As the holiday season knocks on our doors, it’s not just the sound of carolers and the scent of freshly baked cookies that fills the air—it’s also the perfect time for businesses to sleigh their Christmas marketing plan. And a crucial part of this is a killer Christmas email marketing strategy.
In the spirit of giving (and growing your business), we’ve wrapped up a festive package for you with 12 Christmas marketing email ideas and examples to try out. So, grab a cup of cocoa, cozy up by the fire, and let’s unwrap the secrets to spreading joy and boosting your brand this holiday season!
Table of Contents
When should you send the Christmas email?
The timing is crucial in determining whether your Christmas email campaign succeeds or not. According to Statista, 48% of respondents planning to start Christmas shopping do so before December. As Christmas Eve approaches, the number of people going shopping tends to decrease. Therefore, it’s best to kick off your email campaign early in your Christmas marketing plan.
We suggest sending emails to your customers in mid-November, around the second or third week. So, if you haven’t planned your email campaign yet, do it ASAP. This way, you’ll have enough time to engage customers with your promotions, increasing the chances of more purchases during the peak time.
For optimal effectiveness in your email campaign, we suggest breaking it down into three parts: Before Christmas, during the 12 days of Christmas, and after the holiday ends. Each stage demands a focus on different content directions. Let’s explore Christmas email marketing ideas for each phase:
5 Pre-Christmas marketing email ideas & examples
Before Christmas, your email marketing should center around building anticipation and excitement. Capture attention with sneak peeks of upcoming holiday products, exclusive early-bird offers, and engaging countdowns to the big day. Let’s dive into more specific ideas you can utilize.
Countdown to Christmas
Get the holiday vibes rolling by kicking off your email campaign with a series of countdown emails before Christmas hits. Spill a little tea about the exciting offers planned for your subscribers during the festive season. It keeps customers intrigued, excited about your upcoming deals, and consistently in the loop about your holiday projects.
Keep the countdowns coming, but don’t overdo it—three emails max ensures your customers won’t see your reminders as a holiday hassle.
Example: Homegood kicked off the pre-Christmas vibes way ahead, giving customers a heads-up about the upcoming festive season and dropping the deets on their latest deals. The email is a visual treat with a fun and attractive design, coupled with irresistible deals that practically scream, Click me! It’s hard to resist diving into the holiday goodness they’re serving up in that email.
Introduce your latest Christmas products
If you’ve got a shiny new limited edition or a fresh product line dropping for Christmas, shout it out to your customers in an email! Aim for that wow factor—when they open their email, bam, there’s the product stealing the spotlight.
Example: Check out Open Spaces—they aced it by showcasing their new goodies front and center. Big image, a short description below, and a CTA nudging customers to swing by the store and snag it. Take a page from their book for your own product debuts!
Loyal customers Christmas treat: Early-bird offer
To express gratitude to your loyal customers who’ve been with you all year, don’t miss the exclusive early bird program just for them. Shoot them an email packed with special deals and gifts. And, of course, include a heartfelt thank-you line to show your appreciation for their loyalty. They deserve it!
Example: Last year, Anthropologie sent an email to express gratitude, offering up to 30% off their products. The email is straightforward, with products neatly categorized for easy browsing. The Christmas vibe in the design is hard to resist – it makes you want to click and dive into those exclusive deals.
Gift guides
Finding the perfect gift for Christmas can be a challenge. To make it easier for your customers, why not share the ultimate Christmas holiday gift guide? It’s a win-win – a helpful gesture for your customers and a great chance for you to showcase your products by featuring them in the gift list.
Some of the recommendation we give you to make your gift guide email looks more attractive and have a better click-through rate:
- Organize by theme: Arrange your gift guide by themes or categories. For example, Gifts for Him, Cozy Winter Essentials, or Tech Gadgets for the Holidays. This helps customers navigate the guide more easily.
- Highlight bestsellers or top picks: Showcase your best-selling product or top picks for the holiday season. This can help customers make decisions quickly and increase the likelihood of them choosing the popular items.
- Feature diverse price points: Indicate the price points to help customers find gifts that align with their budget. This way, you can effectively segment your products and provide options for different spending preferences.
Example: A great example is Society6 and their gifting email guide. The email layout is simple yet smart and straight to the point. It neatly divides products into categories, making it easy for customers to click and find what they need. Plus, they tease customers by showing a sneak peek of the products in the lists, encouraging them to click and explore more.
Exclusive Christmas deals
Sending a sales email is a strategic move to capitalize on the festive season’s heightened shopping activity before Christmas. It provides an opportunity to showcase exclusive deals, discounts, and special offers, enticing customers to make holiday purchases.
