Holiday Email Marketing Success Tactics

Oct. 12, 2011 - PRLog -- The Holidays will be here just before you know it, but what are the best ways to use email marketing to boost your sales?  Email marketing can help you break through the clutter by providing an interactive experience coupled with direct messaging.  Through creative exploration and strong personalized tactics, you can make sure consumers are able to find the perfect gift for everyone on their list.

To help marketers with their holiday email marketing campaigns, we’ve created Santa’s Checklist of the top twenty elements every holiday email marketing campaign should include:

*Increase holiday email frequencies.  Stand out with big deals, useful advice, and easy-to-use navigation bars in your creative.
*Create a sense of urgency in the subject line.  Be sure to also include again in the header of your HTML creative.
*Minimal text, focus on specials.  Use animated gifts to heighten attraction.  Add links to specific product pages..
*Promote your gift cards and offer product suggestions (i.e. gift finders, stocking stuffers, etc.).
*Include your Facebook and Twitter Icons in your HTML creative.  Add Forward-to-a-Friend links for new prospects to be your brand ambassadors.
*Add click-to-play video how-to’s, funny e-cards, etc.  Video is a great way to increase interaction and boost click-thru rates.
*Add a user-friendly gift guide navigation bar.  Make it easy for them to see why they need your gifts under their tree.
*Click-thru contest—give your email some life.  Ask for user-generated content through video uploads, blogs, etc.
*Use holiday countdown promotions to entice consumers to start shopping for “must-have” holiday items.
*Build your database—offer newsletter-subscriber-only specials.
*Optimize your email for mobile subscribers—don’t neglect mobile shoppers who are eager to find holiday specials!
*Offer lunch-time only specials when consumers are looking to maximize their time and get the best holiday gifts at a great price.
*Personalize offers to recipients—“exclusive” deals just for them!
*Make sure your online and offline efforts go hand-in-hand. Have a link to the closest store within the email to encourage store traffic.
*Show you care—add holiday tips that give advice on reducing holiday stress, quick and easy holiday dishes, etc.
*Add a “Friends& Family” promotion and reward those who refer their loved ones.
*Add a charity cause to show consumers your concerned about more than just a sale.
*Incentivize—Give something away for free when consumers sign-up to exclusive offers.
*Remember to engage with consumers after the holidays. Email marketing is about building a long-lasting relationship not a transaction.
*Survey consumers who made purchased your products during the holidays and make sure you thank them.  Feedback is essential for tweaking next year’s holiday initiative.

These holiday email marketing tips will ensure marketers attract, engage, and entice shoppers to purchase their products online and in-store.  More now than ever, it is essential to make sure your emails are worthwhile for consumers to read.  Marketers will need to demonstrate why their products are the right gift choices for the holidays.  Consumers will be looking for extra value this year and marketers will need to shoppers how their money can go farther this holiday season. With careful planning and creative promotions, marketers can end 2011 with a bang!

For more information about email marketing, please visit us at http://destination-interactive.com

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Destination Interactive helps businesses create engaging customer experiences using email marketing, mobile marketing, & business blogging to drive social media acquisition.