Although it is an unofficial holiday, most everyone is familiar with Christmas in July. Some say the tradition began in the southern hemisphere so that people living there could celebrate Christmas festivities during their winter season, which falls during the months of June-August. Others think that it was just a way to have a holiday in the middle of summer, due to the lack of other official holidays being observed during these months.
Whatever its origins, retailers and marketers looking for summer promotion ideas have certainly picked up on the Christmas in July tradition, especially in the world of email marketing. But in addition to offering discounts and giveaways in July to boost summertime sales and customer engagement, marketers should also begin planning out their strategies for the official holiday season. With Christmas being less than 5 months away, the most exciting time of the year is right around the corner!
Here are 3 simple ways to jumpstart your email marketing strategy in preparation for the upcoming holiday season:
1. Plan which holiday promotions you will run.
The holiday season can encompass any number of official and unofficial holidays, including Halloween, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday, Free Shipping Day, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. It's easy to keep track of which day each holiday falls on with sites like National Day Calendar and Days Of The Year. Although it isn't necessary to run a promotion for every holiday, mapping out a schedule ahead of time will help your team prepare an well-organized strategy for the entire season.
2. Analyze holiday campaigns that were successful in the past.
Which campaigns grabbed the attention of your audience last year and the year before? Make a list of your best performers and take some time to thoroughly analyze their results. Identify which elements worked together to drive engagement and make the campaign a winner. Look at the template designs, color presentation, subject lines, copy, calls to action, and send times for each successful campaign. Then, pull some reports to better understand the behavior patterns of your top subscribers throughout the season. It also helps to do this for the campaigns that didn't perform well, so your team can make better decisions on where to focus their efforts this year.
3. Research current trends and brainstorm ways to stand out from the competition.
To stand out in the sea of holiday promotions that will be filling up your subscribers' inboxes, it goes without saying that you will need to think outside the box. Start by looking at what's trending in the current market and in the email campaigns you have run so far this year. What are the wants and needs of your audience, and how can your product or service help? Determine what makes your brand stand out from your competitors, and brainstorm ways you can offer something fresh that not only will resonate with your audience, but also solve their problems in a way that your competition can't or won't.
It's never too early to start thinking about the holidays! Getting a jumpstart on your email marketing strategy will give your team the time they need to perfect their efforts and maximize your business' success this holiday season.