By reaching out to customers with enticing promotions during this season, businesses can strengthen their brand presence, foster customer loyalty, and position themselves favorably amid the competitive holiday market. It’s a chance to connect with customers, spread festive cheer, and make a lasting impression during one of the most lucrative periods of the year.
Example: Take a peek at Flashcam‘s email to subscribers—it’s a solid template for your Christmas sales email. They nail it by putting all the crucial deal info right at the top, no scrolling necessary. Plus, they showcase the sale products, making it a breeze for folks to scan and pick right from the email.
12 days of Christmas email campaigns & examples
During Christmas, your email marketing efforts should shift towards spreading joy and providing value. Dive into the suggestions below and discover how to make your brand shine even brighter during the merriest season of the year.
Christmas greeting
Sending emails is also an awesome way to stay connected with your customers and share your best wishes during Christmas. No need for calls to action, sales offers, or product reminders—just a simple Christmas greeting to your customers can make them feel valued and happier. Keep it cheerful and heartfelt!
Example: Infinity Nation nails it with their Christmas greeting email. It’s a simple, sincere wish for a Merry Christmas. They time it just right—sending it on Christmas Eve when folks are soaking in the warmth from all the good wishes around them, creating a cozy connection with the brand. Simple and effective!
Spread Christmas joy to customers’ mailbox
Christmas is all about spreading love and warmth, so why not sprinkle a bit of joy into your customers’ email inboxes? Sending them occasional doses of lovely quotes and sharing can make their Christmas emails a happy place.
Example: Take a cue from Starbucks—they went creative by tossing a sweet holiday recipe into customer emails. It’s a clever move, letting their brand vibe shine through, leaving customers with a light and joyful impression every time they open their inbox.
Year-in-review
Christmas is the perfect time to send a year-in-review email to your customers. This lets you connect with them, look back on the past year, and set the vibe for the next one.
You have two approaches to your email. Firstly, highlight your achievements and business milestones, instilling trust and pride in your customers for being a part of your success. Alternatively, show gratitude by taking customers on a journey through their past experiences with your business, expressing thanks for their engagement throughout the year.
Example: Ulta nailed this by leveraging customers’ past purchases. They crafted personalized emails showcasing each customer’s year-long journey with Ulta. It’s a smart move that makes customers feel valued and gives them a reason to stick around in the coming year.
Show your gratitude
Christmas arrives, marking the end of another year. It’s the perfect time to shoot your subscribers a warm Christmas message, thanking them for being part of your journey throughout the year. Share how your business has thrived with their support and express your hope for continued companionship in the upcoming year.
Example: Take a cue from Stitch Fix—they nailed it with a simple yet effective gratitude email on Christmas. Keep it straightforward: a thank you and a wish for a joyful holiday. The visual vibe in their email is all about the holiday spirit, making any inbox feel more lively and vibrant.
Offer free shipping
Hooking your customers up with free shipping is like giving them a top-notch Christmas gift. It’s a killer way to set yourself apart from the competition and earn a sweet spot in your customers’ hearts.
Example: Take a look at this email from Frank Body letting customers know about their free shipping deal. They proudly display the info at the top of the email, and there’s a super clear call-to-action button. Customers can click right through to head to their store. Easy peasy!
Post-Christmas email marketing ideas & examples
As the joy of Christmas winds down, it’s time to recapture your customers and maximize your sales value. Utilize email reminders and reclaim those abandoned carts to make sure you’re not leaving any holiday sales on the table. It’s the perfect way to extend the festive cheer and encourage customers to complete their purchases.
Reminder email
In the Christmas chaos, some customers might miss your deal, but don’t let them miss out on the holiday fun. Shoot them a reminder email so they’re in the loop. It’s a solid move to boost sales by reeling in that part of your audience. Typically, after dropping the initial deal info, we suggest sending 1-2 reminders to make sure your customers don’t overlook your offer.
Example: If you’re stuck on how to create a reminder email for your customers, check out Whistlefish’s marketing email idea. They nail the urgency by boldly saying it’s the last chance for Christmas delivery right at the top. The content is short, packing in only the essentials for your customers to remember, making it super effective. Think about spicing up your email with some eye-catching visuals to grab attention and keep your reader hooked a bit longer.
Claim back the abandoned cart
According to a Barilliance report, the average abandoned cart rate spiked to 78.65% during the Christmas holiday in 2022, surpassing the yearly average of 69.57%. To tackle this, consider using emails as a tool to bring down your store’s abandoned cart rate.
By timing your reminders right and maybe adding a touch of festive incentive, you not only recapture potential sales but also keep the holiday vibes alive in your customer interactions. For an extra push, try showcasing the list of abandoned products in your email—it could be the extra nudge for customers to return to your store and wrap up their purchases.
