Veterans Day is a US federal vacation celebrated each November 11 to honor navy veterans of the US Armed Forces.
As such, it’s typically mistaken for Memorial Day, which is definitely an entire different occasion that particularly celebrates those that died in service.
Whether or not or not they absolutely perceive what it represents, three-quarters of People help Veterans Day being a nationwide vacation, whereas two-thirds deliberate to rejoice it not directly in 2022. Widespread methods to watch the vacation embody:
- Flying a flag (cited by 31 p.c of respondents)
- Attending a Veterans Day ceremony or parade (14 p.c)
- Visiting a veteran good friend or relative (12 p.c)
- Supporting a veteran-owned enterprise (11 p.c)
Clearly, Veterans Day is a decidedly large deal. However what does it imply for manufacturers?
It’s a troublesome one. On the one hand, you naturally need to be a part of the dialog. However on the flip facet, in case your solely contribution to the Veterans Day discourse is a coupon code, you threat trying fairly cynical.
To make your life simpler, I dived into Drip’s e-mail advertising and marketing swipe file to spherical up 9 of the most effective Veterans Day e-mail examples from the previous couple years.
1. Mugsy: Have a good time Veterans In Your Neighborhood
There are about 16.5 million veterans within the US, whereas greater than 1.4 million People at present serve within the armed forces. Mixed, that’s about 8.5 p.c of the grownup inhabitants, so there’s a robust likelihood that present and former navy personnel make up an honest chunk of your viewers.
So why not rejoice Veterans Day by honoring members of the armed forces from inside your personal neighborhood?
That’s exactly what Mugsy Denims did in my first Veterans Day e-mail instance:
I like this method as a result of it’s not asking for something. No name to motion, no low cost code, no limited-time provide. As a substitute, it demonstrates that Mugsy cares about its clients and acknowledges the important work of the armed forces.
This technique provides Mugsy a comparatively low-effort, low-risk method to be a part of the Veterans Day dialog, as a result of it shifts the main focus away from the model and onto its clients. There’s nothing salesy or cynical happening right here.
And actually, generally that’s the most effective you may hope for.
2. Brandless: Encourage Coupon Code Sharing
Perhaps you don’t have the luxurious of sending a non-salesy Veterans Day e-mail. Maybe e-mail advertising and marketing is the lifeline of your ecommerce enterprise and you may’t afford to ease off the promotional messaging.
In that case, you’re most likely attempting to determine learn how to run a revenue-focused marketing campaign with out offending anybody (least of all veterans and their households).
Brandless affords one potential answer:
On this instance, the well being, magnificence, and homeware model facilities its particular provide on veterans themselves.
I significantly like how this e-mail encourages clients to share the coupon code with veterans, which feeds instantly into the entire function of the vacation: honoring former armed forces personnel.
It’s a wise approach for Brandless to drive gross sales and income whereas nonetheless trying prefer it’s giving one thing again to the veteran neighborhood.
Proof suggests there’s a giant urge for food for this kind of marketing campaign. In line with Shopper.com, two-fifths of girls and one-third of males have helped mates or members of the family monitor down an acceptable on-line low cost code, whereas half of girls and an extra third of males have shared codes they already possess with somebody they know.
3. Huckberry: Goal Reductions at Veterans
The entire level of Veterans Day is to make navy veterans really feel particular; to honor their service.
In my opinion, you’re unlikely to nail that individual transient by sharing a particular provide or low cost code that can be utilized by anybody, no matter whether or not or not they served within the armed forces.
If something, including the phrase “veteran” and some stars and stripes to a generic coupon code e-mail will make you look calculated and uncaring. That’s undoubtedly the unsuitable tone to strike on Veterans Day.
As a substitute, take a leaf out of Huckberry’s guide by working a marketing campaign focused particularly at veterans (and their households):
By particularly requiring navy ID verification to benefit from the provide, Huckberry makes it clear that it’s giving one thing again to the navy neighborhood.
Importantly, the model isn’t simply utilizing this promotion to shift a bunch of previous, out-of-season inventory. As a substitute, it’s working a sitewide sale for veterans and their households, giving them a considerable low cost on something they need.
4. Bombas: Help Veterans In Want
As with all demographic or viewers section, “veterans” aren’t a homogenous group. Some have intensive help networks; some are wholesome, rich, and blissful; others are struggling to get by.
In line with figures from the US Division of Housing and City Growth, greater than 33,000 veterans have been experiencing homelessness throughout its most up-to-date Level-in-Time depend.
Regardless of accounting for a large proportion of the veteran inhabitants, these individuals are simply neglected—and infrequently spoken about—by manufacturers. So why not make a distinction in your subsequent Veterans Day e-mail marketing campaign by striving to assist these unhoused people?
That’s exactly what Bombas did in its most up-to-date Veterans Day marketing campaign:
There’s so much to love about this technique.
Initially, Bombas makes it clear that this isn’t simply one other gross sales promotion; it’s clearly consuming into its personal revenue margins by donating a pair of socks for each pair bought.
I additionally like how this marketing campaign isn’t all about Bombas. As a substitute, it shifts focus away from the model and onto the 200+ organizations working to sort out homelessness throughout the nation.
After all, that’s to not say Bombas is doing this for completely altruistic causes. There’s loads of advantages for manufacturers supporting charities and causes that resonate with their clients.
In line with analysis from Google Cloud, 82 p.c of customers desire to purchase from manufacturers whose values align with their very own. What’s extra, three-quarters of customers say they’ve stopped shopping for from manufacturers over a battle in values.
