August is the peak of summer season. (Effectively, within the northern hemisphere no less than.)
However whereas the typical shopper is considering two weeks on a seashore or making an attempt to determine the best way to preserve their youngsters entertained for yet one more day, ecommerce entrepreneurs are frantically casting round for August e-newsletter concepts.
Seems that’s more durable than it sounds, with analysis revealing that August sees the second-lowest common e-mail open price (19.79 p.c) and the fourth-lowest click-through price (2.24 p.c) of any month.
We shouldn’t be stunned.
When the solar is thrashing down, the very last thing we would like is to spend all our time glued to our e-mail inboxes.
So how do you persuade an unwilling public to not solely open your emails, however to click on via to your web site, and—extra importantly—purchase one thing?
Get all of the inspiration you want by studying my round-up of partaking August e-newsletter concepts…
Instance 1: Showcase Your Fall Assortment
Unsurprisingly, search exercise across the phrase “fall style” is extremely seasonal, with curiosity constantly peaking in early September:
Meaning late August is the proper time to share the primary particulars about your fall assortment.
Your purpose right here may very well be to drive quick gross sales.
Or it might merely be to drum up pleasure forward of the complete launch of your fall vary.
J. Crew takes the primary of these two choices, utilizing considered one of its August newsletters to spotlight its “fall palette” and compel clients to buy the gathering:
It is a traditional instance of giving clients what they need—on this case, fall-specific clothes—at precisely the best time.
Instance 2: Faucet Into Labor Day
Labor Day, held yearly on the primary Monday in September, is considered one of America’s 9 federal public holidays.
Whereas it began out as a chance to honor and applaud the American labor motion, right this moment it’s higher recognized for parades, barbecues, journey, and—as with all public holidays—buying.
Coinciding with the top of summer season and the beginning of fall, it’s additionally a key date for back-to-school purchases, making it an enormous event for ecommerce entrepreneurs.
Knowledge from Adobe Digital Insights reveals that in 2018, Labor Day gross sales exceeded $2 billion, with 30.1 p.c of gross sales pushed by e-mail advertising—making e-mail the largest contributor of any channel.
Seeking to the close to future, Mastercard predicts that US retail gross sales (excluding the automotive class) will develop by 7.5 p.c yr on yr in the course of the mid-July via Labor Day interval, with ecommerce spending anticipated to rocket by greater than 89 p.c on 2019 ranges.
However how must you capitalize on Labor Day?
Clearly, that each one is dependent upon your model and the vertical through which you use, however I got here throughout a pair sensible techniques whereas compiling these August e-newsletter concepts.
The primary comes from on-line classic furnishings retailer Chairish, which tapped into Labor Day 2021 with a limited-time sale:
For those who’re curious about boosting gross sales volumes (reasonably than revenue margin), a Labor Day sale is the way in which to go.
It is a time of yr when individuals are already seeking to spend, spend, spend.
So by providing a reduction on key product traces, you stand a greater likelihood of poaching clients out of your rivals.
Banana Republic took issues in a distinct course by referencing shoppers’ conventional need to get away for the final lengthy weekend of summer season.
In response to Numerator, about one in 5 US shoppers sometimes have fun the Labor Day weekend by touring. So in case your merchandise are in any means travel-related, it is a key pattern to leverage.
(N.B. Need extra inspiration to your subsequent Labor Day marketing campaign? Take a look at my roundup of Labor Day e-mail examples.)
Instance 3: Launch a Sitewide Sale
After all, should you’re planning a Labor Day sale, you’ll seemingly need to point out it in no less than considered one of your August newsletters.
However Labor Day isn’t really in August.
Meaning there’s a chance to run a complete totally different promotion in August itself.
And should you’re actually seeking to make a splash, what higher means than to launch a sitewide sale?
August isn’t historically a giant month for shopper spending (in reality, it’s one of many poorer months for retail gross sales).
So a sitewide low cost may very well be an efficient technique to drum up curiosity—and income—at a time of yr when shoppers aren’t sometimes planning to purchase.
Clearly realizing this, LA-based cosmetics firm Colorpop launched a sitewide 30 p.c sale in August 2021:
The low cost is unquestionably engaging sufficient to compel customers to click on.
And it’s ably supported by the addition of a countdown timer, which is usually a extremely efficient technique to drive motion out of your viewers.
How efficient?
Effectively, our personal analysis—through which we analyzed multiple billion web site popups—found that popups containing countdown timers convert at the next price than these with out (8.07 p.c vs. 3.79 p.c).
What’s extra, a separate research focusing particularly on e-mail advertising revealed that emails generate 1.7X extra income after they comprise a countdown timer.
Instance 4: Clear Out Summer time Inventory
Overstocks are a relentless supply of frustration for ecommerce manufacturers.
They depart you with a ton of merchandise that’s laborious—or unattainable—to promote, saddling you with extra warehousing prices and consuming into your income.
