There’s no doubt that the end of the year is the season of shopping. With the year closing out, families coming together, and nostalgia running high, people across the world are on the lookout for gifts (and ways to get those gifts without breaking the bank).
To help give your brand a boost in this area, we’ve compiled a few of our favorite email marketing ideas that your business can use. Read on:
1. First and foremost: start early
The holidays are already upon us. Get started as soon as possible with your email marketing; as the year closes out and the shopping season heats up, people will be on the lookout for the latest deals. In fact, in 2015, email marketing was the leading sales channel and contributed 50 percent of all online purchases. The holidays are the perfect time to encourage them to sign up with tantalizing value for the upcoming season.
2. Send blasts of your best
Are there specific promotions going on that are noteworthy? Are you offering cutting-edge deals that make your customers’ jaws drop? Send them in a blast. Awareness is a key ingredient of marketing, and if you have something specific of value to share, don’t be afraid to send it to all of your subscribed members.
3. Create gift guides
It can be tough to know what to buy for the special people in our lives—why not give customers a hand in the process by creating gift guides? Depending on your market and what products you offer, this may include gifts for dads, gifts for teens, gifts for teachers, and so on. These types of guides are easy to assemble and can spur purchasing from those conflicted about what to buy.
4. Weave holiday stories into drip campaigns
The value of your email drip campaigns (aside from providing more relevant emails to your audience, a strategy generating 18 times more revenue than blanket emails) is the narrative format they offer.
Consumers respond well to emotional stories. These may include the origin stories of your business, tales of success, and other behind-the-scenes narratives. Emotional stories resonate well during the holidays—try including pieces of your brand story in each email of your drip campaign. As your buyers reach the end of the cycle and get closer to buying, your brand stories will have had a chance to make an impact that is sure to resonate with them at the point of purchase.
5. Make a Cyber Monday offer
Cyber Monday is the cornerstone event of ecommerce. Nearly all online retailers offer discounts on this digital holiday, so it’s up to you to set yourself apart from the competition.
Create a special promotion code that applies only to Cyber Monday, and send reminders in the days leading up to it. Your goal is to give them a reason to be in your store rather than your competition—once they’re on your site, they’re more likely to stick around and shop.
Get Creative with Email Marketing Ideas
The holidays are a perfect time to get creative with your email marketing ideas and strategies. Email marketing has an average ROI of $38 for each $1 spent, but you have to know how to connect with your audience to make it happen.
Brand storytelling, regular email blasts, discount codes, and fun-focused shopping guides can all make an impact. When you diversify your email marketing, you’ll be sure to reach a broader range of consumers who will support you during the shopping season.
