How to write your emailing specifications?

Generally speaking, making a choice is not always easy. The alternatives available to you often seem similar. For this reason, it is important to clearly structure your needs before consulting the different offers on the market.

The drafting of specifications can be useful if the choice of an email routing platform is strategic for your company. It is a tool that will help you compare the different solutions available to you.

To go further :

• Download our comparison of emailing and eCRM solutions
• Discover our services of accompaniment to the drafting of specifications

A multifaceted tool

Your specifications should not only be used during the partner search phase. It is a document that will accompany you throughout the implementation of your new email routing platform:

• Structuring of the demand;
• Comparison of providers;
• A contractual value;
• A project management tool.

Structure of the specifications

In order to satisfy the different facets of your specifications, it is important to structure it efficiently. Emailing is a medium that may seem simple, but the technical and strategic constraints must push you to be very structured in your request and in the comparison that will follow.

Here is an example of a structure:

• The current situation
• The objectives
  • Business objectives
  • Volume
  • Performance indicators
• The needs (functionalities)
• Technical constraints
• Security and privacy
• Deliverability
• Project phases and transition
• Budget, schedule and deliverables

This structure must obviously be adapted to your needs.

Don't forget when writing

Below, you will find some tips for writing your emailing specifications. These are obviously not exhaustive:

• Don't be too detailed or too simple.
• Don't forget the specific constraints related to the management of your data:
  • multilingual;
  • business data;
  • segmentation;
  • link with the CRM.
• Leave room for the provider's creativity, especially if you ask for a "fullservice" solution.
• Ask for details in the provider's response so that it is clear what is included in the price and what is not.
• Ask for details on customer support.
• Ask for details on the availability rate (SLA).
• Intellectual property: ask for details on the ownership of tools developed specifically for your project (content, database, graphics, ...).
• Request information on transactional email management.
• Demand training and a user guide.
• Ask for as much detail as possible about the email deliverability aspects.
• Ask for details on the platform validation phase and transition period.
• Don't forget to talk about the nature of your business
• …

And above all, don't ask for the moon ... you might end up with an impossible to pay aircraft carrier.

Decision Criteria

It is important to define the criteria for analyzing responses in advance. Otherwise, there is a significant risk of choosing the platform that will have the most features for the lowest price ... without fulfilling all needs. 

Examples of criteria include:

• Price
• Scalability
• Integration with existing tools
• Respect for good practices
• Deadlines
• Partner's reputation
• Strategic direction
• ...

In order to help you in your comparison, do not hesitate to ask for the help of a specialist. He or she will have an outside view of your needs and a prior knowledge of the different solutions.