success Template
- Health Score
- Risk Indicators
- Feature Requests
- Renewal Discussion
- Action Items
Executive Summary Template
- Meeting Outcome
- Key Decisions
- Strategic Topics
- Competitive Intelligence
- Escalation Items
Summary
Effective email subscriptions require thoughtful design and ongoing maintenance. Focus on delivering actionable insights to the right people at the right time. Start simple, gather feedback, and iterate based on what drives the most value for your organization.
Remember: The goal is not to send more emails, but to send better emails that drive action and improve outcomes.