Certainly, analysis from IHL Group claimed that for the typical retailer, overstocks result in a 3.2 p.c lack of income, with the entire loss from overstocks in North America including as much as an astonishing $123 billion a yr.
Little doubt you already take measures to restrict (or, ideally, eradicate) overstocks.
However errors occur; we’re solely human, in spite of everything. There are inevitably going to be occasions if you’re left with a bunch of previous, out-of-season inventory.
So what are you able to do when late August rolls round and also you’re nonetheless sitting on a ton of summer season inventory?
One strategy is to launch a reduction on previous product traces, as Sunski does right here:
In case your product is as seasonal as sun shades, you need to strike whereas the iron’s sizzling.
Fail to shift that previous inventory earlier than summer season ends and also you may not get one other alternative till the next spring.
So an aggressive low cost is a helpful ploy.
Nevertheless, Brooklinen demonstrates that overstocks aren’t simply a difficulty for manufacturers with extremely seasonal product ranges.
That’s proper—even on the planet of mattress linen, retailers don’t have any need to sit down on inventory for longer than they should.
Brooklinen’s strategy works as a result of it positions previous inventory as “fan favorites” reasonably than “stuff we couldn’t promote”, which makes it sound much more fascinating.
Instance 5: Seize Consideration With Summer time Emojis
Emojis are sort of a contentious difficulty within the e-mail advertising world.
For some manufacturers, they’re like catnip. If an e-mail topic line doesn’t comprise an emoji, it’s barely price sending.
For others, it’s a world away from their tone of voice.
You’ll must determine whether or not or not emojis are applicable to your model, however analysis suggests they are often extraordinarily efficient, resulting in a 56 p.c upturn in distinctive open charges.
Summer time is a season that undoubtedly lends itself to emojis.
From the easy solar emoji to the extra subtle flamingo, there’s no scarcity of related choices.
So strive giving these summer season emojis one final airing in your August e-mail topic traces, as Banana Republic does right here:
And for extra concepts on the best way to increase open charges in the course of the hottest months, take a look at our roundup of summer season e-mail topic traces.
Instance 6: Present Summer time/Fall Outfit Suggestions
Late August is one thing of a grey space in relation to style ecommerce.
Most clients aren’t in search of summer-specific outfits towards the top of the season.
However on the similar time, they may not be able to spend money on their autumn wardrobe.
Nonetheless, you’ve bought to promote them one thing. You’ve bought a enterprise to run.
That’s why many retailers use this in-between interval to advertise outfits which might be relevant to each seasons.
Abercrombie & Fitch reveals us how that may look:
The theme of interseasonality continues inside the e-mail copy, which places the emphasis on year-round favorites:
Instance 7: Focus On Consolation
Clearly, your clients need to really feel snug at any time of yr.
However “consolation” has totally different meanings in several seasons.
In summer season, it’s all about retaining cool, whereas when the colder months strategy, it means wrapping up and feeling cozy.
Or what we Danes would name “hygge.”
So one sensible August e-newsletter concept is to get folks enthusiastic about wrapping themselves in a delicate blanket and cozying up with a superb e-book, similar to The White Firm does right here:
This strategy is all about promoting a feeling reasonably than a product.
It’s not saying: “Purchase a brand new chair.” It’s saying: “Wouldn’t you prefer to really feel cosy now summer season’s coming to an finish?”
Instance 8: Ship Finish-of-Sale Reminders
So that you’ve run a summer season sale to drive income all through August.
That’s a sensible transfer.
As you seemingly already know, the standard of your follow-up emails is a giant issue within the success of your promotions.
Say your sale ran for every week; your e-mail cadence may look one thing like this:
- Day 0: Tease the sale and supply pre-registration
- Day 1: Launch the sale
- Day 3: First reminder in regards to the sale
- Day 5: Second reminder
- Day 7: Finish-of-sale reminder
That closing half—the end-of-sale e-mail reminder—is essential as a result of it performs into shoppers’ pure concern of lacking out.
FOMO is a strong motivator in driving gross sales, with analysis revealing that it’s skilled by 56 p.c of individuals.
All Saints makes use of this to its benefit with a topic line warning its viewers that its sale is coming to a detailed:
This messaging continues within the e-mail physique, with copy insisting it’s “time to profit from” the model’s summer season sale:
Instance 9: Take Benefit of Consciousness Days
There are consciousness days for just about something you possibly can think about.
August has a packed calendar, beginning with Nationwide Girlfriends Day on August 1st, and ending with Worldwide Overdose Consciousness Day on the thirty first.
In between, there are days celebrating all the pieces from alpacas to ice cream sandwiches and from cats to wiggling your toes.
So that you’re certain to seek out one thing to faucet into, which makes consciousness days a superb supply of August e-newsletter concepts.
On this instance, 4ocean—which sells bracelets comprised of recycled supplies—bases an e-mail marketing campaign round Worldwide Whale Shark Day on August thirtieth:
That’s an ideal match for a model that cares deeply in regards to the ocean and coastlines.
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