October is the primary full month of fall. It’s all about pumpkin spice lattes, cozy outfits, Halloween costumes… and buying.
That’s proper. Knowledge exhibits that in 2021, October noticed the second-highest US retail gross sales complete of any month apart from November:
What’s extra, figures from one report present that October has the third-highest electronic mail open fee of any month, at 21.22 p.c.
In different phrases, customers want to splash the money, and so they’re much more receptive than standard to manufacturers’ advertising emails. As an electronic mail marketer, it’s onerous to not be excited by all that chance.
However at occasions of loads, can we sit again and dial it in, assured within the information that outcomes will come anyway? Or can we work even more durable to nail our messaging and smash our income targets?
For me, possibility #2 wins each time.
When you really feel the identical, you’re in the appropriate place, as a result of I’ve rounded up a number of the most inspiring October e-newsletter examples from manufacturers I like.
7 October Publication Concepts to Encourage You
1. Torrid: Push Halloween (Early)
Looks as if just some years in the past, Halloween concerned nothing extra sophisticated than stocking up on sweet in case the neighbors youngsters got here knocking.
At the moment, it’s develop into an enormous retail occasion.
So large that we’ve devoted an entire article to rounding up the finest Halloween electronic mail advertising examples.
In line with the Nationwide Retail Federation (NRF), US customers will splurge a document $10.6 billion on Halloween-related purchases in 2022. And with 69 p.c of customers planning to rejoice the vacation this 12 months, up from 65 p.c in 2021 and 68 p.c in 2019, it appears there’s unprecedented curiosity in “spooky szn.”
Clearly, fancy costume is an enormous vendor forward of October thirty first. But it surely’s actually not the one present on the town, with the NRF naming the highest product classes for Halloween customers as:
- Sweet (96 p.c of households plan to purchase for Halloween 2022)
- Decorations (75 p.c)
- Costumes (67 p.c)
- Greeting playing cards (39 p.c)
That spells alternatives for retailers throughout a number of niches, from attire to interiors to meals.
Okay, so we’re agreed that Halloween is a key seasonal retail occasion. However when’s the appropriate time to begin selling it?
The reply is: most likely sooner than you’d assume.
In line with Google, searches on Google Photos for “household Halloween costumes” grew by 90 p.c 12 months on 12 months from June to August 2021.
That’s proper. It’s 90 levels out and oldsters are interested by whether or not to decorate their youngsters as Wednesday and Pugsley Addams or tiny variations of Harley Quinn and The Joker.
I’m not suggesting you begin sending Halloween emails on the top of summer time—that’s going too far.
However early October provides you loads of time to construct pleasure and drive gross sales from super-prepared Halloween customers. That’s exactly when plus-size trend model Torrid despatched this October e-newsletter instance:
Torrid didn’t simply nail the timing of this marketing campaign.
The mixture of spooky graphics, partaking copy, a clear name to motion, and a few robust (and seasonal) product imagery makes for a extremely efficient electronic mail.
2. Fabletics: Begin Your Black Friday Sale
It’s honest to say Black Friday is form of an enormous deal on the planet of ecommerce, with US customers spending a whopping $8.9 billion on-line on Black Friday 2021.
(NB need extra juicy tidbits like that? Try my roundup of eye-catching Black Friday statistics.)
However I do know what you’re pondering:
“Emil, isn’t Black Friday the final Friday in November? Why are you mentioning it in an article on October e-newsletter concepts?”
As a result of for lots of customers, Black Friday isn’t simply concerning the day itself. In line with Criteo, 54 p.c of customers begin interested by Black Friday offers no less than one week beforehand, whereas one in 12 begin the method greater than 4 weeks prematurely.
And by my math, 4 weeks earlier than Black Friday takes us firmly into late October.
So I wasn’t precisely shocked to find this electronic mail from Fabletics—despatched on October thirtieth, 2021—whereas trawling our huge digital library of high-quality electronic mail advertising examples:
As you possibly can see, this isn’t only a teaser electronic mail prompting prospects to enroll in a sneak peak at forthcoming offers. It’s a full-scale launch of the sports activities attire model’s Black Friday sale, despatched 27 days earlier than Black Friday “formally” arrives.
One phrase of recommendation:
Though I absolutely advocate starting your Black Friday advertising in late October, don’t push the messaging too onerous.
Keep in mind, Criteo’s analysis exhibits that solely a comparatively small proportion of customers are interested by Black Friday this early within the 12 months. And also you positively don’t need folks to be sick of your messaging by the point late November arrives.
One Black Friday-themed October e-newsletter is completely acceptable. Any greater than that’s most likely overkill.
3. Missguided: Promote Chilly-Climate Necessities
With the lengthy, scorching summer time behind us and fall kicking into gear, October is the right time to push these chilly climate must-haves.
The kind of stuff you want whenever you’re heading out for a cold day of pumpkin-picking or curling up on the sofa with a very good ebook.
As soon as once more, timing is every part in the case of selling your fall collections.
