7 Reminders for Holiday Sending

It’s holiday email season! Right about now is when I start having a hard time managing my personal email – there are quite a few brands in my inbox and while I really do want email from the companies I enjoy, the volume is at times unmanageable and causes me frustration. I know my family and friends feel the same way. How can marketers make sure they are maintaining their brand reputation and inbox placement, while at the same time sending what’s needed to help companies reach their holiday goals? Here are some reminders on how to send smart email and maintain a good sending reputation that will carry you into the New Year.

Reminder #1: Segment. Maximize your seasonal subscribers. Pay attention to those subscribers who are consistently engaging with your emails. If they make a purchase, become active in a certain group, buy holiday cards, listen to more music - whatever your business model is – listen to that. Your most dedicated customers are more likely to react positively to the increased frequency that comes with the holiday season, and will appreciate special offers created just for them. Also, make sure you’re taking note of location and demographics. If there’s something that is super relevant to a certain group, segment and mail to those subscribers. Think about location and certain holidays that are celebrated.

Reminder #2: Give your subscribers the option to “down subscribe.” Maybe offer a “no more holiday mail” link next to the unsubscribe link, or include down subscribing as an option on the unsubscribe landing page. That said, an unsubscribe isn’t the worst thing that can happen to you, spam complaints that can damage your sending reputation are much worse.

Reminder #3: Be smart about trying to win back subscribers before the holidays. If you send out win back campaigns – don’t continue to send to those who are unresponsive--remove them from your list.

Reminder #4: Don’t scrape the bottom of your list just because it’s the holidays. It’s not an excuse to send to old users or share email lists across other business channels within your company.

Reminder #5: Using overly aggressive tactics, that aren’t listening to your subscribers, could cause damage to your program for longer than just the holiday season. It may seem like a great idea to up your frequency, but keep in mind the effect that frequency will have after the holidays, if it’s not something that your customers want. Remember, the same rules apply over the holidays as they do the rest of the year.

Reminder #6: Test, Test, Test. Closely monitor your email program. Be aware of what your subscribers are telling you they want and don’t want, and make changes accordingly. Some metrics to watch are complaints, opens, clicks, and unsubscribes.

Reminder #7: Consistency is key. Now is not the time to change the branding in your emails. You want subscribers to recognize who you are. This also means continuing to be the email program your customers signed up for.

Be smart about how to email subscribers over the coming months. Listen to your subscribers, be true to your brand, and happy emailing!

These tips are also shared in a holiday webcast I did for SendGrid that you can find here:Holiday Sending Hacks.