7 January Publication Concepts (and Why They Work)

After the mayhem of the golden quarter, January can appear to be a long-overdue break for ecommerce entrepreneurs.

That sense of aid lasts proper up till you do not forget that you’ve nonetheless received targets to hit. At that time, issues get a bit of extra… troublesome.

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 stunning. With the typical US grownup anticipated to spend roughly $870 on Christmas presents in 2022, the very last thing on our minds is to spend much more. As a substitute, 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 save lots of more cash.

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

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

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

So ought to all of us simply hand over and take January off? By no means. For the very 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 accomplished the exhausting be just right for you by rounding up seven of the very best January e-mail advertising concepts from Drip’s bottomless e-mail swipe file…

So what higher time to launch a sale?

Should you’re planning a January sale, you naturally need as many eyes as attainable in your e-mail. Meaning nailing the topic line. On this instance, yoga model Sweaty Betty struck the appropriate be aware by wishing clients a Comfortable New Yr, then instantly segueing into promotional, sale-related messaging:

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

Sweaty Betty reiterated the value discount on the high of the e-mail physique, guaranteeing 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, guaranteeing clients stay within the shopping for temper as they scroll down the web page.

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

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

In line with DMD statistics from the 2020-21 Christmas and new 12 months interval, e-mail open charges hit all-time low round NYE, from a mean of 5.7 p.c on December thirty first to only 3.2 p.c on January 2nd:

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

So in the event 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 need to comply with up with two or three reminder emails over the approaching days to make sure your messaging hits house.

Particularly, it’s a implausible technique for any model promoting self-improvement-related merchandise. In line with a Forbes Well being/OnePoll survey, well being—in all its types—is a high precedence for shoppers heading into the brand new 12 months:

• 45 p.c resolved to enhance their psychological well being
• 39 p.c need to enhance their health, 
• 37 p.c are aiming to reduce weight
• 33 p.c vowed to eat a more healthy weight-reduction plan

Plant-based dietary supplements model Apothékary is well-placed to capitalize on this pattern. On this instance, it devoted a complete e-mail to clients who need to reduce down on their alcohol consumption, providing every part from alcohol-free beverage alternate options…

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

This can be a sensible play. 

Not solely does decreasing alcohol consumption align with all these health-related objectives, 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 high precedence for:

• 4 p.c of 18 to 25-year-olds
• Eight p.c of 26 to 41-year-olds
• Eight p.c 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. 

Top-of-the-line methods to do that is to leverage the facility of social proof—the phenomenon that prompts individuals to copy the actions of others so that they’re seen to show “right” or “accepted” behaviors.

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

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

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

This can be a traditional instance of social proof in motion. The message right here is refined however efficient: all these individuals love this specific product, so you must in all probability 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 overview scores for Unseen Sunscreen, earlier than detailing a few of the product’s key options and advantages:

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

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

Nevertheless, 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 large deal in its personal proper. 

Greater than half of Individuals deliberate to have a good time the vacation in 2022, based on the Nationwide Retail Federation, with the typical client anticipating to spend over $175 on presents and actions in 2022—for a mixed whole of virtually $24 billion.

In different phrases: January positively isn’t too quickly to start out your Valentine’s Day e-mail advertising marketing campaign.

One model that received 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 pretty message for shoppers, with 62 p.c of respondents to a Mastercard survey saying it is change into extra vital for manufacturers to behave in a sustainable, eco-friendly means for the reason that 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 want to make extra sustainable decisions. However they’ll’t do it alone; they need assistance from manufacturers. In line with a survey from insurance coverage large Zurich, 75 p.c of shoppers anticipate organizations to assist them make greener choices—not simply when buying, however extra usually.

This can be a sturdy angle on your January e-mail campaigns. Everybody begins the 12 months with good intentions, so what higher time to show your sustainable credentials?

There are numerous methods to do that. You might spotlight the sustainability of your supplies or the eco-friendly nature of your packaging. Or you could possibly 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 quite a lot of customers are feeling, with analysis from sustainable style platform Unfolded discovering that 61 p.c of shoppers need to upcycle and reuse their style purchases extra.

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