Example: Take a cue from Modelchic’s abandoned cart email—it’s got all the key ingredients for an efficient email. They throw in tempting offers to woo customers back, and there’s a sneak peek of what’s patiently waiting in their cart. Plus, the note they drop adds that extra nudge, creating a sense of urgency to make a comeback.
Christmas email subject lines suggestions
Your email content and design are all finished, but don’t forget the subject lines! This is the first thing customers see when they open their inbox, so the more attractive the subject, the better. Don’t hesitate to infuse your subject lines with Christmas wishes, phrases, and even emojis (But don’t overuse them – it can be considered spam).
Let’s look at 15 examples of Christmas email subject lines you can inspire:
- Warm Wishes and Exclusive Gifts Await You 🎁
- Unwrap Joy: Our Christmas Collection Is Here!
- Cheers to Savings! Explore Our Merry Holiday Specials 🎄
- Merry and Bright: Your Exclusive Christmas Offers Inside!
- Santa’s Secret Sale: Save Big This Holiday Season!
- Tis the Season to Shop: Dive into Our Christmas Delights!
- Celebrate the Magic of Christmas with Our Specials!
- Season’s Greetings and Exclusive Treats Just for You 🎅
- Festive Finds Await: Shop Our Christmas Extravaganza!
- Jolly Savings Await! Explore Our Christmas Collection Now.
- Wrap Up the Year with Our Special Christmas Offers!
- Treat Yourself to the Spirit of Christmas: Exclusive Deals Inside!
- Holiday Happiness Starts Here: Shop Our Christmas Edition!
- Santa’s Workshop Deals: Unwrap the Savings!
- Christmas Cheers: Your VIP Pass to Exclusive Discounts!
Tips to make your Christmas email campaign successful
Now, you’ve had all the things you need to craft the best Christmas marketing campaigns that will impress your customers. However, to make you even more fully prepared and make the work of crafting email easier for you, here are some of the tips we want to give out. Along with these tips, we’re sure that you can manage your email flow seamlessly.
Make your email more lively with an interactive layout
Having a creative and interactive email layout during the Christmas season can make your brand stand out in a crowded inbox. Reports show that adding interactive email content boosts the click-to-open rate by 73%. Christmas provides a great opportunity to be creative with interactive email layouts, leaving a memorable user experience for your customers.
Try out these simple yet impactful changes to make your email more lively:
- Use GIFs: Make your email more lively and vibrant, creating a stronger impression in your customers’ minds.
- Engage with polls and surveys: Intrigue your customers with interactive email designs, encouraging them to click. This not only enhances the email’s appeal but also provides valuable insights into your customers’ preferences. Use the gathered data to tailor future promotions or content.
- Social media integration: Include social media buttons or feeds in your email, allowing users to interact with your products directly. This seamless integration enhances user experience and extends your brand presence beyond the email.
- Gamification email: Toss in a mini-game directly within your email, making it super easy for them to engage. It’s a slick move if you want to keep them hanging out a bit longer and boost the chances of them clicking on the awesome products you’ve got.
Having a clear call to action
A clear and compelling CTA is the linchpin of any successful email campaign. During Christmas, when consumers are bombarded with messages, it becomes even more crucial to make your CTA stand out. Whether you want your audience to shop now, explore a curated collection, or take advantage of a special offer, clarity is key.
Craft CTAs that are not only visually appealing but also convey a sense of urgency or exclusivity. Utilize festive language and design elements to align with the holiday spirit. Make it easy for recipients to understand what action to take and why they should take it, enhancing the chances of conversion.
Test and analyzing
A/B testing is a powerful tool for understanding what resonates best with your audience. Experiment with different elements of your emails, such as subject lines, images, and CTAs. For a Christmas campaign, consider testing variations that incorporate holiday-themed visuals, festive language, or even personalized content.
Beyond A/B testing, robust analysis of your email campaign performance is crucial. Evaluate metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Identify patterns and insights to refine your strategy for future campaigns. This iterative process allows you to continually optimize your approach, ensuring that each email has a meaningful impact on your audience.
Email automation
The beauty of email automation lies in its ability to deliver timely and relevant messages without manual intervention. For a Christmas campaign, consider setting up automated workflows that unfold like a delightful story leading up to the big day. Automated emails not only save you time but also create a seamless and engaging experience for your audience, keeping your brand top of mind as they navigate through the festive season.
Lighten your team’s load by tapping into the magic of email automation, and guess what? NestSend’s got your back for all of the tasks we mentioned before. With this tool, you can handle your entire Christmas email campaign without breaking a sweat. Plan it all—from crafting the email template to giving it a test run and setting the perfect schedule—right from the NestSend dashboard. They even throw in prebuilt workflows for nailing cross-sell or cart recovery, and the cherry on top? It’s all bundled up in one neat, free package!
