Christmas is coming fast, and it's high time to start planning your newsletters. November and December are the busiest months of the year for email marketing. Inboxes are overflowing, which means you have to stand out to be seen. A well-planned Christmas newsletter can not only boost your sales but also strengthen customer relationships ahead of the new year.
Christmas is about giving. A smart way to show you care is to offer customers something personal and unexpected. It could be free shipping, a small gift with purchases over a certain amount or a digital gift card. You can also send a special thank you to loyal customers with a unique offer or a personal discount code.
One tip is to write the subject line of your newsletter with a focus on treating yourself, such as: “Take a break from the Christmas shopping stress – treat yourself to something nice”. It sparks curiosity and fits the Christmas mood. Don't forget to base your mailings on customer data, such as previous purchases or click behaviour – it increases relevance and the chance that the mailing actually leads to a conversion.
Choosing Christmas gifts can be stressful. Use your newsletter to make it easier for the recipient. Highlight popular products from the past year, put together ready-made bundles or present different tips based on audience – e.g. “Christmas gift ideas for dad” or “For someone who has everything”.
A smart move is to create your own Christmas gift guide and include it in the email. Add clear images, short product descriptions and links straight to checkout. Don't forget to offer last-minute options, such as digital gift cards – a lifesaver for stressed customers close to Christmas Eve.
Christmas is a social holiday. Many people tell friends and family about good offers. So encourage recipients to share your newsletter. Add a button for forwarding the email, or reward anyone who recruits a friend as a subscriber with a discount or gift.
You can also encourage sharing on social media and use user-generated content. A simple example: “Share your best Christmas photo with our product and get the chance to win a present.”
Christmas is the right time to show the human side of your brand. Write your newsletters in a warm and personal tone. Use first names if you can, and feel free to sign the email with a real contact person from your team.
A short thank you for the past year, or a Christmas card in email form, can make a big impression – especially if it stands out from the rest of the year's mailings. A personal Christmas newsletter makes you stand out from the crowd.
Short campaigns before Christmas create engagement. You can use a clear countdown in the email, for example “The offer is valid for 48 hours” or “Last chance before Christmas!”. It builds on the feeling of scarcity and encourages quick decisions.
If you use a visual timer in the newsletter, the feeling is reinforced even further. Feel free to combine it with a visual Christmas design to set the right mood as soon as the recipient opens the email.
Get help from your customers. Show which products have been the most popular, or share quotes and reviews from other customers. This can be especially effective at Christmas, when many people are unsure what to buy.
Have you worked with influencers or been shared on social media? Highlight it in the newsletter. Many customers trust other people's experiences more than pure sales tips.
Christmas is a chance to go all out visually. Feel free to break a little from your usual visual identity and create a newsletter with a clear Christmas feel. Use snowflakes, red, green, gold – and animated elements if they fit. It doesn't have to be much, but it should be clear that this is a Christmas mailing.
You can also try a new kind of subject line in December – more playful, emotional or humorous than usual. This is a good opportunity to experiment and see what gets the highest open rate.
Plan your Christmas mailings in good time. The companies that get the most out of their newsletters in December are usually the ones that start as early as the end of November. Don't just send one email – build a campaign in several parts. For example, you can send:
Also follow up with statistics: what was clicked the most, when were the emails opened, what sold best? Learn from every season – it makes your newsletters even stronger Christmas after Christmas.
Sending newsletters before Christmas is not just about sales – it is also a way to build relationships and add to the customer's experience. By planning in time, creating relevant offers and using a warm, personal tone, you can make a strong impression that lasts beyond the season.
Take the time to find the right balance between inspiration, campaign and care. The companies that do best with email at Christmas are often the ones that understand the recipient's needs and communicate in a human and engaging way.
When a customer, prospect or other stakeholder gives you their email address, they are trusting you with something. With that active step they are also saying: “I'm ready to listen to what you have to say.” In other words, their guard is down. That makes newsletters a very effective and powerful channel […]