So it undoubtedly pays to place your cash the place your mouth is and provides one thing again—particularly on key dates like Veterans Day, when your viewers is already interested by what they will do to help veterans in want.
5. United By Blue: Go Past Veterans Day
We’ve all turn out to be used to manufacturers talking out and doing good deeds round high-profile occasions and holidays. However for a lot of customers, this fleeting method is not sufficient; they need to see constant, sustained motion.
Pleasure month is arguably the obvious instance. Each June, manufacturers are fast to drape their web sites, social media profiles, and e-mail newsletters in rainbow flags. However few proceed discussing LGBTQ+ points the second July rolls round.
Jean-Marie Navetta, director of studying and inclusion at LGBTQ advocacy group PFLAG Nationwide, has spoken out about this short-term method to advocacy.
“One of many greatest pitfalls is after we see corporations that solely need to have this dialog in June,” she advised Bloomberg Legislation. “That’s problematic as a result of people who find themselves queer are queer each single day and each single month of the yr.”
Veterans Day is not any completely different. In case you actually care about supporting veterans, why confine your efforts and messaging to a single day?
Sustainable attire and equipment model United By Blue took a distinct method, as an alternative selecting to honor so-called “native heroes”—together with veterans, academics, and medical professionals—day-after-day of the yr:
Providing a everlasting low cost to veterans is a brilliant technique—particularly when you roll it out on Veterans Day, like United By Blue did. It’s a much more significant gesture than a easy one-day sale.
6. Chubbies: Degree Up Your Present Provide for Veterans
Okay, so we’re agreed: providing a year-round low cost to veterans means much more than giving them 10 p.c off on Veterans Day.
However why can’t you do each?
In my subsequent Veterans Day e-mail instance, Chubbies doubled its present, year-round low cost for veterans and energetic obligation personnel, giving them a beneficiant 20 p.c off for 10 complete days:
It is a best-of-both-worlds answer. Chubbies will get to spice up gross sales for a restricted interval with a beautiful particular provide, whereas additionally demonstrating the way it helps veterans all year long.
7. Loss of life Want Espresso: Help a Veterans Charity
Always remember that you just’re a retailer, not a charity.
Certain, you may be trying to do some good in your neighborhood and provides one thing again to veterans. That’s a good factor. However virtually talking, you most likely lack the sources and connections to make a significant distinction by yourself.
For that motive, many manufacturers select to honor occasions like Veterans Day by becoming a member of forces with charities and non-profit organizations.
Loss of life Want Espresso is one model that clearly understands the worth of this method:
By donating a piece of all gross sales to charity and veterans service group the Gary Sinise Basis, Loss of life Want Espresso will get to help veterans—and promote its ESG values—with out distracting from its day job: promoting espresso.
8. Mattress Bathtub & Past: Middle Veterans In Your Topic Line
In case you’re going to ship a devoted Veterans Day e-mail, it is sensible to reference veterans as early—and infrequently—as attainable.
As a result of what’s the purpose in sharing a reduction for veterans if it’s tucked away under the fold in your e-mail physique copy?
So far as I’m involved, it’s best to undoubtedly point out the vacation in your e-mail topic line. Keep in mind, virtually half of e-mail recipients determine to open emails primarily based solely on the topic line, so when you actually need your messaging to chop by way of, it needs to be proper there within the topic.
Mattress Bathtub & Past will get it proper right here:
There are a pair issues I like about this topic line.
First off, it locations veterans on the entrance and middle of its providing, leaving no room for confusion concerning the contents of the e-mail. In case you’re a veteran who’s out there for some fancy bedding or a brand new set of kitchen knives, there’s likelihood you’d open this e-mail.
Past that, I additionally like using related emojis right here. Admittedly, emojis aren’t for everybody, and they need to undoubtedly be used sensitively relating to events like Veterans Day. However Mattress Bathtub & Past will get the steadiness proper right here.
Used successfully, emojis in topic traces can assist your emails stand out amid a crowded inbox, with analysis from Marketing campaign Monitor displaying that manufacturers utilizing emojis get pleasure from a 56 p.c improve in distinctive open charges.
9. The North Face: Lengthen Reductions to Household Members
Veterans Day has a distinctly family-oriented really feel, with 12 p.c of People celebrating the event by visiting a veteran good friend or relative.
So why not lean into this theme by providing your Veterans Day low cost to members of the family in addition to veterans themselves?
That’s precisely what The North Face did in my remaining instance:
It’s a easy however efficient tactic. Not solely does it reveal that The North Face cares about veterans and their households, however it additionally means extra folks can benefit from the provide.
And which means extra gross sales and income.
Additionally, it’s value stating that The North Face is one other model to supply a navy service low cost all year long, fairly than saving it for particular events.
Improve Your E-mail Personalization With Drip
After all, Veterans Day may not be related to everybody in your viewers.
On a easy degree, completely different nations have their very own variations of Veterans Day. So when you serve clients in a number of areas, it pays to section your checklist to solely embody these primarily based within the US.
However that’s solely scratching the floor of segmentation and personalization. With Drip, you may minimize and slice your viewers lists nonetheless you see match, providing you with the facility to ship laser-targeted messages to ever-more-niche viewers segments.
The extra area of interest your messaging, the extra related it turns into to particular person clients, and the extra income you’ll generate.
See for your self by signing up in your 14-day free trial.
