J.C. Penney also makes it easy to navigate directly to the department of interest on the right side of the email.
Discounts
Saving money is also a big motivator for consumers (this is the case during any season). Sharing via email or social can spread the word. When asked what type of email campaign received the most shares on a worldwide basis, promotions with a discount was the winner.
This Lands’ End email offers 40 percent off any one item, and it's time sensitive as the offer ends that day. The subject line was "Right down Santa Claus' lane: 40 percent off any item - ends tonight!"
I like the image of the snow-capped mountain as support for the main headline, "Give the gift of warmth." In addition, St. Nick's picks is a nice touch. At the bottom of the email, Lands’ End promotes customer service with gift cards, gift boxing, its personal shopper service and more.
Gift With Purchase
A gift with purchase can also be a catalyst to spark sales. It's another promotional element that's easy to test. I've seen results that show as much as a 150 percent improvement in revenue per email with this tactic.
Coupons
Coupons are similar to discounts, but they seem more tangible — particularly when they're visually represented like this Banana Republic email. The retailer used a barcoded coupon with an additional 15 percent off a purchase of $100 or more. If you have retail locations, a barcoded coupon can make a lot of sense as a way to drive in-store traffic.
In part three of this series, I'll examine additional email marketing techniques, creative approaches and multichannel efforts tailored to the holiday season.
- People:
- Reggie Brady