7 January E-newsletter Concepts (and Why They Work)

After the mayhem of the golden quarter, January can look like a long-overdue break for ecommerce entrepreneurs.

That sense of reduction lasts proper up till you do not forget that you’ve nonetheless bought targets to hit. At that time, issues get somewhat extra… tough.

January is a tricky time for retailers. In 2021, it noticed the second-lowest US retail gross sales whole of any month:

(Supply: YCharts.)

That’s hardly shocking. With the common US grownup anticipated to spend roughly $870 on Christmas items in 2022, the very last thing on our minds is to spend much more. As an alternative, our priorities change to taking care of our money, with Financial institution of America analysis revealing that our #1 New Yr’s decision heading into 2023 is to avoid wasting extra money.

And the unhealthy information doesn’t cease there, as a result of January can also be a barren interval for e-mail advertising and marketing.

January languishes within the backside quartile for common e-mail open charges by month, at 19.83 %. That’s virtually 11 % decrease than the very best month, November. To make issues worse, January additionally sees the joint-highest e-mail unsubscribe charge of any month (0.12 %).

In different phrases, shoppers aren’t spending cash or opening emails in January—and after they do interact, there’s a higher-than-average probability they’ll unsubscribe.

So ought to all of us simply surrender and take January off? By no means. For one of the best entrepreneurs, each problem represents a possibility. Get your messaging proper and there’s nonetheless cash to be made.

Need some excellent news? I’ve performed the onerous be just right for you by rounding up seven of one of the best January e-mail advertising and marketing concepts from Drip’s bottomless e-mail swipe file…

So what higher time to launch a sale?

If you happen to’re planning a January sale, you naturally need as many eyes as attainable in your e-mail. Which means nailing the topic line. On this instance, yoga model Sweaty Betty struck the proper observe by wishing clients a Completely happy New Yr, then instantly segueing into promotional, sale-related messaging:

A 60 % low cost sounds fairly engaging—particularly at a time when shoppers are tightening the purse strings. Mentioning it within the topic line may make the distinction between somebody opening your e-mail or scrolling on by.

Sweaty Betty reiterated the value discount on the prime of the e-mail physique, making certain clients know precisely what to anticipate from the promotion:

The e-mail additionally comprises no fewer than eight CTAs prompting readers to buy the sale or browse particular product classes, making certain clients stay within the shopping for temper as they scroll down the web page.

Okay, so Sweaty Betty bought the messaging proper. However there’s one other key component of a profitable “Completely happy New Yr” e-mail: the timing. When’s the proper time to ship it?

Logic dictates that New Yr’s Eve or New Yr’s Day are one of the best dates. However the information suggests in any other case.

In keeping with DMD statistics from the 2020-21 Christmas and new yr interval, e-mail open charges hit all-time low round NYE, from a mean of 5.7 % on December thirty first to only 3.2 % on January 2nd:

That’s even decrease than December twenty fifth—and, actually, who’s opening emails on Christmas Day?

So in case you’re planning an enormous sale launch, it is smart to carry again your announcement for just a few days till everybody’s again into the swing of checking emails.

And, after all, you’ll wish to observe up with two or three reminder emails over the approaching days to make sure your messaging hits house.

Particularly, it’s a incredible technique for any model promoting self-improvement-related merchandise. In keeping with a Forbes Well being/OnePoll survey, well being—in all its kinds—is a prime precedence for shoppers heading into the brand new yr:

• 45 % resolved to enhance their psychological well being
• 39 % wish to enhance their health, 
• 37 % are aiming to drop a few pounds
• 33 % vowed to eat a more healthy food regimen

Plant-based dietary supplements model Apothékary is well-placed to capitalize on this pattern. On this instance, it devoted a whole e-mail to clients who wish to minimize down on their alcohol consumption, providing all the pieces from alcohol-free beverage alternate options…

…to a devoted alcohol-alternative natural mix designed to copy the sensation of ingesting a wealthy glass of purple wine (with out the related blue enamel and pounding headache):

It is a good play. 

