Tis’ the Season…to Win with Email Marketing
Even though Black Friday has come and gone, research shows that the remaining weeks of the year are still some of the best email marketing result producers…especially for last minute holiday shoppers. Even though there might be preoccupation by outdoor brands to think about the upcoming show season and year, a final push through December can really make a difference in the balance sheet. Sometimes even the best outdoor marketers forget how powerful and effective a good email campaign can be.
A new report from the Rubicon Project shows Americans plan to spend an average of $1,175 this holiday season, showing a 12% jump over last year. The survey confirms there is a continued shift towards online and mobile shopping, with 22% of consumers showing this preference. So, what are some of the critical elements of your mid- to late-December emails?
Subject Lines Rule
Snappy, festive subject lines matter, especially on mobile. With mobile use on the rise, consumers are increasingly scrolling through inboxes and reading email subject lines on the go. One national marketing company just completed a survey and found that over a recent 10-day period, 46% of recipients opened their seasonal-oriented emails on a smart phone or tablet. Customers get a lot of emails over the holidays and the decision to open an email (or not) is made quickly, so make the first impression count and stand out with clever, seasonally-relevant subject lines and pre-header text.
Clever, But Concise
While subject lines are critical, so are messages and visuals. Remember, your customers get a lot of email. Be visually appealing, but concise and to the point. Bullet points can be very beneficial and effective. Another technique can be to take a common and accepted theme or saying over the holidays and develop twists on the words or intent. It will make readers stop, read and hopefully smile and take action.
Before/After
With people home for the holidays and looking for things to do, it would stand to reason that many would go to the tablets and smart phones during the holiday football game commercials. Wrong. Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Christmas Day saw some of the lowest email open rates of last year’s holiday season. While actual holidays might seem like the perfect days to send promotional emails, brands should seize the opportunity leading up to and after those dates.
Even though some of your customers are concentrating on a late deer rut, waterfowl, or the last fishing excursion of the year, now is the time when your customers are spending time filling their Christmas lists and gift wrapping.
