We’re almost to December, and all across the country people are breaking out their holiday decor. Preparing for the holiday season can spark a wealth of different emotions, ranging from bliss to dread — and that’s not even factoring in the pandemic burnout many may still be dealing with. So how can you market to an audience that’s exhausted and just trying to make it through the holiday season?
Mix one half your typical marketing style with a helping of empathy, a handful of prolonged sales, and as much genuine holiday spirit as you can muster. In other words…
Slow it down
After almost two years of having to be “on” and extra-cautious all the time, people are tired. The last thing you want to do is make your subscribers chase deals (because there’s a fair chance they won’t). Instead of quick-hitting, “one day only” flash sales, draw them out over weekends, weeks, or even the entire month of December in a “month of deals” approach. If you do elect for those short sales, let people know about them in advance so you’re not relying on day-of opens.
Make it brief
Get right to the point in your emails. Similar to how people may not prefer to chase deals, people may not have the patience to sort through sale details and fine print, either. Be clear about exactly what’s on sale, what’s the sale price, and if there are any conditions to meet before becoming eligible for the sale price.
Personalize it
Inboxes fill up especially fast over the holidays, so make sure to target the people who are actually interested in your products. If you’re keeping up with your own audience segmentation, this should be easy to implement. If not, try targeting specific customer groups next month with one of the following ideas:
- Send sale reminders to those who interacted with the initial sale email.
- Create “related product” sales. Choose an audience who purchased a specific product and send them sales for closely-related items.
- Offer “VIP”-style sales to frequent readers and purchasers. Highlight why the recipient is receiving such an exclusive offer, and emphasize your appreciation for their engagement with your brand and/or products.
Adding personalized data fields like your readers’ first name or location in your subject lines and body copy are an easy way to bring a personal, human touch to your emails. Which brings us to our final point:
Be human
Even if you work for a large corporation, your company is still run by humans. (We hope.) Emails that look and sound like they’re from a real person are not only more widely-trusted by readers, but can also lead to increased open rates. If you have a spokesperson or customer representative your readers are used to hearing from, try using that person’s name as your “from” line for an extra boost.
Last but not least, throw in that holiday cheer! Too often, people are left feeling drained by the holiday season, emotionally and financially. Try adding a special holiday message to your email schedule, just to reach out to your readers and wish them well this season. Be careful, though: some readers can smell a publicity gimmick a mile away, so keep the message genuine. Anything you can do this holiday season to show your readers you value them, and not just their purchases, will go a long way.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/covid-fatigue
https://www.campaignmonitor.com/resources/guides/personalized-email/
