3 ways to upgrade your e-commerce emails in time for the festive season

The festive season is fast approaching. And for any e-commerce business out there, the next few months will no doubt be the busiest period of your year. Black Friday, Christmas shopping, Boxing Day sales - they’re all just around the corner. And there’s no such thing as being too prepared. 

To maximise your festive success, you want to tighten every customer touchpoint. To leave no opportunities for sales to fall through or for customers to change their minds. One essential way to fill these gaps is through your email marketing. 

Informative and engaging emails are a powerful way of capitalising on people’s shopping habits. A way to connect with customers at various stages of their journey with your brand. When done right, they will increase sales, encourage repeat shopping, and convert casual browsers into committed customers. But how can you make your emails work harder over these next few months?

Cover all eventualities

A great aspect of email marketing is that it helps increase the number of interactions customers have with your brand. It takes 5-7 impressions for a customer to remember you, and emails are a simple way of getting there quickly. There are many different templates you can make, spanning the entire customer journey. 

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it could include:

• Welcome emails
• Browse abandonment
• Cart abandonment
• Post-purchase
• Promotions
• Recommend products
• Order confirmation
• Shipping confirmation
• Purchase reviews 

The list goes on. And because you can automate emails, there’s no reason you can’t do them all. 

If you’re not already, look to cover every possible stage of a potential customer’s journey. This way, you can build up brand impressions and strengthen brand awareness. Plus, something as simple as a reminder of the dress they looked at or a cheeky discount code could be enough to overcome their hesitations and secure extra sales. With more browsers looking for Christmas presents or deals, abandonment emails especially can be a brilliant way to maximise profits.

Show some personality

Not every email is an opportunity to give your audience the hard sell. But they are a time to show off your personality. Unlike on your website, emails give you more freedom to express yourself. It’s the perfect opportunity to have some fun and show you don’t take yourself too seriously. 

At a time when everyone is stressed about what to buy their loved ones, be a breath of fresh air and humour. Speak to your reader on a more personal level and show them what your business is all about. They say your vibe attracts your tribe. So if you’re a light-hearted, fun brand, demonstrate this across your email content too. 

On a similar note, don’t shy away from injecting some festive cheer into your messaging. How Scrooge-like would it be for your mailing list to receive the same old emails they can expect any other time of year? Why not include a festive pun or two?

Let your audience lead the way

You always want the content to put your reader first. All email templates should look to add value to the customer and overcome common objections. So take some time to think about what your target audience wants and needs from you. 

Are they concerned about money given the current financial climate? Are they stressing about what to get their nan for Christmas? Do they want the best Black Friday deals? Are they already planning their outfit for New Year’s Eve?

Throughout your emails, aim to acknowledge and overcome the challenges your audience is likely facing. Let’s look at an example. Welcome emails have an average open rate of 82%. And you want to take this opportunity to put important information in front of as many eyes as possible. You might throw in a discount code to give them the deal they want, highlight key sales dates, or share links to your festive gift guides. 

Take time to go through each stage of your customer journey and provide the information that will make it as smooth as possible. Putting your readers’ needs first will help you connect with them on a deeper level. It shows you understand them and are committed to making their lives easier in whatever small way you can.

E-commerce emails that add tangible value to your reader and help your brand stand out can be a tricky balance to strike. But the sooner you sort them out, the easier your festive sales period will be.

If you’d like any support getting your emails ready for the holiday season, get in touch. Our team of copywriters are experts in creating audience-focused content that has an impact. Reach out on 0161 413 8418.