Email Marketing Tips to Organize your Holiday Calendar
1) Planning (loads of it!)
Planning is the key. Have a product list? Study the USPs to bring attention to product features in relation to the festival season. Take for instance, a shopping site. You know the Diwali season is approaching and the shopping fever is on. A strong marketing plan can include discounts to be advertised or a holiday gift guide. Introduce it prior to the Diwali season. This will tempt current customers and even introduce new buyers.
2) Decide the Content
Your next step should focus on the content that is the key to reach potential customers. Now that you know which products to market, it’s about creating the right message. Try a combination of strategies – ‘limited period offers’ to encourage more customers to buy in the holiday season. Introduce loyalty programs that can begin as early as July. Strategize different ways to reach out to customers with a flawless combination of words. Plan teaser campaigns through emails and social media channels to reach out nice and early!
3) Speak through your Visuals
A head start on planning your marketing campaign for this holiday season will allow ample time for you to conceptualize designs that ‘speak’. (We are sure you want to go beyond the Santa caps and snowflake designs!) A smart and attractive layout should grab attention and propel the user to ‘click’ on the much-desired call-to-action buttons. An early start will allow plenty of space to brainstorm upon the images, placing, templates, and more.
4) Maintain your own Calendar
So the holiday season seems a tad overwhelming for you to manage? Schedule all your tasks using the modest calendar. You can mark the days when you need to –
Begin with the design and content
Work on the HTML
Finalize Email send-out Date
Send Reminders
Update the Social Media Channels
Create Excitement during the Special Offers Period
5) Segmentation of Lists
Marketing professionals certainly benefit with list segmentation. This can begin as early as June-July. Study the user list preferences, buyer habits, email effectiveness, past clients, etc. List segmentation keeps it neat and tidy to target your holiday marketing emails as per user preference. (Email marketing software makes these tasks a breeze once you find an increase in the customer base.)
6) Get Tech-Savvy
With Smartphones taking over as the preferred medium to check emails and shop, you wouldn’t want to miss this opportunity to tap potential customers. Your marketing emails need to be mobile optimized. Your website should also be accessible on mobile phones as the email clicks will lead to your site page.
7) Survey the Internet
When you begin your holiday marketing campaigns, there is always scope to erase the flaws. Do a quick survey to understand what the customers are talking about your product/service. Use feedback requests for regular customers to improve your marketing strategies. For example – you’ve seen a loyal customer giving good reviews. Use a reward program with special discounts in your email campaigns for regular buyers.
Now that you have finished planning and are ready to send out emails, refer to this check list:
Ensure you are well-equipped to handle the product demand
Use a combination of social media channels to boost your marketing campaign (E.g.: A cool Pinterest board is useful to display products)
Study the mistakes made earlier, and AVOID them
Keep a track of your current marketing plan
Use these holiday email marketing strategies to ensure you stay in complete control this festive season!
About the Author:
Smita More is a marketing professional and drives marketing activities for Juvlon – Email Marketing Software. Connect with Smita on LinkedIn.