Serious Email Blog
Preflight Checklist Before Hitting Send
A practical review checklist for HTML email campaigns before they go out the door.
The last few minutes before sending an email campaign are where small mistakes become expensive. A preflight checklist keeps review grounded and repeatable.
Content checks
Review the subject line, preview text, headline, offer, dates, and calls to action. Confirm that the email answers one clear question: what should the recipient understand or do next?
Link checks
Click every link. Confirm destination URLs, tracking parameters, unsubscribe links, preference links, and any personalization-dependent URLs.
Rendering checks
Preview the email in the builder and send a test. Check desktop and mobile widths. Watch for stretched images, broken spacing, missing alt text, and sections that collapse awkwardly.
Brand checks
Confirm logos, colors, button styles, footer language, and legal copy. If the campaign uses reusable blocks, make sure they are the current approved versions.
Data checks
If the email uses merge tags, conditional content, or list-specific fields, test realistic records before sending. A template can look perfect while still failing against actual data.
The goal
The point is not bureaucracy. The point is to make avoidable mistakes boring, visible, and easy to catch.