As the holiday season approaches, the conundrum that many retailers will face is ‘how are we going to keep existing and attract new customers?’ The 28 day period between thanksgiving and Christmas is the life force behind many retail businesses and in order to prosper, they must market themselves effectively. Projections are varied as to how strong this season will be, with some reports fearing the worse, and others a tad bit more optimistic. Ultimately, the effects it has on consumer spending can only be hypothesized.
So what’s a marketer to do? When little budget can be left to chance, email marketing can be one of the most economical ways to get your message out to millions of people at a low cost. Here are some holiday email marketing tips that will help you stay afloat.
• Repetition is key- you have around 28 days to capture a person’s attention and wallet. Make sure that you email marketing is planned and repeated. Figure out how many times you need to email in order to be effective. Check out Stefan Pollards article for some excellent tips!
• Know your target list: Working with an online agency can help you understand your target audience to choose the right list for you and your brand. Make sure that your holiday blasts are going to the right people. This is not a shot in the dark, this is online advertising, things are measured and scaled. Consult an expert if you are unsure.
• Rethink discounts: According to a survey released last week by service provider MarketLive and The E-tailing Group, Ken Burke, chairman, and founder of MarketLive warns that retailers “have to be careful about discounting” and avoid the issues of 2008 when retailers offered aggressively discounted prices to speed sales, and ended up simultaneously undercutting their profits and brand reputations.
• Design, Design, Design. Just how the radio stations go crazy with the holiday songs during the Christmas season, so should the holiday marketer. Make your email blast relevant and interesting. Email Transit Offered offered some excellent design tips.
• Test and Optimize. Ah, two of my favorite words! Unsure if you subject lines are doing the trick? TEST IT. Want a bigger or smaller call to action button? TEST IT! A/B testing will help you determine what to keep and what to kick saving you precious time and money.
What are some of your valuable holiday marketing tips?