Promotional emails are an excellent way to encourage your customers to purchase and earn you more revenue over the holiday season. But they can be notoriously difficult to write well — and to execute.

Because email marketing is still more effective than social media in bringing in sales, it’s important for brands and companies across all industries to invest time and part of their marketing budget in creating strong holiday promotions.

With the right approach, you can create an email that stands out from the crowd and encourages readers to take action. Writing an effective holiday email requires careful thought, creativity, and a well-crafted message. This holiday season, we’re giving you some tips on how to write a killer promotional email that gets opened and read by your customers.

Timing Is Everything

You want to make sure that your message reaches customers at the peak of their shopping experience. This usually happens towards the beginning or middle of December, so plan your promotional holiday emails accordingly. It’s difficult enough to navigate one of the busiest times of the year, so starting the planning early is essential.

While it’s possible to capitalize on the last-minute shoppers and send out promotional emails closer to Christmas, you don’t want that to be your main strategy. As a good rule of thumb, send out your primary promotional emails at least four business days before the major holidays.

Keep It Short and Sweet

Consumers receive a lot of emails around the holidays, so make sure yours stands out by keeping your message concise and direct. Highlight your best deals, provide a clear call-to-action, and avoid overwhelming readers with too much text.

How can you compensate for a shorter email? Get creative with your subject line and imagery! The holiday season is the time to be more witty and clever with your content. So, don’t be afraid to be a bit more playful than you normally would be in your marketing emails. And go merry and bright with your visuals as well. Sprinkle presents, Christmas trees, snowmen, and more all over your emails and let that catch the attention of your audience.

Don’t Be Afraid To Get Seasonal

When going to write your holiday marketing emails, don’t be afraid to get a bit festive! Whether you write a holiday pun in your subject line or incorporate fun, seasonal emojis, it never hurts to bring in some more spirit into your promotions.

Be sure to also capitalize on the feeling of good cheer and festivity in the air. Incorporate seasonal imagery and words into your email to create an inviting atmosphere that customers can relate to. Use popular holiday themes such as gift-giving, family gatherings, and decorations to connect with customers on an emotional level. 

Make It Visually Appealing

When it comes to writing promotional emails for the holiday season, you want to make sure you’re getting the message across in a visually appealing way. Visuals are the key to making an email stand out, so make sure that your email has eye-catching graphics, beautiful images, and a neat layout.

You can also utilize the power of video or animation to make your email stand out from the rest. Using videos and animations to convey your message can help keep people engaged and interested in your email. It can also be used to communicate complex ideas or concepts in a simple and straightforward manner.

Finally, don’t forget to make sure the text is easy to read. If your email contains too much text, it may be difficult for readers to follow or understand. Break up text with headers, bullet points, or other visuals so it’s easier for readers to scan.

Offer A Discount Or Incentive

By offering an incentive, you can increase the chances that your customers will open and act upon your email. A discount code or free shipping are two popular incentives that you can offer to drive sales.

When creating your promotional email, make sure to include a unique discount code and make sure it stands out in the subject line. 

Finally, consider adding a personal touch by including a heartfelt message about the holidays or thanking your customers for their support. Adding this touch of personality can help make your email feel more inviting and increase the likelihood that customers will engage with it.

Include A CTA

It’s important to create an effective email that will capture the attention of your customers and prompt them to take action.

One of the key components of a successful promotional email is a strong call-to-action. Make sure that the message is clear, direct, and specific. Tell your customers exactly what you want them to do – whether that’s visiting your website, signing up for a special offer, or making a purchase.