Start crafting holiday email campaigns earlier this year

Many cost-conscious Americans start their holiday shopping early every year to get the best prices and beat the winter time rush. While some might believe the summer is too early to start thinking about 2012 holiday season trends, advertisers may see great success if they begin crafting their email campaign before autumn is even upon us.

Because coming up with the right content, developing holiday sales plans and creating winter merchandise takes some time, getting a head-start on email newsletters is a good idea. For 2012, many industry experts have come up with iron-clad plans to ensure their marketing schemes are as lucrative as possible for both the company and their loyal patrons.

Consumers start looking for deals in early November

Getting a jump on the competition may be a good idea this year, as other companies will be using alternative tactics to appeal to customers, like mobile, tablet and social media incorporation. Moreover, a recent study found consumers are starting to get in the holiday mood earlier and earlier.

According to a survey published by Epsilon, revenue from holiday deals is increasing every year. Epsilon senior director of digital strategy Jill LeMaire told Direct Marketing News that though marketers tend to begin campaigns around Black Friday, this is often too late. "Consumers want that 'big purchase' offer the first week in November," LeMaire explained, noting that many want to enjoy electronics and appliances with their families during Thanksgiving.

LeMaire also told the source a large number of individuals begin planning their shopping strategy by the end of the summer, so earlier marketing campaigns could appeal to many. The industry expert also told Direct News Marketing that starting marketing schemes on Saturdays seems to have the best response rates, as well as following up with reminder messages.

Plan on incorporating mobile this year

"Mobile penetration is only on the rise and is not going away anytime soon, as evidenced by the increase in consumers purchasing smartphones and using the internet capabilities to comparatively shop," noted EasyContact senior product manager Marty Wesley. "As such, email marketers should make sure their holiday newsletters are optimized for reading on smaller screens, as many will use their phones to check out the latest winter deals."

According to Chief Marketer, citing e-Dialog research, the average number of newsletters opened from mobile devices during the 2011 winter holiday season spiked to 33 percent, particularly on weekends and Christmas day. As such, advertisers need to make sure their messages can be read and graphics seen on smartphones. This can be accomplished by testing deliverability for a variety of different email providers on various platforms, including traditional desktops, tablets and mobile phones.

Think outside the box

Many consumers prepare to brave the crowds to get the best deals on Black Friday or hit the net early to make the most of Cyber Monday. However, these days are often marked by massive amounts of traffic in both malls and on servers. Therefore, Chief Marketer suggested advertisers should think outside the box when it comes to their newsletters and include a blurb about how their deals are going to be different. The source said changing Cyber Monday into a whole Cyber Week may be a good tactic, or advertising that in-store sales are going to be held on days other than the morning after Thanksgiving.

Even if the holiday email is sent a little early this year, readers will most likely remember the business at shopping time because of their unique offerings.

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