There’s no reason that the festive season should be a slow time for you. If anything, it should be busier than ever! Before you dive headfirst into your email marketing for the festive season, we’ve put together a list of things you should be aware of with your marketing over the holiday period.
1 – Start early
There’s a good reason you see retailers putting up their holiday specials and decorations as early as October. Consumers are out there, making wish-lists and potentially already shopping for presents if they’re incredibly well organized. Give yourself plenty of time for brainstorming, goal-setting and strategizing now, before the rush sets in.
It’s better to be top of mind for consumers so they can buy from you early, rather than waiting until their holiday budget has already been blown.
2 – Cater for the last-minute shoppers
That being said, there are some people that will leave their shopping until the very last minute. This is when your clever marketing will come into play.
If you give those last-minute shoppers something they can gift to their friends or family, you have a much higher chance that they’ll buy from you. Printable vouchers, cards or certificate is the easiest way to do this, as well as any last minute sales or options for rush/overnight delivery.
3 – Keep an eye on your reputation
Increasing your email volume may lead to vulnerability for your sender reputation, meaning that some (or all) of your campaigns might not reach the inbox.
To combat this, checking that the addresses in your list are valid prior to sending a larger-than-normal holiday campaign will mitigate any potential disasters. Make sure that you are set up with Domain Authentication for extra reassurance.
4 – Don’t buy email lists
When the pressure is on to hit targets and make sales during the crazy season, you might be tempted to reach more prospects by purchasing a list. Stop right there.
It’s incredibly easy to build a list of genuine opt-in subscribers, and those people will be far more receptive to your marketing (holiday or not). Build an email list for free instead of wasting your money on buying addresses you won’t be able to use.
5 – Don’t do the same thing as last year
Just because you were successful last year, doesn’t mean you can coast on by without thinking about improvement. It’s been 365 days since last year’s campaign, so much could have changed: consumer needs, financial landscapes, new products coming on the market and old ones leaving. Be authentic and original every time, consumers can tell when you’re phoning it in.
6 – Make this festive season your most profitable one yet
It’s easy to avoid the pitfalls of seasonal marketing. Once you’ve considered the above and have a plan in mind, you’re ready to make the most out of your marketing.
