Marketing Campaign Launch Checklist

Pull the segment from the loyalty CRM (Klaviyo, Yotpo, Smile.io). Name the cohort — new vs. repeat buyers, lapsed 90+ days, top-decile LTV — not just demographics. Note expected list size; small lists will not move comp sales.

Specify lift targets against last-year comp: comp sales %, conversion rate, units per transaction (UPT), and average transaction value (ATV). Targets that don't reference last year's number are not targets.

Run the proposed promo price against cost on every promoted SKU. Any item that crosses the cost-protection floor needs buyer sign-off before it goes in the matrix — markdown taken below cost shows up at weekly close as a margin hit nobody planned for.

Decide BOGO vs. percent-off vs. dollar-off vs. GWP, and lock the start/end dates against the store calendar. Avoid overlap with an existing clearance event — stacking promos in POS is the most common source of margin leakage.

One headline, one offer, one call-to-action. The concept has to read at three distances: window graphic from the sidewalk, email subject line in an inbox, and a 1.5-second scroll past on Instagram.

Spec the full kit: window vinyl, end-cap header, valance, shelf talkers, register danglers, plus email hero, paid social, and homepage banner. Match the planogram fixture dimensions — a 22" sign doesn't fit a 24" valance.

Draft variants in Klaviyo for the email and SMS sends, plus the landing-page hero. Include the legal fine print (exclusions, end date, no rain checks) on every asset — state consumer-protection laws require conspicuous notice on sale terms.

Build the discount rule in Lightspeed / Shopify POS / NCR with the locked start and end dates. Confirm it applies only to in-scope SKUs and stacks correctly (or doesn't) with the loyalty discount.

Set up the Shopify / BigCommerce discount code, automatic discount, or price rule with the same SKU scope and dates as the POS. Validate that BOPIS and ship-from-store orders inherit the promo price.

Pack and ship the printed kit to each location with a placement guide. Include the planogram diff so store teams know which end-cap and four-way the promo replaces.

30-minute call covering the offer mechanic, exclusions, end date, register prompts, and how to handle stacking requests from loyalty members. District managers join so escalations have a clear path.

Ring a basket of promoted and non-promoted SKUs, then post-void. Confirm discount applies only in-scope, stacks correctly with loyalty if intended, and prints the right line on the receipt. Repeat on at least one register per store concept.

Trace each failed test back to the discount rule: SKU scope, date range, stacking flag, or category mapping. Re-run the same mock baskets after the fix; do not flip the campaign live with any test still red.

Send a seed-list preview from Klaviyo. Click every link on desktop and mobile; verify UTM tags fire to Google Analytics / GA4 and that the landing page shows the promo price.

Walk the flagship or nearest store with the planogram diff in hand. Confirm the window vinyl, end-cap header, valance, and shelf talkers are placed and that the four-way is stocked. Photograph the set for the corporate visual library.

Capture sign-off from the VP Stores, Director of Merchandising, and Buyer of record. No launch without all three signatures on the final brief.

Flip the discount rule live in POS and the ecommerce platform at the agreed launch time. Confirm the first live transaction in each channel applies the discount as expected before announcing.

Trigger the Klaviyo send to the locked segment. Stagger SMS one hour after email to avoid same-minute spike. Watch the bounce rate and unsubscribe rate in the first 30 minutes — anything unusual means pause the second wave.

Drop the launch note in the store-ops Slack / Beekeeper channel with the FAQ link. Include the escalation path for register issues so a cashier in store 14 doesn't blast the customer-care inbox.

Watch Lightspeed Analytics / Square Dashboard / Looker for transaction volume, average ticket, and discount-applied rate. Compare to last year's same-hour baseline. Flag any store running zero promo transactions — usually a register configuration miss.

Compare same-store sales, conversion, UPT, and ATV against the targets locked in planning. Break out by store and by channel; the average hides outlier stores that drove or dragged the result.

If targets are missed, decide on a corrective lever: deepen the discount, extend the dates, add a GWP, or re-target the segment. Document the change against the original brief so the post-mortem captures cause and effect.

Five-question survey to store managers: signage placement, register friction, customer questions, sell-through on promoted SKUs, and what to change next time. Field-level qualitative beats the dashboard for understanding the customer reaction.

Run the markdown percentage and GMROI for promoted SKUs against the pre-campaign baseline. A campaign that hit comp targets but blew the margin floor is a problem the dashboard alone won't show.

Capture what worked, what missed, and the one change to bake into the next brief. File against the campaign code so the next planner inherits the context, not just the numbers.