Whatever you call your holiday season, one thing is for sure. It’s shopping time for consumers. I’ve been reading a lot of shopping statistics lately and the following is a summary of my conclusions. I hope it will improve your email results through the end of the year.
- Help Your Customers Save Time
All my research indicates that time saving and convenience are the #1 holiday shopping motivators. Try promoting something that will save your customers time while shopping. - Use a 30-Second Rule
Holiday email promotions abound, but time does not. Make sure your messages can be digested in less than 30 seconds. Use a minimum of copy and images and focus on concise headlines and links. Give your audience just enough information to get them into the store or clicking through to your website. - Offer Alternatives to “Buy It Now”
Consumers who click on a product promotion often end up purchasing a different product or service than the one in your promotion. If you’re promoting products or services in your emails, give your audience links besides “buy it now” so they can view similar products, make comparisons, and browse product categories for other ideas. - Categorize Your Offers
Remember that it’s gift giving season so try categorizing offers by gift-giving group instead of by product line. Examples could include “for the chef in your home,” “gifts that teens love,” “stocking stuffers,”and so on. - Be Branded but Different
Using holiday colors is a good idea, but make sure you keep a consistent brand by using the same format, logos, text style, and personality that your customers are used to seeing. If they don’t recognize your emails, they may be perceived as unwanted junk. Also make sure your subject lines and from lines are clear, consistent, and include the immediate benefits of opening your holiday emails.
John Arnold is the Regional Development Director for Constant Contact, and author of the book Email Marketing for Dummies.
