Before you approve that proof — run through this checklist.
– PERCY’S BEST MAIL –The holiday campaign is planned, the design looks great, and you’re ready to pull the trigger. This is exactly the moment when small mistakes sneak through — a wrong phone number, an expired promo code, an address panel that isn’t quite right. We’ve seen it all, and we’ve put together this checklist so you don’t have to learn any of these lessons the hard way. Print it out, tape it to your monitor, and don’t click approve until every box is checked.
Every year, without fail, we get calls from business owners who caught an error after their piece went to print. Sometimes it’s fixable. Sometimes it isn’t. The common thread in almost every one of those calls is the same: they were in a hurry and skipped a step they meant to take. This checklist exists to slow you down for twenty minutes — and save you from a very expensive headache.
“A mistake caught in proof costs nothing to fix. A mistake caught after 5,000 pieces are printed and dropped costs everything.”
Your complete holiday mailer checklist
The Offer & Message
SECTION ONE
The offer is clear in one sentence
Hand the piece to someone who hasn’t seen it. Ask them what they’re supposed to do. If they hesitate, the offer needs simplifying.
The expiration date is correct — and hasn’t already passed
It sounds obvious, but dates copied from an old template are one of the most common errors we see. Double-check the year too.
Promo codes and discount amounts are active and correct
Critical: If a promo code is printed on the piece, verify it works in your system before the piece ships. A broken code on 3,000 mailers is a customer service nightmare.
The call to action tells people exactly what to do next
“Call today,” “scan to book,” “visit us online” — whichever it is, it should be the single clearest thing on the piece. Only one primary CTA.
Any fine print or terms are accurate and legible
Exclusions, restrictions, “while supplies last” language — if it’s on the piece, it needs to be true and readable at the size it’s printed.
Contact & Response Information
SECTION TWOPhone number is correct and currently answered
Critical: Call the number printed on the piece right now. You’d be surprised how often a transposed digit or an old number makes it through to final art.
Website URL is spelled correctly and the page loads
Critical: Type the URL exactly as it appears on the piece — don’t copy-paste — and confirm the page loads and shows the right content. If it links to a landing page, make sure it’s live.
QR code scans to the correct destination
Scan it from the proof PDF on your phone. Confirm it opens the right page. Check it again on the final print proof — QR codes can degrade if resized incorrectly.
Physical address (if shown) is complete and correct
Suite number, correct ZIP, correct city. If you’ve moved recently, make sure the old address isn’t lurking in a template somewhere.
Business hours are current for the holiday season
If your piece says “open Mon–Fri 9–5,” confirm those hours will still be accurate when the piece arrives — especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas week.
Design & Print Specs
SECTION THREEAll images are high resolution (300 dpi minimum)
An image that looks fine on screen can print blurry or pixelated. If you’re unsure about any image in the file, ask your print house to flag low-res assets before going to press.
No critical text or images fall within the bleed or safe zone
Anything important — your headline, phone number, logo — should sit at least ⅛” inside the trim edge. Anything too close to the edge risks being cut off in production.
Colors are set to CMYK, not RGB
RGB is for screens; CMYK is for print. Colors that look vivid on a monitor can shift significantly on press if the file isn’t converted. Your designer should handle this — but it’s worth confirming.
Fonts are embedded or outlined in the final file
If fonts aren’t embedded, the printer’s system may substitute a default font — changing your layout in ways you won’t see until it’s printed. Ask your designer to confirm fonts are embedded or outlined before submitting files.
Proofread every word — including headlines and buttons
Large text gets less scrutiny because it feels obvious. That’s exactly why typos in headlines slip through. Read the piece backward, word by word, to catch errors your brain would otherwise autocorrect.
List & Mailing Logistics
SECTION FOURList has been NCOA processed within the last 90 days
The USPS requires NCOA processing for bulk mailings, and it protects you from paying postage on pieces that go nowhere. Don’t skip this step, especially on a list you haven’t mailed in a while.
Duplicates have been removed
Nobody wants two copies of the same holiday mailer — and you don’t want to pay to send them. Run a deduplication pass, especially if this list was merged from multiple sources.
Opt-outs and suppressions have been applied
Anyone who has asked to be removed should be suppressed from this mailing. Run your final list against your suppression file before submitting the job.
Drop date is confirmed and accounts for Q4 postal delays
Important: USPS processing slows significantly in December. Build in an extra 3–5 days beyond your normal delivery window. If you need pieces in homes by December 15, plan to drop by November 28 at the latest.
Print quantity matches your list count — with a small buffer
Order 2–3% more pieces than your list count to cover any spoilage in production. Running short means either a reprint (expensive) or leaving names off the mailing (wasteful).
Return address is correct on the piece and on file with the mail house
This is how you get undeliverable pieces back. Make sure it’s a current address where someone will actually see the returns — and that it matches what’s in the postal permit file.
Final Approval & Peace of Mind
SECTION FIVEA second person has reviewed the final proof
You’ve been staring at this piece for days. Your brain fills in what should be there, not what is. A fresh set of eyes catches things yours has stopped seeing.
You’ve reviewed a physical or high-res PDF proof — not just a screen preview
Print the proof at actual size if you can. Small text, fine lines, and color issues are much easier to catch on paper than on a backlit screen.
You’re prepared to track and measure response
Decide now how you’ll know the campaign worked — a unique phone number, a tracked URL, a promo code, or simply asking new callers how they heard about you. If you don’t plan to measure it, you can’t improve it next year.
You’re comfortable with everything on this list
Final check: If something feels slightly off or you’re not 100% sure about any item — don’t approve yet. One phone call to your mail house now is worth far more than a reprint later.
The holidays are busy for everyone, including us. If you have a campaign in progress and want a second set of eyes before you approve, just reach out. We review proofs all the time and we’re happy to flag anything that looks off before it goes to press. That’s what we’re here for.
TIP OF THE MONTH
The single best habit you can build for holiday mailings: schedule a “proof day” at least one week before your print deadline. Block the time, gather the right people, print the proof at full size, and go through this checklist together. Rushed approvals cause almost every print error we see. A dedicated review hour — while there’s still time to fix something — is the best insurance policy in direct mail.