Google Tendencies information exhibits that searches for the time period “fall trend” peak in late September and early October, earlier than plummeting as November approaches:
Ideally, you’ve already began sending fall-themed newsletters by the point October rolls round. Both manner, that is the month to essentially ratchet up your fall messaging.
That’s exactly what Missguided does on this October e-newsletter instance:
The most effective factor about this electronic mail?
After catching our consideration with the hero picture and banner textual content, it goes on to supply product suggestions on particular outfits:
In a world the place 17 p.c of customers admit to feeling overwhelmed by alternative, your viewers will certainly respect somewhat knowledgeable steerage in the case of selecting on-trend fall appears.
4. Out of doors Voices: Drive Buyer Referrals
Referral advertising is a strong software at any time of 12 months.
In line with one examine carried out over a three-year interval, prospects referred by different prospects:
However it may be particularly efficient in October.
Give it some thought. Each new buyer you appeal to in October may have your model in thoughts as the vacation season approaches, placing you in pole place to drive a ton of extra gross sales in the course of the busiest buying interval of the 12 months.
That’s why I’m such a fan of this October e-newsletter instance from Out of doors Voices:
For extra, this electronic mail stands out for 2 fundamental causes:
- It nails the seasonal messaging. Using Halloween-themed copy and graphics stops this sense like a generic referral advertising electronic mail that might have been despatched at any time of 12 months. That makes it really feel extra related and impactful.
- It promotes a easy referral supply. Some referral campaigns fall down by overcomplicating issues. “Share with a buddy and also you’ll each get 17.5 SploshPoints. Each SploshPoint is value $0.01, besides on random SploshDays, when their worth doubles. Pleased sploshing!” Out of doors Voices avoids this entice by merely providing $25 off a $100 buy for each the referrer and referee.
5. The White Firm: Put together for Get together Season
In some methods, October is a tricky time of 12 months for us entrepreneurs.
You’ve bought a key buying occasion—Halloween—on the finish of the month, and one other—Black Friday—simply across the nook.
As if that wasn’t sufficient, you’re acutely conscious that the vacation season is creeping ever nearer. In case your vacation campaigns miss the mark, you would possibly as nicely spend Christmas dusting off your resumé.
For that cause, it pays to focus a few of your October newsletters on key vacation developments, comparable to Christmas get together buying.
A fast look on the ever-helpful Google Tendencies exhibits us that searches for “get together outfits” rise steadily all year long, with a spike in exercise in October (that’s the bit within the purple field under):
So I’d positively advocate taking a leaf from The White Firm’s ebook by selling partywear in your October campaigns.
As is so usually the case, all of it begins with a robust topic line:
It captures the tone completely, basically saying: “Certain, Christmas events are nonetheless a pair months away, however why not begin planning your outfit proper now?”
The e-mail physique is easy however equally efficient…
…utilizing product imagery to showcase The White Firm’s get together outfits and incorporating a distinguished CTA to its partywear assortment.
6. Søstrene Grene: Roll Out Your Christmas Marketing campaign
I do know, I do know.
All of us love complaining about Christmas “getting earlier yearly.” It’s virtually a reflex response to tut and shake our heads once we first see baubles, tinsel, and wrapping paper on the cabinets.
However the information suggests that customers really like giving themselves loads of time to plan for the festive season. Two in 5 Individuals begin their Christmas buying earlier than the tip of October, whereas an astonishing one p.c start in January.
Discuss preparation.
So October is unquestionably honest recreation for a spot of Christmas electronic mail advertising.
Scandi interiors model Søstrene Grene was one of many manufacturers to make the most of this technique in October 2021:
The product imagery does a unbelievable job of creating you are feeling enthusiastic about decking out your own home with tasteful Christmas decor, and the copy is equally inspirational.
Simply ensure you don’t overdo it.
As with the Black Friday recommendation I gave earlier on this article, it’s advantageous to advertise your festive collections in October. However don’t bombard your viewers with Christmas messaging for 3 entire months—except you desire a bunch of unsubscribes.
7. J.Crew: Launch a Fall Sale
We all know that for lots of customers, October is prime time for Christmas buying.
That may sound like a very good factor for retailers—in any case, Christmas means huge spending. However when you consider it, it’s really a double-edged sword.
Certain, you would possibly have the ability to deliver ahead your festive and winter collections.
However on the flip facet, you’ve bought rather a lot much less time to advertise and promote your fall merch.
For example my level, let’s take one final glimpse at Google Tendencies, evaluating the phrases “fall trend” and “summer time trend”:
As you possibly can see, there’s barely extra general exercise round “fall trend”, and the peaks are much more pronounced. However “summer time trend” has higher longevity, with much less extreme troughs.
In different phrases, fall merchandise have a brief shelf life.
So by the point mid-October comes round, take into consideration launching a fall sale to make sure you’re not caught with a bunch of out-of-season inventory, like J.Crew does right here:
As soon as once more, the most effective factor about this October e-newsletter instance is its simplicity.
No overly wordy electronic mail copy or distracting, flashy visuals. Simply an easy-to-understand supply and two clear calls to motion.
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