Holiday Email Marketing: 6 Tips to Kickstart Your Campaign

The holiday season is here and the shopping madness is in full effect. That makes it the ideal time for your business to spread some cheer and recreate the magic of the season – and you can do that by sending festive newsletters to your customers. Never underestimate the power of a perfect email: 91 percent of email respondents have gone into a store as a result of an online experience.

Email marketing is one way to greet your customers who have yet to step foot into a brick-and-mortar store. It’s your chance to inform them about your products and services, special offers or other social events. To make the most of this holiday season, take a look at these tips to increase the success of your email marketing campaign.

Plan strategically.

Think outside the box and send out offers that are fun and exciting, but also timely and relevant. Find ways to help your emails stand out from the crowd – if you don’t, your competitors will. During the 2013 holiday season, consumers spent $46.5 billion, up 10 percent from 2012 — so shoppers are out there. Make sure your business is their final stop.

Send emails that increase traffic to your site.

Email campaigns should arrive in your subscriber’s inbox full of gift suggestions, sales alerts, days of special discounts sand any limited time offers. Make sure to place a link to your website in a high real estate spot within the email to drive traffic to your website. If it isn’t already, revamp your campaign so it is aimed at making a human connection in email marketing. Your emails need personality and humor to deepen the connection with your customers.

Make your emails efficient.

Limited time offers are extremely effective because they prompt an on-the-fence customer to go ahead and close the deal by making a purchase. Your emails will encourage shoppers to visit your website, so double check all of your links and make sure pricing in your emails mirror the pricing on your website.

Focus on the subject line.

The email design is important, but shift your focus to the subject line. The best email design in the world means nothing if the subject line doesn’t wow the email recipients and urge them to click on the email — if the message isn’t opened, the email design can’t be seen. Think of witty and brief keywords for the subject line that the subscriber won’t be able to resist.

Make it easy to read.

Nearly every retailer out there will send out Christmas campaigns with the same goals in mind, so make sure to make your emails light and memorable. Include images and colorful illustrations and don’t go too heavy with words. Personalize each email and mention customers by name – go ahead and give them a “bonus” discount, too, and tell them you value their experience. Make their shopping experience one that is stress-free and fun.

Incentivize your customers.

Remind customers that you sell gift cards or give them other recommendations of products they can buy online. Considering offers such as a $15 gift card if they spend $50 online or free shipping for spending a minimum amount of money. You can even offer free samples of your products or services. These tactics will make your customers feel satisfied and increase their likelihood of becoming regular shoppers who spread the good tidings of your business.

Be social.

Give your customers the chance to share their experiences on Facebook or Twitter, and reward them with a generous bonus such as a free gift of a special sale. This will raise awareness of your business and in turn, bring in more shoppers.

Whether your goal is to win over new customers, increase revenue, or turn your email subscribers into customers, the holiday season is an ideal time to vamp up your email marketing campaign. When written with the customer in mind, holiday-themed emails are the perfect way to encourage both email subscribers and customers to shop with your business. Enjoy the holiday season.

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