The Ultimate Guide to Holiday Email Marketing
The holidays are just ‘round the corner!
For most businesses, especially e-commerce stores and online shops, the most lucrative time of the year has come. This is when most people do their holiday shopping and look for gifts for their friends and loved ones. Many stores anticipate this spike in demand, so they come up with deals and discounts to make the most of the Christmas shopping spree.
But physical stores aren’t the only ones who are getting busy this season. As online shopping becomes more popular than ever, fewer people are lining up outside to search for the best deals right on the comfort of their homes.
Recent findings suggest that more than 1/5 of the global population shop online instead of going to physical stores. That’s roughly more than 1 billion people all over the world willing to do their holiday shopping from your online store – if you have the right deals.
To help increase your sales this season, crafting a solid email marketing strategy should be at the top of your to-do list. Here are 8 of the best ideas for your holiday email marketing.
1. Last-Minute Reminders
For most people, the holidays are the busiest time of the year – organizing parties, planning for the new year, etc. There’s a chance buying presents for their loved ones can slip their minds.
That’s why last-minute reminders are extremely effective at giving your profits a boost during the holidays. New Look, a UK fashion brand, uses this strategy in the example below to let users know they can still do last-minute deliveries despite the festivities.
2. Gift Packages
Sometimes, deciding which items to gift for whom becomes a daunting task. Picking gifts is often a thing many people stress about, and taking the initiative to combine your products into gift packages can make your customers more likely to consider buying from you instead of the competition.
Besides, whose furry friend wouldn’t love it if they received a BarkBox for Christmas?
3. Offer Free Shipping
Your customers shop online because of the added convenience of being able to buy something without the hassle of traveling to the physical store. But sometimes, having a hefty shipping fee can be a deal breaker that could hurt your online sales.
That’s why offering free shipping is an easy way to boost orders from your online store. In fact, a recent study found that 88% of consumers would consider hitting the purchase button if your offer comes with free shipping.
4. Holiday Gift Guide
Holiday email marketing doesn’t always have to be a hard sell. Sending out holiday gift guides to your email list is an effective way to promote your business as a customer-centric brand. By giving valuable recommendations to your customers, you earn plus points which give you an advantage over the competition.
In the example below, National Book Store gives a link to their gift guides page, where they segment their target market into different interests and handpick books that will best match their likes. (Bonus points for the customized gift wrapping!)
5. Urgency tactic
Once December kicks in, people will have less time to buy presents for their loved ones. Social gatherings and get-togethers can make them post-pone gift-buying at a later date. How can you use this to your advantage?
You can use the concept of “scarcity” and set a time limit on your offers. This way, your customers will feel more compelled to act fast, so they can get a better deal. In the example below, Design Within Reach emphasizes that their Cyber Monday promo only lasts within the day, striking a sense of urgency from shoppers.
6. Cook up an interactive game!
What better way to feel the spirit of the season than by playing a game with your friends? Adding a short but fun game to your holiday email marketing not only makes it more likely to be noticed but also makes your recipients associate your brand with positive feelings. And the more people feel good about your brand, the more likely they are to buy from you.
Taco Bell, for instance, made an interactive board game that catered to their buyer persona:
7. Get creative!
Just because most other brands are going all out on hard-sell tactics, doesn’t mean you should. Doing something unique could even set your brand apart and make you the talk of the town.
That’s what dating app Hinge did when they sent an email that puts a twist on the regular office holiday party.
8. Simple Holiday Greetings
When nothing else comes to mind, it’s okay to think small, like sending over a sincere note of warm wishes. If done right, a simple holiday email will make customers think highly of your brand. And while it’s not as effective as boosting your holiday sales, it will make your brand more memorable in the long run.
After all, it’s the thought that counts.
Did any of our holiday email marketing ideas catch your fancy? Whichever you choose, remember to always put your customers first and make sure that your email provides value to them. And if you want to supercharge your efforts, combine email marketing automation to your strategy for a truly merry season!
Read more:
Email Marketing Best Practices to Adopt in 2018 and Beyond
