The secrets to a breakthrough holiday e-mail campaigns are simple enough: Incorporate triggers, use advanced analytics, test messages and subject lines and allow data to drive marketing, according to Epsilon’s Holiday Trend Report.
Hey, it’s only the secrets that are simple. Implementing ‘em isn’t.
The new report from Epsilon offers a look back at campaigns run during the 2008 holiday season, and offers the following gleaned intelligence:
The consumer market spent less during the holiday 2008 seasons;
Call center and mail order sales dropped during Thanksgiving week, but rebounded to their peak the following week. Online, search and affiliate channels hit high-water marks two weeks after Thanksgiving, and retail sales were at a maximum a week after that;
The online channel was the only medium to witness year-over-year growth, and was strong across all regions of the country;
E-mail efforts reached maximum volume during the second and third weeks in December, when both open rates and clicks were at holiday-season lows. According to Epsilon, the push reflected “last-chance” efforts by marketers.
Open and click-through rates were generally higher in 2008 than in 2007, reflecting bargain-conscious consumers seeking, um, bargains; and
During both 2007 and 2008, purchases made earlier in the season were of higher value than those made later in the season.
Epsilon offered the following tips for marketers planning their 2009 outreach efforts:
Effective holiday email marketing campaigns are sent earlier in the season, especially for big-ticket items. Triggered campaigns may be used to target consumers who demonstrated early season interest by following up with a combination of brand-building and hard-offer message.
Cross channel promotion will drive messaging and connect with customers through different vehicles during this critical period. Successful campaigns use direct mail and the internet to drive store traffic and store display to encourage incremental online shopping. Offers should emphasize all points of purchase.
Carefully crafted messaging that focuses on the concept of “gifting” will make the most of the timeframe when customers are shopping for someone else. Use email and direct mail that provides gift suggestions such as “The Top Gifts of 2009.”
Viral promotions spread the word quickly and effectively through influencers and loyal customers. A friends and family promotion or holiday sweepstakes can expand marketing reach. Let your customers spread holiday promotions through social media.
Offering a deal of the day or special daily offers may bring about ongoing engagement throughout the holiday season. Free shipping and targeted sales promotions are a must to remain competitive.
Clearly communicating shipping deadlines provide an opportunity to connect with last minute shoppers and create a sense of urgency. As another late season tactic, focus on consumer procrastination and smaller ticket items that increase the likelihood for impulse buying. Include cross-sell opportunities to mitigate the lower transaction amounts.
The Fundamentalist’s Take: Epsilon also notes that Tuesdays and Fridays were the highest-volume e-mail days, as well as the peak revenue days, but that Saturdays saw the highest conversion rates. So what’s the correct day for a given marketer to send an e-mail blast? Well, if reporting this fact means there’s a glut of campaigns sent out on Tuesdays and Fridays, the results may be skewed. Long story short? There’s no substitution for, or getting around, the golden rule of direct marketing: Test, test, test (and take conventional “wisdom” with a very large grain of salt).
