4 Holiday Email Tips to Stand Out From the Masses

Hopefully you've survived Black Friday and Cyber Monday. But now is the time to work on your remaining holiday emails to ensure they stand out from the masses. After all, with over 10 billion dollars on the line for post-Thanksgiving spending, you want the make the most of any marketing efforts, right?

The great thing about holiday ecommerce emails is that shoppers are on high alert for great deals. You’re likely to experience higher open rates and click-through rates than any other time of year. That doesn’t mean you’ll stick out in their minds, though. Remember, you’re battling for dominance among the thousands of other emails they’ll receive this season. How can you come out on top?

Smarter Segmentation

While a majority of the population is shopping this holiday season, they’re not all in the same part of the buyers’ journey. Special campaigns that target consumers in various segments will help you boost your open rate and reach those buyers where they are. 

Consider special campaigns that focus on one-time buyers, shoppers who haven’t made a purchase since last Christmas, last-minute shoppers, and then those who buy from you all the time. This way, you won’t alienate long-time fans with welcome messages or scare away new shoppers with familiarity.

Consider Other Major Shopping Days

Believe it or not, Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t the only big shopping days of the year. Last-minute shoppers have been known to leave their purchases until the very last minute, meaning emails right up to the week before Christmas could still garner you excellent results.

In addition to Cyber Monday, shoppers may also be on the hunt December 3^rd and 5^th this year. Then there’s Green Monday, December 8^th, which might spill over into the 9^th. Finally, there are those last-minute buyers looking for deals on December 11^th and 15^th, which still leaves time for standard shipping.

With these dates in mind—as well as the reasons behind them—you can create targeted emails that will speak to shoppers.

Email Gift Guides

The easier you make the shopping experience for your customers, the more they’ll love you. That’s why creating email gift guides is a great way to ensure your customers stay engaged all the way through to your ecommerce site. 

Remember to segment your gift guides according to buyer persona, too. Otherwise, you’ll end up with several confused customers wondering why or how they’d ever buy the suggested products. Some of the possible segments include budget-conscious shoppers, age- and gender-based guides, previous purchases, dietary restrictions, and latest trends.

Remember the Rewards

Just because the holidays are busy doesn’t mean you get a free pass on rewarding your loyal shoppers. If your best buyers feel like you’ve stopped caring, they’ll happily head to your competitors to shop. To make sure they stay happy, consider a VIP sale for your most loyal fans, special gifts added to purchases, limited-time discounts, and the chance to buy before the rest of the buying public.

You still have time to put several of these email campaigns into effect. Just don’t be afraid to get creative…and always segment those contact lists to reach the right buyers at the right time.