In the UK, there are eight bank holidays each year, while in Ireland, there are around ten each year.
That means you have nearly twenty opportunities yearly to reach people when they’re in a great mood, excited for their long weekends and looking to spend money.
But what’s the best way to reach people before a bank holiday?
And how can you best utilise your marketing budget and time?
Today, we’ll explain how to nail a bank holiday email marketing campaign, why email marketing is such a great option, and provide tips to make yours engaging.
Why are bank holidays so popular for shopping?
Bank holidays usually offer people a long weekend; they finish work on Friday and are off until Tuesday.
So it’s no surprise that when you’re not working, you’ll want to make the most of the time off.
For many, that means spending time with family and friends and shopping.
Indeed, according to recent research, shopping (12%) and going out for a meal (25%) are two of our favourite bank holiday pastimes.
What is email marketing?
Email marketing is a form of marketing where you communicate your company’s products, services, advice and related information to past, current or prospective customers through email.
Initially, when you hear the term ‘email marketing’, you’ll automatically think of weekly or monthly newsletters.
While that’s one variety, there are several other forms of email marketing.
These include segmentation, welcome emails, cart abandonment emails, relationship-building, automation, and providing educational and entertaining content.
The goal of email marketing is relatively straightforward; to retain customers, build relationships with them and increase sales.
Benefits of email marketing
PPC ads, social media ads and video marketing steal the limelight, but one other form of marketing is unrivalled in its ROI: email marketing.
It might not be the most talked-about, but as a marketing strategy, email marketing generates $42 for every $1 you spend.
This year, email marketing is projected to reach 4.6 billion users.
That’s because you, me, and almost everyone online check their emails numerous times daily.
Email marketing lets you keep in touch with customers, encourage two-way engagement, send post-sale receipts, provide information, announce new products and special offers, and receive customer feedback.
And the real beauty of email marketing is that it’s all within your control, unlike algorithm tweaks on Google and social media platforms that could ruin your visibility overnight.
But we hear you say, “email marketing can be a minefield”.
Yes, indeed, it can.
You’ll rightly worry whether you’re sending too many emails, whether your emails end up in junk and spam folders, whether your subscriber list is strong and how you can retain those hard-won subscribers.
However, once you’ve got into a routine of following our tips, you’ll solve most of those worries.
Bank holiday email marketing top tips
- Friday is send day
Most bank holidays in the UK and Ireland are on Mondays, so sending your emails on a Friday is a good shout.
According to CoSchedule, Friday is the best day to send emails for conversions.
- Make it easy to unsubscribe
Okay, we know the goal is to create an extensive list of customers.
But the reality is, if a customer doesn’t want to be included in your list, they’re unlikely ever to open your emails, engage with you or buy from you.
As a result, make it easy for people to unsubscribe; you’ll thank us later.
- Segment your email list
Sending one email to your whole list might be the simple option, but it’s not necessarily the right option.
Instead, it’s a good idea to segment your list by location, age, interests or other vital demographics.
According to Campaign Monitor, segmenting your list can increase your revenue by 760%.
- Be consistent
If you’ve said you will send an email to customers every Friday or every second Friday, stick to that schedule.
- Good things come to those who wait
Be patient.
You might email 1,000 people, and only 200 people open it.
But over time, you’ll find that 20% of readers are the ones who are highly engaged with your company and more likely to buy from you.
- Make your content relevant to the bank holiday
Focus on the specific upcoming bank holiday to keep things relevant.
For example, if it’s the Easter bank holiday weekend, mentioning easter eggs or easter bunnies is a quickfire way to show customers you’re on topic.
- Your email subject line should be engaging
The first thing you notice when you receive an email is the subject line.
It’s like the cover of a book; it gives you an idea of what you can expect inside.
As a result, try and make your subject line engaging, entertaining and ultimately clickable.
HubSpot has a helpful guide on how to make yours stand out from the crowd:
20 Tips to Write Catchy Email Subject Lines [+ Examples]
- Write your bank holiday email marketing campaign in an easy-to-read format with a simple, straightforward layout
Resist the urge to go all fancy with your email marketing.
Yes, you could include fancy graphics, animations, videos, cool fonts, splashes of colours etc., but the reality is that most emails don’t display correctly when they’re full of high-res pictures and graphics.
Instead, keep your emails free from clunky code and graphics.
Focus on ensuring that your content is easy to read, engaging, and informative and includes a CTA (Call To Action).
Break up large blocks of text with headings if necessary.
- Optimise your bank holiday email campaign for mobile
We’ve all got iPhones, Pixels, Huawei’s, and Samsung’s, so naturally, companies will want to target users on their favourite devices.
Underpinning everything in today’s market is ensuring your email marketing is mobile-optimised and mobile-friendly.
Before you send your bank holiday emails, test-send them to yourself and check how they load on various popular devices.
- Build up to the bank holiday with clear messaging on your website and social media
If you’re planning some special offers for the bank holiday, build up to it in the weeks and days before.
That could include sharing posts on social media, doing a homepage takeover of your best offer on your website or encouraging people to sign up for your newsletter for exclusive discounts.
- Set up abandoned cart emails
You’re at home watching TV and shopping on your phone, and suddenly you get distracted.
Life gets in the way sometimes when we’re shopping.
But you don’t have to lose that sale because someone knocked at your customer’s door right before they clicked the ‘buy now’ button.
Cart abandonment emails are a superb way to close a sale, acting as a gentle reminder to your customer that they have a product in their basket that they haven’t completed the purchase for.
It’s easy to set up, and best of all, cart abandonment emails can be automated, meaning you can let it work its magic 24/7 and close those sales on your behalf.
Conclusion
Email marketing has repeatedly proven itself to be one of the best marketing strategies available.
Not only does it provide unrivalled ROI, but it’s an excellent way to communicate with your customers in a way they feel comfortable with.
Bank holiday marketing campaigns are your chance to engage with past, current or prospective customers in a relatable way.
Much of email marketing can now be automated, so you only need to focus on creating high-quality, engaging content that your customers will love.
Need help with email marketing? Get in touch with our digital marketing team today: Call us on 028 9043 6655 or email us at support@simplyzesty.com.