December is one of highest-volume email months of the year. According to the Email Stat Center, the most popular days to send holiday and post-holiday emails are: 21 days before Christmas, 14 and 10 days before Christmas and the 26th of December. So how are your emails going to stand out in the crowd?
A well-crafted subject line can certainly help. Because not everyone turns their preview panes on by default, your subject line is your chance to persuade a reader to open and read rather than move on or delete. Read on for five ideas to enhance your holiday subject lines…
1. Identify yourself and provide an enticing teaser.
In all of these examples, you’ll notice the business name is included in the subject line. In the split second you have to grab a reader’s eye, associating your name — or, more importantly, your connection to the reader — may be just the thing that makes your email stand out. Not only that, entice your recipients with a glimpse of what’s inside. If your subject line is too vague, readers may ignore your email. Provide enough description that they’ll want to know more.
So-so subject line: Popular Gifts from The Forest Shop
Much better: Our Top 8 Gifts of the Year | The Forest Shop
2. Call attention to what’s unique.
We see it all too frequently — emails introduced as, simply, ‘Holiday Sale – Shop Now.’ Your products and your holiday sale are unique, so your subject lines should be, too. Make sure to highlight something special about the sale and include details about the sale’s length. Your recipients are likelier to act if there’s a sense of urgency.
So-so subject line: Shop Bluebell Boutique’s Holiday Sale Now
Much better: Bluebell Boutique’s Holiday Sale: 3 Days Left + Free Shipping
3. Introduce a spin and offer email subscribers something special.
Often, holiday emails focus on what the recipient should do. What about what you can offer the recipient? Consider providing a special discount or perk for your email subscribers. (You could even segment your list by ‘member since date’ if you’d like to send to your most loyal customers.) Something as small as a free cup of coffee, BOGO offer or exclusive downloadable content could do the trick.
So-so subject line: Take 20% Off at The Candy Shoppe
Much better: From the Candy Shoppe to You: Free Gift + 20% Off
4. Encourage participation that may not lead to a sale.
It’s easy to focus on the bottom line when sending holiday emails. But remember that your emails are also about building relationships. A customer may not purchase from you now, but they’ll remember you next time if you’ve hooked them. Allow your recipients to choose the best promotion that fits their needs. Or include a holiday survey to gauge interest in particular products or upcoming events.
So-so subject line: Take Our Holiday Survey
Much better: Choose Pet Store’s Next Promotion | We want to hear from you!
5. Personalize.
Did you know you can include personalization tags in the subject line as well as the body of the campaign? Surprise your recipients with a personal touch — one that’s totally proper, of course. While most subscribers are wise to first name personalization, you can personalize by any member field stored in your account. Consider a subject line that calls out city, company name or the month they joined your list. Get help with personalization here.
So-so subject line: Happy Holidays from Berney’s!
Much better: To our friends in city: Happy Holidays from Berney’s!
What will work for you? Find out and share your results!
Most email marketing rules will bend to suit your needs and the reading habits of your audience. To find out what really works, try sending with a subject line split test. Before you send, be sure to read these 5 tips for subject line split testing. And if you’ve got a successful subject line you’d like to share, by all means, please do!