Prompt: Generate a Pre-Send QA Checklist
For Email Marketing Specialists
Level 1 — Free chatbot (ChatGPT or Claude) | Time: 5 minutes (one-time setup)
The Prompt
Create a comprehensive pre-send QA checklist for email campaigns.
This should be the checklist I use before every single send to prevent errors.
My setup:
- ESP: [Klaviyo / HubSpot / Mailchimp / etc.]
- Email testing tool: [Litmus / Email on Acid / none]
- Campaign types I send: [promotional, automated, transactional]
- Team size: [solo / small team]
- Compliance requirements: [CAN-SPAM only / GDPR + CAN-SPAM / other]
Include checks for these categories:
1. Content accuracy (copy, product names, prices, dates — all correct)
2. Personalization tags (merge tags tested, fallback values set)
3. Links (every link tested, UTM parameters correct)
4. Design/rendering (mobile preview, image alt text, dark mode)
5. Send settings (correct segment/list, correct sender name and email, reply-to address)
6. Compliance (unsubscribe link present and working, physical address in footer, accurate subject line)
7. Final confirmation (send time correct, final approval received if required)
Format as a checkbox list grouped by category.
Add a "STOP — don't send if this fails" flag to any check that, if failed, means the email must not go out.
How to Use This
Run this prompt once, customize the output, and save it as your standing checklist. Print it or put it in a Notion page — somewhere you'll actually use it under deadline pressure.
The "STOP" flags are critical. Before you run the prompt, think about what has actually caused embarrassing sends in the past: wrong discount code, broken checkout link, "Hi {first_name}" going out instead of the name. Add these to your prompt: "Also flag any check that relates to: [your real past errors]."
For teams: Convert the checklist into a shared Notion table or Google Sheet where each sender checks off their row before sending. The physical act of checking boxes slows you down just enough to catch errors.
Example Output Structure
PRE-SEND QA CHECKLIST — KLAVIYO CAMPAIGNS
CONTENT ✓
[ ] Subject line reviewed (under 60 chars, no spam triggers, accurate to email content)
[ ] Preview text reviewed (complements subject, not a repeat, 85-100 chars)
[ ] All prices, discount amounts, dates, and product names are correct
[ ] Expiry date (if present) is in the future and matches landing page
[ ] STOP ⛔ — If prices or discount codes are wrong, DO NOT SEND
PERSONALIZATION ✓
[ ] All merge tags tested using "Preview as Subscriber" with a real contact
[ ] Fallback values set for all personalization fields (e.g., "there" if first name missing)
[ ] Segment conditions reviewed — the right people are getting this email
[ ] STOP ⛔ — If merge tags show raw code ({first_name|}) in preview, DO NOT SEND
LINKS ✓
[ ] Every link clicked in preview mode
[ ] Links go to the correct landing pages (not staging/test URLs)
[ ] UTM parameters present on all links (source, medium, campaign, content)
[ ] Unsubscribe link tested — confirms unsubscribe works
[...continues for all categories]
Variations
For a transactional email checklist:
Add to the prompt: "Include additional checks for transactional emails: dynamic order data populating correctly, confirmation email sends within [X] minutes of trigger, no unsubscribe link required for transactional, reply-to goes to a monitored inbox."
For A/B test campaigns specifically:
Add: "Include a section for A/B test campaigns: test variants reviewed separately, winner criteria defined before send, winning metric is tracking correctly."
For agency use (multiple clients):
Add: "Add a client-specific check at the top: confirm correct brand kit, correct sender domain, correct ESP account — this email is for [Client Name] and not accidentally configured for a different client."
Works with: ChatGPT (free), Claude (free) — run once to create your standing checklist