As the holiday season comes to a close, many businesses shift their focus from pre-Christmas marketing to the important post-Christmas period. The days after Christmas can offer great opportunities to engage with your audience, clear out leftover stock, and build loyalty with new customers who shopped during the holidays.
To make the most of this period, it’s essential to ensure your email marketing is set up and ready to go. Here are the last checks you should make to be fully prepared for the post-Christmas rush.
1. Review your email automations
During the holiday season, you may have set up a variety of automated email campaigns like holiday promotions, gift guides, or order confirmations. Now is the time to review those automations and ensure they’re still relevant in the days after Christmas.
Here’s what to check:
- Turn off holiday-specific automations: Any emails that include holiday-specific offers or messaging should be paused or adjusted to reflect post-holiday goals.
- Update abandoned cart emails: Many customers receive gift cards or holiday bonuses after Christmas, which could lead to revisiting items left in their carts. Ensure your abandoned cart email sequence is optimized to capture these potential sales.
- Activate post-purchase sequences: Set up thank-you emails for new customers who made their first purchase during the holidays. Include upsell or cross-sell opportunities and encourage them to return for post-holiday deals.
Keeping your automations relevant will help you stay in tune with your audience's needs as the holiday period winds down.
2. Plan your post-Christmas sales and offers
Many businesses run post-Christmas sales to clear out inventory and attract customers who are still in shopping mode. Before sending out your next round of emails, take a moment to plan what your post-holiday promotions will look like.
Consider these options:
- Clearance sales: Promote discounts on leftover holiday stock or products that didn’t sell as well as expected.
- New Year offers: Create campaigns around the New Year, focusing on themes like fresh starts, health, or new products for the year ahead.
- Exclusive offers for loyal customers: Reward your loyal customers with an exclusive discount or early access to post-Christmas deals. This helps maintain strong relationships and encourages repeat purchases.
By clearly defining your post-holiday promotions, you can create targeted email campaigns that speak directly to your customers’ needs and desires.
3. Personalize post-Christmas content
Personalization is key to standing out in crowded inboxes, especially after the holiday season when many people may be overwhelmed by sales emails. Review your segmentation and personalization strategies to ensure you’re sending the right messages to the right customers.
Here’s how you can personalize your post-Christmas email campaigns:
- Segment by purchase history: Send personalized recommendations based on what customers bought during the holiday season. For example, if a customer purchased a gift set, suggest complementary products or accessories they might be interested in.
- Use behavioral triggers: If someone browsed certain items without purchasing, send them an email highlighting those products, especially if they’re now on sale.
- Target new subscribers: Many businesses gain new email subscribers during the holiday season. Send a welcome email to these new customers, introducing your brand and offering a post-Christmas deal to keep them engaged.
Personalized emails are more likely to grab attention and drive action, so take the time to tailor your content for different segments of your audience.
4. Check your email design and mobile optimization
The days after Christmas are busy for many people, and much of your audience will likely be checking their emails on mobile devices. Make sure your emails are designed to look great and function well on both desktop and mobile.
Here are some final design checks:
- Ensure mobile responsiveness: Test your email templates to ensure they are fully responsive and look good on mobile devices. Pay attention to fonts, images, and buttons to ensure they’re easy to read and click on small screens.
- Simplify the layout: The post-Christmas period can be overwhelming, so keep your email designs simple and easy to digest. Use clear headlines, short text, and prominent call-to-action buttons.
- Check load times: Heavy images or long loading times can frustrate recipients, especially on mobile devices. Compress images where necessary to reduce file size and improve loading speed.
A well-designed, mobile-optimized email can make a big difference in engagement and conversions, especially during this busy time of year.
5. Set up customer service reminders
The days after Christmas often come with an influx of customer service inquiries—whether it’s about returns, exchanges, or support with holiday orders. Make sure your email campaigns address any customer service needs and include clear ways for customers to get help.
Here’s what to include:
- Return and exchange policy: If you’re running post-Christmas sales, remind customers of your return and exchange policies. This is especially important for gift recipients who may want to exchange items.
- Customer service contact information: Include clear links to your customer service team, whether it’s through email, phone, or live chat. Make it easy for customers to reach out with any questions or issues.
- Shipping and delivery updates: If your shipping times have changed due to the holidays, make sure to communicate that in your emails. Let customers know when they can expect their orders to arrive.
By addressing potential concerns upfront, you can improve customer satisfaction and reduce friction during the post-Christmas shopping period.
6. Analyze holiday performance and adjust
Before launching your post-Christmas campaigns, take the time to review how your holiday emails performed. Analyze key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversions to see what worked well and where you can improve.
Here’s how you can use these insights:
- Identify top-performing content: Look at which emails or promotions performed best during the holiday season, and consider extending similar offers or themes for your post-Christmas campaigns.
- Test new ideas: Use any underperforming campaigns as learning opportunities. Test new subject lines, content formats, or call-to-action strategies in your post-Christmas emails.
- Set realistic goals: The post-Christmas period may not see the same level of engagement as the lead-up to the holidays, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a successful time. Set goals based on what worked well during the holidays and adjust your expectations accordingly.
Taking the time to analyze your holiday performance will help you refine your approach and get the most out of your post-holiday email marketing efforts.
Conclusion
The days after Christmas offer valuable opportunities to engage with your customers, clear out inventory, and build long-term relationships. By conducting a few final checks on your email automations, personalization strategies, design, and customer service information, you can ensure that your email marketing is ready to make the most of the post-holiday period.
With the right preparation, your email campaigns can continue to drive sales and keep your audience engaged even after the holiday rush has passed.
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