Step 1: Review Last Year’s Campaigns

Take a look at last year's holiday emails. Identify which campaigns were successful—did they get many people to open, click, or even make a purchase? Learn from these insights so you know what to repeat and what to improve. If you don’t have data from last year, consider researching examples from competitors or look at general holiday email statistics for inspiration.

Step 2: Segment Your Email List

Split your contact list into groups. Not every customer has the same needs. Some may be interested in discounts, while others want information on new products. Common segments could include past buyers, people who have opened your emails recently, or VIP customers. This helps you send the right message to the right people.

Step 3: Set Your Goals

Determine what you want to achieve with your holiday emails. Examples might include increasing sales by 20%, getting more people to visit your store, or improving your email open rate by 10%. Write down your goals so you can create targeted campaigns and measure success.

Step 4: Plan Your Email Calendar

Create a schedule for your emails. Decide how often you want to send messages: maybe once a week leading up to the holidays, with an extra reminder during big sales like Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Mark these dates on your calendar and plan the content for each email. Be mindful not to overwhelm your subscribers with too many messages.

Step 5: Craft Engaging Subject Lines

Subject lines are crucial because they determine whether someone opens your email. Make them exciting but short—try including a sense of urgency like "Limited Time Offer!" or personalization like "Just for You, [Name]." Always test a few different options (this is called A/B testing) to see which works best.

Step 6: Design Eye-Catching Emails

Use a tool like Canva to create visually appealing emails. Use festive images that represent the holidays, such as snowflakes, presents, or ornaments. Make sure your email is easy to read: use large text, short paragraphs, and buttons that stand out so customers know where to click. Don’t forget to make sure the email looks good on mobile devices too, since many people will read your emails on their phones.

Step 7: Create Strong Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

Each email should have a clear action you want readers to take, such as “Shop Now,” “Claim Your Discount,” or “Sign Up.” Use buttons or bold text to make the action stand out. Place the CTA near the top and also repeat it towards the bottom so readers see it no matter where they stop reading.

Step 8: Include Exclusive Offers

Make your subscribers feel special by giving them exclusive discounts or early access to sales. Highlight these offers in your emails with phrases like "Special Offer for Subscribers Only." It can motivate people to act faster and feel valued as part of your community.

Step 9: Test Before Sending

Send a test email to yourself and a colleague to make sure everything looks right. Check all the links, ensure images load properly, and proofread the content. Mistakes like broken links or misspellings can make your business look unprofessional.

Step 10: Track and Adjust

After sending your emails, track their performance. Look at how many people opened, clicked, or purchased from each email. If one message performed poorly, adjust the next one—perhaps by changing the subject line or using a different image. Keep learning from each campaign to improve results.