If you haven’t started holiday email campaign planning, you’re behind.

I hate to say it, but this is the time that separates the winners from the also-rans. If you aren’t already thinking of how to create value for your subscribers, you are probably missing out on significant revenue opportunities.

You see, October-December are the busiest retail months of the year. 20 to 40 percent of yearly sales for small and mid-sized retailers take place within the last two months of the year. And nearly 1/3 of U.S. Internet shoppers said they started their holiday shopping before Halloween. 

Everything you’re doing today can tee you up for big success in OND (October, November, December) – or it can be business as usual. 

Business as usual USUALLY means leaving money on the table.

Are you focused on email acquisition right now so you have a larger nurtured market come the holidays?
Are you thinking of what kinds of images you’ll need to promote your product? 
Do you have offers put together and pricing approved? 
Are you thinking of how best to position holiday gifts, services, and experiences? 
Are you appropriately staffed to support an exceptional customer experience?

I have spent a lot of time talking about holiday email campaigns on this blog. Know why? Because I believe businesses are leaving money on the table every year by not having their strategy dialed in well in advance. I’ve also seen first-hand how smooth and profitable the Q4 circus can be when planning and preparation starts early.

Here are the top 3 reasons to start holiday campaign planning NOW

1. You can proactively tailor your email acquisition and nurture programs to the holiday mindset.

I’ve shared this stat before, because it’s important: According to research by Optimove, retailers experience 50% more transactions from first-time customers during the holiday season compared to the rest of the year. To capitalize on the influx of newbies, acknowledge where they are at in their relationship with you! 

Create programs to convert gift-givers into your own repeat purchasers and brand advocates. It might start by educating them on why their gift purchase is so incredible. Showcase the benefits of your product that might align to the gift-giver’s own life. Share some great reviews from people who use the product or service. You can even offer them an entry level product or service to help them experience your magic for themselves.

As a disclaimer: I had some feedback that requested I include some examples of this. I’ll be honest, I’ve never seen ANYBODY do this in a holiday specific way. So, you could be the first trailblazer to implement this (IMO) super compelling strategy. OR, if you know of a business that is doing this, would you tell me about ’em so I can see for myself and give them mad props here?

2. You can adjust your shopping experience to accommodate unique holiday shopping modes

NOW is the time to evaluate the operational component of your gift order process. Is it seamless to enter multiple shipping addresses during your online check-out process? Could you create holiday gift signage for your brick and mortar location to effectively guide customers to gift solutions? Do you need to hire a concierge to handle corporate gifting or large orders? How can you package your product or service to appeal to gift-givers? Can you create product bundles at different price points, or put together the ultimate starter’s kit of your X, Y, and Z as an introductory “grab and go” type of offer?

This is also an exceptional time to get input from your existing customers. Survey your best customers now, and ask them what would make for an exceptional gifting experience. You’d be amazed at the ideas your customers might be willing to share.

3. You can put together a BOMB holiday gift guide campaign

I love a good holiday gift guide. Executed well, a holiday gift guide campaign can maximize your gift offerings throughout the holiday shopping season.

The sad truth is that most businesses don’t front-load their planning early enough in the year to make executing a kick-ass holiday catalog a reality. I’ve expounded on the joys of the holiday gift guide in multiple parts on this blog, so rather than repeat myself, I’ll give you the TL;DNR version:

Holiday guides allow you to position your business in a relevant and value-added way throughout October, November, and December. And if you don’t have one, you can read this post for hot tips to create your own.

There is a better way…

Imagine, if you will, that October rolls around (which it inevitably will). In the last few months, you’ve added a ton of new, engaged subscribers. You’ve created systems to appropriately segment based on where they’re at in their journey with your business. There are automatically triggered emails set up to nurture each kind of customer to the next level.

You know what worked last year, and you also know what is working now. You aren’t questioning your strategy going into the hectic holiday season. There is a plan (with a measurable outcome of success identified) for each email. The calendar holds space for time spent reviewing results and adjusting if necessary.

Your business is armed with images and product offerings specific to the holiday mindset, so you won’t need to scramble in the 11th hour. Customers have given you valuable feedback about how you can make their lives easier in the holiday season, and you’ve taken that feedback to heart by implementing some of their suggestions. Products, pricing, and promotion are all locked in. You’re staffed appropriately. Your systems have been reviewed for any potential sources of friction. 

All that’s left to do now is execute.

I want that to be YOUR business, and it is 100% possible when you start planning now.

SUMMIN’ IT UP

You guys, I know you probably think I’m bananas for talking about Christmas in July. But if you are proactive in your planning NOW, you’ll be executing a winning strategy come OND. You’ll have time to review and optimize your email acquisition and nurture strategy for gift-givers. You can make the necessary changes to your shopping experience online and onsite, guaranteeing a friction-free, delightful gift-giving experience for your customers AND for you! And you can gather the necessary images, product offerings, and technology to promote your gifts throughout OND.

Want help with your holiday email marketing? 

I’ve put together a Holiday Success Package specifically designed to outsource your email marketing headaches, bring you the valuable outsider’s perspective that can be a huge difference maker during this high stakes time of year, and ensure you aren’t leaving money on the holiday table. I’ll work with you to create and execute an integrated marketing plan for Q4. We’ll implement holiday-specific welcome and nurture email campaigns to tee up your subscribers for holiday goodness. I’ll also give your business a kickass holiday gift guide, soup to nuts executed by yours truly to drive results for your business from October through December.

I will keep serving you as many practical tools to support you in kicking a** this year with your holiday campaigns. But if you think there’s a chance you won’t start now, I really hope you’ll contact me to find out more about the Holiday Success Package.