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In the fast-paced world of retail, the holiday season begins in August. Companies must have their ducks in a row long in advance to secure a bumper Christmas. Australians spend billions of dollars every year on gifts for their loved ones, and retailers are hungry for a piece of the pie. In many industries, holiday sales account for a whopping 30% of annual revenue. To get ahead of the 2022 holiday season and to cater to the surge in demand, email marketing is your best bet.

The COVID-19 pandemic transformed the way consumers shop, fuelling a surge in e-commerce. Snap lockdowns and travel restrictions forced shoppers online and, despite the world returning (mostly) to normal in the meantime, many have jumped ship for good. This dramatic shift makes the busy season all the more lucrative for online retailers - but also amps up the pressure to stand out from the growing crowd as more and more businesses go digital.

Seasonal sales operate during a small window. Therefore, a slow-burn strategy may leave you lagging behind when timing is of the essence. Email marketing is one of the highest-converting marketing tools at your disposal. Targeted and direct, they offer readers a clear call-to-action that sends them straight to your website. The numbers don’t lie; email marketing generates an impressively high return when compared to other channels. In fact, it is estimated that it generates an average of $44 for every $1 spent—a stunning 4400% ROI. Social media, by comparison, comes in at 28%. Furthermore, Christmas is celebrated on a global scale. Today there are 4 billion daily email users, and this staggering number is expected to climb to 4.6 billion by 2025. 

Mark your Calendar & Schedule for a Email Marketing Campaign this Holiday!

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Here are six tips to make the most out of your email marketing efforts this festive season.

1. Fill your calendar

From a commercial perspective, the holidays have evolved into a 3-month long, multi-phase shopping frenzy that can explode your profits. Christmas gifting is just the tip of the iceberg nowadays. It all kicks off with Black Friday, followed by Cyber Monday. But in reality, most customers will expect a full week of deals and bargains towards the end of November. Savvy shoppers will plan their gift-buying around this period, so make sure your offers attract their attention. Busy season continues right up to the end of December. But the madness isn’t over yet - the 26th of December marks the start of the end-of-season sales. When developing your email marketing strategy, make sure to have campaigns prepared for these crucial dates.

2. Get your timing right

While retailers will be planning their Christmas months in advance, most consumers aren’t in holiday mode until much later. It is important to get your customers thinking early so that your business is front of mind when it’s go-time, but don’t bombard them with festive advertising prematurely. Untimely seasonal marketing is a common complaint among consumers, leaving them disgruntled and potentially damaging your brand image in the process.  Around 40% of Australians have started their shopping by the end of October, so keep this in mind before you let loose.

3. Segment your database

Towards the end of the year, consumers tend to receive an increased volume of emails from retailers who are keen to capitalise on Christmas. However, cluttered inboxes can drive users to hit the dreaded unsubscribe button. Aussies unsubscribed from marketing emails at double the rate of other regions in 2020. On that note, be selective about who you contact. Gone are the days when blast emails comprised a solid email marketing strategy. While it may be tempting to send your carefully put-together content to everyone in your database, keep your subs engaged by sending marketing material only that is relevant to the recipient. How you split your audience is up to you, but most good platforms will allow you to segment based on key characteristics like age, location and online behaviour (depending on how much data is at your disposal).

4. Create a gift guide

For many shoppers, the most stressful aspect of the holidays is thinking of gift ideas - particularly for those hard-to-buy-for types who seem to have everything already. Tap into this huge market by giving them the nudge they need to help narrow down their choice. An email gift guide makes life easy for confused consumers, curated based on factors like age, gender, interests and lifestyle. Your considered guide can inspire readers based on the characteristics of the person they are shopping for. For example, you might include a section on gifts for busy mothers. When all else fails, a gift card is a go-to for those who remain undecided. If you offer a store credit scheme, make sure to include this in your Q4 promotional emails.

5. Specify your final shipping dates

The holiday rush is a nightmare for couriers and postal services. As orders skyrocket, delays and interruptions are foregone conclusions. Make sure to liaise with your carrier and determine your shipping cut-off dates. Give your readers peace of mind that their gifts will arrive in time for the big day by communicating these deadlines in your promotional emails. Clearly stating your last possible ship-by dates also creates a sense of urgency that can drive conversions among last-minute shoppers. While a 24 hour day delay may be no big deal any other time of the year, the difference between the 25th and 26th of December is critical. If you mislead your customers, not only will you receive a slew of complaints - but you will likely be landed with a pile of returns that may not be so easy to shift post-Christmas.

6. Keep in touch

You may notice a spike in your sign-ups towards the end of the year, particularly if you offer an incentive. Have a post-holiday strategy in place so you can turn seasonal shoppers into loyal, returning customers. Repeat buyers represent your most profitable market. The probability of selling to an existing customer is 60-70%, while the probability of selling to a new prospect is only 5% to 20%. Once your Christmas push ends, it’s a good idea to ask your subscribers to update their preferences so you can tailor your marketing to their regular spending habits going forward.

Do you need further guidance on your holiday marketing strategy this year? Christmas 2022 is just around the corner. Be prepared and speak to the experts at Elephant in the Boardroom. We are a Melbourne-based digital agency that offers a full suite of services, from social media content to UX design. Get in touch today and discover how we can help your business evolve.

Phone: +61 3 7018 7620

Email: [email protected].