Summer’s Here: 4 Sun-sational Email Campaign Ideas

For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, summer is almost here. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been looking forward to more sunshine, a little beach time, and maybe a relaxing vacation.

 

In terms of email marketing, I always recommend that my clients seize the moment and play off of the seasons and holidays whenever it makes sense. With that in mind, now’s the time to add a summer vibe to your email marketing campaigns. Here are four sun-sational ways to get your plans in motion:

 

1. Consider all holidays and local events: In the U.S., summer isn’t just the 4^th of July. Whether your business has a B2B or B2C model, don’t forget about the opportunities to tie in your campaigns to the end of the school year, graduations, Father’s Day (June 16), the longest day of the year (June 20) and Labor Day (September 2). There are also many outdoor concerts, fairs, festivals, weddings and other summer activities that you can capitalize on. Think about events that align with your brand and determine how you can piggyback on them -- or even sponsor them. It’s also important to plan your email sends around holiday and local events. Event marketing can see a big boost during this time while e-commerce can see a small decline due to travel or other out-of-the-house activities.

 

2. Host your own (real or virtual) BBQ: Put up a tent outside your building, bring the grill from home and host your own barbecue at your own facility for your best customers and prospects. Give away beach or summer items as prizes (or perhaps golf lessons, spa treatments, winery trips, etc.) or give away tickets to local events. You might also host a “virtual” online BBQ with sizzling purchase incentives and similar prize giveaways that you can promote via email.

 

3. Brighten up your newsletter: Keep the sunny theme going in the summer edition of your company e-newsletter. Include wording (e.g. “keep your IT guys cool with these security tips…”) or perhaps throw in some fun summer stats (e.g. Americans will consume 150 million hot dogs over the 4^th of July weekend) or advice (e.g. “tips to avoid sunburn.”) Use uplifting images and bright colors such as sunflower yellow or baby blue.

 

4. The end of summer: All good things must end and that includes summer. You can finish out the summer with special end-of-season promotions and assist your audience in getting ahead for back to school, the coming NFL season (kicks off September 8), the busy fall conference months, or in preparing their homes, yards or businesses for the cooler weather. Of course, email should be at the heart of any omni-channel strategy you use since it’s cost effective and delivers a high ROI. In fact, according to a recent article in HubSpot, email marketing generates $38 for every $1 spent, which is an astounding 3,800% ROI, making it one of the most effective options available.

 

Summer’s here, and the time is right… for letting the sun shine on your email campaigns. On that note, I wish you a nice, relaxing summer ahead!

 

Outward Media’s proven data cleansing services and targeted, accurate email data can enable you to achieve better email marketing ROI and, ultimately, convert more prospects into customers. Take a look at our case studies to find out more.