Rise above the rest of the inbox clutter with these holiday email campaign ideas

Whether you’re on the West Coast, the East Coast, or somewhere in between, preparing for the holidays means being inundated with requests for your time. In a typical year, there are over 300 million emails sent between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday. 

That’s a lot of marketing to wade through this time of year, but it also works. People who receive marketing emails tend to spend 138% more than those who don’t.

All of those emails make it hard for you to stand out. Writing effective email subject lines and copy is an art as much as it is a science, but you can give yourself a head start crafting the perfect holiday email marketing campaign with these five helpful ideas.

1. The “We make holiday shopping easy” email

Everyone has that great aunt or second cousin who is impossible to shop for. “Oh, I don’t need any gifts,” they’ll say, but you can feel their disappointment if you don’t get them something they’ll love. And that’s when a promotional email from your business shows up in their inbox, making their lives that much easier.

• Finding the right gift is a significant source of stress for many shoppers. Your goal is to eliminate that stress.

• Focus your messaging on experiences, like a day of self-care, as people are often happier receiving experiences over physical items.

• Highlight the convenience of buying a gift card or salon package. It's much quicker than spending hours driving around town or trawling websites to purchase something that’ll probably be forgotten about in a month or two.

2. The “Limited time discount” email

Saving money is basically a national pastime, and the holidays are a great way to introduce promotions and discounts to encourage shoppers to spend more money at your business.

• State your offer directly in your email subject lines to encourage recipients to open it.

• Establish a hard deadline for the end of the deal.

• Wording along the lines of “Enjoy the equivalent of an additional lash upgrade, on us.” helps readers understand the value of the discount. 

3. The “OMG, there’s only a week left!” email

The holiday season is a hectic, weeks-long countdown toward the one day when everyone can finally start relaxing again. There’s so much to juggle — gotta take the kids to their recital, make sure there’s enough food for the family gathering, and make sure everyone has the right gift. It’s very easy for something — or someone — to slip through the cracks.

• As the end of the holiday season nears, send emails reminding people that time is running out.

• Help them speed up their decision-making by offering easy choices: do they want a gift card or bundle? A $100 gift card or two $50 cards? 

• A call to action like “Forward this email to the person shopping for you!” is a cheeky way to increase the reach of your emails.

4. The “Gift cards are a great idea!” email

While it may be obvious to you that you sell gift cards (you’ve only got signs up all over the place), your clients may not even be aware that they’re available. Send email reminders that gift cards from your salon make great last-minute gifts or stocking stuffers to improve awareness and boost sales.

Here's why gift cards make great gifts:

• Convenient and Flexible: With gift cards, recipients can choose the services they want, not the ones gift givers think they need.

• Perfect for Last-Minute Shoppers: Easy to buy, one size fits all — gift cards are an ideal choice for those in a hurry.

• Encourage Relaxation and Self-Care: A spa gift card gives the gift of stress relief and pampering, which everyone deserves around the holidays.

• Customizable Amounts: Meet spending limits for gift exchanges, or splurge on the people closest to you.

• No Expiration Date: If your gift cards don’t expire, this adds even more value and flexibility for soon-to-be clients.

5. The “Dissolve your holiday stress with self-care” email

Gift giving is great and all, but with all the demands of the holiday season, sometimes people just need to splurge on some valuable “me-time” to de-stress.

• Remind clients that it's okay to be a little selfish during the holiday season.

• Encourage them to take a day out of their busy schedules for some "me-time."

• Invite them to pamper themselves with a relaxing massage or facial.

By crafting thoughtful and engaging emails, you can effectively encourage your clients to consider your spa services or gift cards during the holidays. Personalized and well-timed

messages that emphasize relaxation, rejuvenation, and the joy of giving can help build client loyalty and attract new business, ensuring your spa becomes a go-to destination during this festive season.