As we head into the final sprint towards the end of the year, it’s time to turn your thoughts to your holiday campaigns – more specifically, your email marketing. So, how do you stand out from the crowd? We’ve put together our top tips that are sure to get you in the spirit.
7 Email Marketing Tips:
- Get in on the action: Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can do without it. Believe it or not, in 2015, email marketing drove 20% of online holiday sales. Whatever industry you’re in, that is worth taking note of. Take time to carefully plan your email marketing strategy and tailor your message in accordance to highlight your products or services.
- Start early: It’s a busy time of the year and your customers are being bombarded on all fronts by marketing messages. So, beat the rush and get your message out there before everyone else does. Not only does it give your messaging a better chance of being seen, but it also allows your customers to plan their lives around your offer. If you leave it too late you might miss the boat entirely and they’ll already have done their shopping at someone else’s store.
- Share your story: An important part of content marketing is sharing your story. Not only does it keep your customers up to date with what’s going on, but it allows them to connect with you, share in your success and better understand your business offering. One of the best ways to do this is to send out an end-of-year update reflecting on all you’ve accomplished this year. Don’t miss out this opportunity to thank your loyal customers for their support either – this will go a long way to building trust and lasting relationships.
- Network: Because people are out-and-about and on the go over the holiday season, it’s a good idea to give them multiple ways to connect with you. Add social media buttons to all your emails and drive people to whichever platforms you’re on. It’s a great place to improve your engagement and increase your following. You can also share you emails on social media and encourage your followers to sign up for the latest news, views, sales and special offers, which will help to grow your database.
- Get personal: Emails with personalised subject lines, i.e. that use a subscriber’s first name, are more likely to be opened. So, don’t forget this one, simple step when sending out your holiday messaging! Throw in a couple of attention-grabbing power words and you’ll be well on your way to reaching your audience. Whether you’re trying to drive sales or simply wanting to say thanks, words like discount, saving, order now and season’s greetings can make all the difference.
- Time it right: It’s always important to send your emails out at the right time of day, but even more so during this busy time of year. 10 am and 2 pm have been shown to prove the most successful in getting consumers to actually open and read emails. Why not try both times and see which one works best for you?
- Black Friday and Cyber Monday: Any article about holiday campaigns would not be complete if it didn’t make mention of these two big holidays. They’re not just for the big retailers – take advantage of the prevailing public expectation that there are savings to be had and create a special Black Friday or Cyber Monday offer. Not only will your existing customers feel like you’re rewarding them for their loyalty, but an exciting, value-added offer will draw in new and potential customers too. This year Black Friday is on 24 November, so you’d better get busy!
At WSI OMS we use email marketing to help our clients form a virtual relationship with not only their existing, but prospective consumers too. As digital marketing consultants, WSI OMS can help you get your digital and social media marketing in place. From email marketing to social media, SEO and link building, we will work with you to grow your business and maximise your digital marketing.