Holiday sending comes with a lot of moving parts, and most teams are doing the best they can with tight timelines and even tighter bandwidth. This checklist gives you a clear path so you can send with confidence, avoid the usual pitfalls, and know your work will hold up once it reaches your audience.
Think of this as a quick tune-up before unleashing your email marketing fury:
1. Core Content Checks
Subject line and preheader tell the same story.
A strong pair makes the email feel intentional. If they drift apart, the message feels off before the reader even opens it.
The offer makes sense right away.
Readers skim, especially this time of year. If the value is clear, they stay with you. A few clean lines go further than a perfectly crafted paragraph.
Dates and promo codes are accurate.
It seems small, but it is the first place things slip. Getting these right saves you from avoidable support questions and keeps expectations aligned with what you are offering.
Important text is not trapped inside images.
Some subscribers never see your graphics, and others load them slowly. If the meaning survives without images, your message stays strong in every situation.
Links are tested, not assumed.
A quick manual check goes a long way. It is one of the most reliable ways to protect your conversion path.
UTMs are consistent.
Clean tagging means clean email reporting. When the season is over, you will be glad you can trust the data.
2. Rendering and Accessibility
The email reads well in dark mode, light mode, and the Gmail app.
These environments shift color and contrast in ways design tools do not always show. A quick test helps you see the email the way your subscribers will. It helps to review a few dark mode and accessibility considerations before sending.
Text is easy to read on a phone.
Holiday emails lean heavily mobile. Slightly larger type and simpler structure make the message more approachable for everyone.
Buttons stand out clearly.
A CTA should look like a CTA. Strong contrast helps guide the eye and supports accessibility.
Key information shows up without relying on artwork.
If the email still communicates the essentials with images turned off, you are in great shape.
3. Technical and Deliverability Checks
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are aligned.
A well authenticated domain gives your email a cleaner path to the inbox. This is one of the simplest ways to protect your email deliverability and sending reputation during high volume periods.
Your domain reputation looks steady.
A quick look at Postmaster Tools shows you whether inbox providers have concerns. If reputation is healthy, your holiday sends are starting from a good place.
Segments match your goals.
Higher frequency is fine for engaged subscribers. Less engaged audiences often benefit from a lighter touch. A small adjustment here protects your reputation and improves results.
The unsubscribe link is easy to find.
It keeps you compliant, reduces frustration, and helps maintain a healthy relationship with your readers.
Test sends go to real inboxes.
A message that looks perfect in an editor can behave differently once it leaves the ESP. Seeing it in Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and iCloud gives you a realistic picture.
4. Conversion and Experience Checks
The CTA appears naturally and early enough.
Readers appreciate clear direction. A well placed CTA helps them take the next step without searching for it.
The mobile layout stacks logically.
Small screens reorder content, sometimes in ways you do not expect. A quick test ensures your message still flows the way you intended.
The landing page matches the email.
Visual and message consistency builds trust. When the transition feels smooth, readers stay focused on the offer instead of trying to figure out what changed.
The page loads quickly.
People abandon slow pages fast, especially during holiday browsing. A quick speed check can make a real difference.
Checkout works as expected.
If your campaign leads to a purchase, running through the checkout once ensures the experience is smooth for everyone else.
5. Risk and Compliance Awareness
These points are less about fear and more about clarity. Getting them right helps you avoid friction.
Make sure your offer is presented accurately.
Dates, prices, terms, and conditions need to match what people will see on your site. Consistency here prevents confusion and keeps you aligned with common advertising standards.
Keep the unsubscribe link functional and visible.
It is a requirement in most regions and also a simple way to support subscriber trust.
Honor what you put in writing.
If the terms change, update the email or adjust the page. Clear alignment keeps expectations predictable.
Holiday sending does not need to feel overwhelming. With a few deliberate checks, you give your audience a better experience and give yourself cleaner results to work with. You are already doing the hard part. This list just helps you send your work out into the world with fewer surprises.
If you want help catching the technical and rendering issues that are easy to miss when things get busy, MailMoxie gives you clear feedback before your emails go out.