I haven’t been shy here on this blog with my feelings about holiday marketing emails: I love them when done well, when the campaign connects the customer and the business in a unique and meaningful way. But every once in a while, a holiday marketing email campaign hits my inbox that crosses the line.
I don’t want your business to be the one sending it.
So today, I’m sharing three holiday marketing email no-nos, how to avoid them, and what to do instead of them. Before you push send, read this post!
No-No No.1 – Failing to make meaningful connections between the holiday and your business.
We recently celebrated Martin Luther King Day here in the United States, and I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting a ton in the way of inbox activity. So when a lingerie company who shall remain nameless sent an email with the subject line…
…I confess I found it to be more than a little bit off-putting. While I will concede that the right bra can be quite EMPOWERING, using MLK day as an excuse to sell that bra felt all kinds of wrong to me.
Martin Luther King Day is more than a long weekend to shop… and by overlooking the true meaning of the holiday, this particular marketer got an unsubscribe instead of the sale.
Do THIS instead:
When there is a meaningful connection between a business and holiday, this problem goes away.
Veteran’s Day is not a holiday for spending money, but my email marketing darling Chubbies found a way to connect the holiday to their business values in a way that was both on-brand AND endearing.
Quite frankly, it doesn’t even have to be a profound connection. Another lingerie superstar, Victoria’s Secret, capitalized on National Boyfriend Day in a way that made sense to me as their customer and also drove to the bottom line for the business.
No-No No.2 – Not being aware of where “the line” is
I spent nearly a decade working in the winery direct-to-consumer space before launching my own business, and in that time I’ll confess to not only witnessing a few “holiday email marketing no-nos” but also being the one pushing send on one or two.
Not me:
the (likely) well-meaning winery who promoted white wine pairings for Thanksgiving dinner with this unfortunate subject line:
“Unexpected whites for Thanksgiving”
Me:
the time I helped a big multi-brand wine site send out a “Singles Day” campaign on November 11… which is also Veteran’s Day.
A modicum of sensitivity and tact would have avoided both of those disastrous sends, savings the businesses backlash and helping me sleep better at night.
Do THIS instead:
Use a comprehensive holiday calendar to stay aware of where certain hashtag holidays might overlap with meaningful days and dates so you can avoid my mistake. And take a tip from Marie Forleo and write 30 subject lines before you decide on a winner… I’m pretty sure that “Unexpected whites for Thanksgiving” was the first and only subject line the “Not me” brand referenced above had thought up. Yikes.
No-No No.3 – Overreaching
If you think it’s a stretch, it probably is. If you suspect your offer won’t stand out in the inbox on Black Friday, you’re probably right. If you think the St. Patty’s Day “Save Some Green” campaign for your Italian bakery is grasping at a few too many straws, your customers will think so, too.
Do THIS instead:
Get a second pair of eyeballs or an outside opinion before you go all in on an email campaign. When in doubt, leverage social media and see if a mini version of your concept holds water. You can go all in on the idea next year if you get a strong response in a test environment.
Need help finding holiday marketing opportunities for your business? Use the Golden 3!
Ask these three questions when considering a holiday-centered marketing campaign:
Who is this for: my business, or my customers?
What does this holiday mean to my ideal customer?
Does that meaning directly tie to my business?
Summin’ it up
Holiday marketing campaigns are a must for any business, but they need to be executed thoughtfully. Fill your editorial calendar with meaningful holiday marketing email campaigns by putting your customer’s needs at the center of your campaign planning process. Use a comprehensive holiday calendar to be aware of upcoming days and dates that might be relevant to your customer. Get a second set of eyeballs on your campaign concepts, or test-drive a theme on social media to help you identify winners before you go all-in.
Have a funny, sad, or distressing holiday email marketing misfire to share? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Need holiday marketing inspiration for your editorial calendar?
Download my Golden 3 worksheet to spark your creative juices! These three questions will help you create clear and meaningful connections between your campaign theme and your customer!