Not solely does decreasing alcohol consumption align with all these health-related targets, but it surely’s additionally a decision in its personal proper, with the identical Forbes/OnePoll survey revealing that ingesting much less alcohol is a prime precedence for:

• 4 % of 18 to 25-year-olds
• Eight % of 26 to 41-year-olds
• Eight % of 42 to 57-year-olds

As such, it feels much less like Apothékary is promoting one thing and extra prefer it’s serving to clients resolve a ache level. 

Among the finest methods to do that is to leverage the facility of social proof—the phenomenon that prompts folks to copy the actions of others so that they’re seen to show “appropriate” or “accepted” behaviors.

Buyer evaluations are one of the potent types of social proof. In keeping with analysis from Trustpilot and Canvas8, 9 in 10 shoppers learn evaluations earlier than making a purchase order, so that they’re clearly a useful software for driving gross sales.

Skincare model Supergoop evidently understands this, constructing a whole e-mail round its best-reviewed product.

Once more, let’s begin by inspecting the e-mail topic line:

It is a basic instance of social proof in motion. The message right here is refined however efficient: all these folks love this explicit product, so it’s best to most likely purchase it.

I like the topic line, however the e-mail physique is even stronger. It begins with a buyer quote and a reference to the excessive assessment scores for Unseen Sunscreen, earlier than detailing a number of the product’s key options and advantages:

And, after all, it wraps issues up successfully with a name to motion pointing immediately on the product web page.

“Absolutely January’s too early to begin worrying about Valentine’s Day? We’ve solely simply taken down the Christmas tree.”

Nonetheless, proof suggests shoppers assume in another way. Searches for “Valentine’s Day” climb all through January, with the primary (small) spike in exercise occurring mid-month:

Whereas it pales compared to the big-spending retail occasions of the Golden Quarter, V-Day is a big deal in its personal proper. 

Greater than half of People deliberate to have a good time the vacation in 2022, in accordance with the Nationwide Retail Federation, with the common shopper anticipating to spend over $175 on items and actions in 2022—for a mixed whole of virtually $24 billion.

In different phrases: January undoubtedly isn’t too quickly to begin your Valentine’s Day e-mail advertising and marketing marketing campaign.

One model that bought the memo is 4Ocean, which shared this ocean-friendly Valentine’s Day present information on January nineteenth:

Past getting the timing proper, 4Ocean’s e-mail works by positioning its merchandise as a extra significant present than Valentine’s Day classics like flowers and balloons.

That is a lovely message for shoppers, with 62 % of respondents to a Mastercard survey saying it is turn into extra essential for manufacturers to behave in a sustainable, eco-friendly means because the pandemic.

Proof suggests shoppers—notably these in youthful demographics—are more and more turning their noses up at quick style manufacturers, with qualitative analysis from the British Academy of Administration revealing that Gen-Zers affiliate it with phrases like:

• Unsustainable
• Unhealthy high quality
• Unethical

That’s… not nice.

So shoppers wish to make extra sustainable selections. However they will’t do it alone; they need assistance from manufacturers. In keeping with a survey from insurance coverage large Zurich, 75 % of shoppers count on organizations to assist them make greener selections—not simply when buying, however extra usually.

It is a robust angle in your January e-mail campaigns. Everybody begins the yr with good intentions, so what higher time to exhibit your sustainable credentials?

There are numerous methods to do that. You could possibly spotlight the sustainability of your supplies or the eco-friendly nature of your packaging. Or you may place your merchandise as long-lasting and versatile, like The Frye Firm did right here:

The topic line suggests you possibly can put on this shoe all year long, whereas the physique copy describes it as an “on a regular basis” buy, positioning it as a high-value-f0r-money buy.

This messaging clearly aligns with how loads of consumers are feeling, with analysis from sustainable style platform Unfolded discovering that 61 % of shoppers wish to upcycle and reuse their style purchases extra.

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