Strategic Email Marketing in The Festive Season

There are opportunities abound in the latter half of the year, with the festive season kicking in. In this scenario, firms that undertake strategic email marketing initiatives are often the ones that fare better than competition. However, for that to happen, it’s important to realize the kinds of opportunities that need to be leveraged.

The first signs of the festive season begin right after Thanksgiving, with Black Friday being one of the major hits as far as shopping is concerned both in the US as well as UK. Retailers launch exclusive promotions to ensure that customers are enticed to buy more from online as well as offline channels. In 2012, there was a jump of 20 percent in retail sales in the US on Black Friday. It is often referred to as the busiest shopping day of the year, and the figures speak for themselves. Last year, 69 percent retailers sent out email messages on Black Friday, which resulted in a 24.3 percent increase in sales compared to 2010. However, it’s not just about sending emails on Black Friday, but the build-up to the day that is more important with regards to strategic email marketing.

As a rule of thumb, any period of time before November, the first three weeks in particular, is like a warm up. It is during this period that the Christmas messaging really comes in its element, so to speak and methods like free delivery, etc. are used to offer special incentives and attract customers to spend more, projecting the day as an exclusive opportunity to get more for less. While customers are obviously on the lookout for the best deal, the sheer shopping mood often drives sales and it’s not uncommon to see a first mover advantage scenario in this case, i.e., retailers that get the message across earlier benefit most.