Business emails must be free of specific typos and syntax errors since they are official documents. It is possible to make mistakes and only discover them after pressing the send button for different reasons. Perhaps someone who received the email (a friend or partner) brought the error to your attention.

This can be embarrassing and frustrating because you cannot delete or edit the email that was sent. Continue reading to find out what to do in case you encounter a similar circumstance. But first, let's look at some common email errors.

Common Email Mistakes

The annoying thing about these errors is that they will remain in recipients' inboxes until they read or delete them. It's not like a website where you can fix mistakes privately. So what are some common email mistakes?

i. The typo

This error involves words that sound the same but have different meanings. The IntelliSense feature on some keyboards used for typing can complete words, making this a common mistake. In some cases, the AI guesses the wrong word.

Example:

  • The Company will be righting the wrongs customers experienced during the lockdown.
  • The Company will be writing the Wrong customers experienced during the lockdown.

ii. The secure info leak

You might have to go through the cybersecurity training course because this one could be more serious. When private information is made accessible to unauthorized parties as a result of a security breach, information leaks occur.

An example would be sending out promotional materials for a product that hasn't yet been released using marketing or product mockups that the legal team had not approved.

iii. The broken image

This error happens whenever an image's source code contains an empty tag unchanged before sending. Or maybe you used a GIF and forgot to set a fallback image for clients that don’t support GIFs.

Regardless of the reason, it always presents a poor professional image and can be a bit of an eyesore when images in our emails break. You might fall far short of your KPI targets if it's crucial to the email's message or goal.

The aim for many email marketers is to get that link clicked. That's why it's so annoying when you spend hours crafting an email to promote something significant, only to hit send and discover you forgot to include a link to it.

Correcting Mistakes in Your Marketing Emails

Consider the severity of the error before deciding to fix it. It's probably not worth fixing a mistake if it's minor or only affects a small number of people. However, if it will have a discernible effect on your business, sending a follow-up email with the appropriate information might be the answer.

A wrong promo code, a broken link, or an incorrect sale date could all hurt your business. If the email's contents in any way represented your brand incorrectly, you might want to send an apology email. This is especially important if you're working with sensitive information that could harm your reputation.

Add "Oops!" or "Correction:" or "Let's try this again" to the subject line and send it to everyone on the email list who accidentally received it.

If it's been a week and you're only now realizing your mistake, the majority of your subscribers (and, fingers crossed, your boss) probably didn't notice either. Don't send a correction and attract attention.

When Not to Correct Mass Email Mistakes

Typographical mistakes, misplaced commas, minor formatting issues, the absence of redundant content, and similar errors are not worth getting worked up about. On your list, some will call your attention to the error, some will see it but say nothing, and the majority won't.

If you sent the incorrect image or misrepresented an offer, you can correct it on your server or provide clarification on the landing page the email redirects to.

Tweet an apology if someone calls you out on social media.

Sending an "oops" email typically draws more attention to the error and exaggerates it. Additionally, these emails may see higher unsubscribe rates and lower engagement.

Conclusion

To avoid making the same mistakes again, double-check your marketing emails before sending them in the future. Or, even better, implement a precheck system for email campaigns.

Resending isn't good for your engagement or list hygiene, but if you have to, it's acceptable. Please keep the corrections to a minimum. Keep it straightforward because a correction email is not a marketing email.