As the summer comes to a close, many industries are looking ahead to the holiday season. Throughout the fall and into winter, marketers can expect to see a surge in business as the festive gift-giving season returns. In preparing for these times, there are many tools available to use to connect with prospective customers.   

One such tool is email marketing, which remains one of the most powerful assets in a complete marketing campaign during the holiday season. In fact, it's one of the most profitable tactics available, generating a 4,200% ROI that translates to $42 for every dollar spent.  

If you want to successfully implement a holiday email marketing strategy for your business, the following are some tips to guide your holiday email campaigns. 

When Is the Best Time to Start a Holiday Email Campaign? 

If you're wondering when to send holiday emails, it's generally best to launch your campaign a few weeks before upcoming sales events and holiday offers. This helps get people ready and thinking about holiday shopping as the season approaches. It will also you top of mind above competitors that don't use email marketing as effectively.  

If people get excited about your offerings ahead of time, they'll be more likely to turn to you when the holiday season finally arrives. Remember to message your audience ASAP and continue reminding them of upcoming sales. Once your sales and holiday events begin, customers will know what they want and jump on those opportunities. 

How Long Should a Holiday Email Campaign Run? 

Your holiday email marketing campaigns should begin a few weeks before the holidays, but it's equally important to keep them running afterward. Make sure your campaigns run throughout the holidays and even a couple of weeks after. To manage your campaigns, create a schedule to stick to, which will help you continually make a splash in people's inboxes.  

Be sure to target early and late shoppers alike and hold their attention. Late shoppers will be particularly interested in certain holiday clearance events, making it best to advertise to them weeks after the holidays have ended. 

What Kind of Strategy Should We Have for Holiday Campaigns? 

In your holiday email campaigns, use several emails to keep people aware of your brand and offerings in the days leading up to the holidays. However, you should try to avoid sending emails too frequently. Generally, sending an email out once a week is an excellent strategy to implement. 

You should also incorporate multiple touchpoints that enable people to connect with your brand. Additionally, be sure to send follow-ups a week later, along with reminders as the dates approach. At the same time, you should take care not to annoy recipients, only sending the occasional follow-up or reminder that maintains their engagement. 

When sending out emails, use redrops, retargeting, and audience extension options. Creating a multi-channel campaign will also generate more urgency and inspire consumers to act immediately. Another key email marketing tip that will keep customers on board is to focus on helping them, not aggressively selling to them. In helping customers and encouraging them to connect with you, send them personalized messages that address them directly and pertain to their interests. 

Who Should I Target for My Email Campaigns? 

As you develop your campaigns, segment your audiences to tailor emails to certain people. Different targets will be interested in various offers and promotions, along with messaging that speaks to them. Your segments could include ideal buyers, but keep in mind that many will be interested in purchasing gifts for others over themselves. 

If you want to make sure you're targeting both prospective customers and people buying gifts, consider targeting broader audiences. If you can connect with both types of consumers through your holiday email campaigns, you'll maximize your brand's appeal. 

For instance, you can suggest that your offerings would be a great way for people to enjoy the holiday season for themselves or make an excellent gift for others in the same campaigns. In the process, you can highlight the advantages of your offerings while advertising competitive pricing that will further entice both customers and gift buyers. 

Connect With a Media Partner to Get the Most from Your Campaigns 

Holiday email campaigns can significantly boost brand awareness and sales throughout the holiday season. However, to drive optimal results, you need to implement a strong campaign. Email campaigns often entail plenty of research, preparation, and management to attract audiences.  

With the help of a dependable media partner, you won't have to worry about your campaigns' effectiveness. A reliable partner will be able to work with you to research and segment audiences. They'll also be able to help target your messaging and regularly send emails at the right frequency. Meanwhile, you can focus on growing your business and making sales knowing that your email marketing is in good hands.