August is the peak of summer time. (Effectively, within the northern hemisphere at the very least.)
However whereas the common shopper is considering two weeks on a seaside or attempting to determine how you can hold their children entertained for yet one more day, ecommerce entrepreneurs are frantically casting round for August e-newsletter concepts.
Seems that’s more durable than it sounds, with analysis revealing that August sees the second-lowest common e mail open fee (19.79 %) and the fourth-lowest click-through fee (2.24 %) of any month.
We shouldn’t be stunned.
When the solar is thrashing down, the very last thing we wish is to spend all our time glued to our e mail inboxes.
So how do you persuade an unwilling public to not solely open your emails, however to click on by to your web site, and—extra importantly—purchase one thing?
Get all of the inspiration you want by studying my round-up of participating August e-newsletter concepts…
Instance 1: Showcase Your Fall Assortment
Unsurprisingly, search exercise across the phrase “fall vogue” is extremely seasonal, with curiosity persistently peaking in early September:
Meaning late August is the proper time to share the primary particulars about your fall assortment.
Your purpose right here might be to drive speedy gross sales.
Or it might merely be to drum up pleasure forward of the complete launch of your fall vary.
J. Crew takes the primary of these two choices, utilizing certainly one of its August newsletters to focus on its “fall palette” and compel clients to buy the gathering:
This can be a basic instance of giving clients what they need—on this case, fall-specific clothes—at precisely the fitting time.
Instance 2: Faucet Into Labor Day
Labor Day, held yearly on the primary Monday in September, is certainly one of America’s 9 federal public holidays.
Whereas it began out as a possibility to honor and applaud the American labor motion, at this time it’s higher identified for parades, barbecues, journey, and—as with all public holidays—procuring.
Coinciding with the top of summer time and the beginning of fall, it’s additionally a key date for back-to-school purchases, making it an enormous event for ecommerce entrepreneurs.
Knowledge from Adobe Digital Insights reveals that in 2018, Labor Day gross sales exceeded $2 billion, with 30.1 % of gross sales pushed by e mail advertising and marketing—making e mail the most important contributor of any channel.
Trying to the close to future, Mastercard predicts that US retail gross sales (excluding the automotive class) will develop by 7.5 % 12 months on 12 months throughout the mid-July by Labor Day interval, with ecommerce spending anticipated to rocket by greater than 89 % on 2019 ranges.
However how must you capitalize on Labor Day?
Clearly, that each one will depend on your model and the vertical by which you use, however I got here throughout a pair good ways whereas compiling these August e-newsletter concepts.
The primary comes from on-line classic furnishings retailer Chairish, which tapped into Labor Day 2021 with a limited-time sale:
In case you’re considering boosting gross sales volumes (fairly than revenue margin), a Labor Day sale is the best way to go.
This can be a time of 12 months when individuals are already seeking to spend, spend, spend.
So by providing a reduction on key product traces, you stand a greater probability of poaching clients out of your opponents.
Banana Republic took issues in a distinct course by referencing customers’ conventional need to get away for the final lengthy weekend of summer time.
In line with Numerator, about one in 5 US customers usually have a good time the Labor Day weekend by touring. So in case your merchandise are in any manner travel-related, this can be a key development to leverage.
(N.B. Need extra inspiration to your subsequent Labor Day marketing campaign? Take a look at my roundup of Labor Day e mail examples.)
Instance 3: Launch a Sitewide Sale
In fact, when you’re planning a Labor Day sale, you’ll probably need to point out it in at the very least certainly one of your August newsletters.
However Labor Day isn’t really in August.
Meaning there’s a possibility to run a complete completely different promotion in August itself.
And when you’re actually seeking to make a splash, what higher manner than to launch a sitewide sale?
August isn’t historically a giant month for shopper spending (in actual fact, it’s one of many poorer months for retail gross sales).
So a sitewide low cost might be an efficient solution to drum up curiosity—and income—at a time of 12 months when customers aren’t usually planning to purchase.
Clearly realizing this, LA-based cosmetics firm Colorpop launched a sitewide 30 % sale in August 2021:
The low cost is certainly engaging sufficient to compel customers to click on.
And it’s ably supported by the addition of a countdown timer, which could be a extremely efficient solution to drive motion out of your viewers.
How efficient?
Effectively, our personal analysis—by which we analyzed a couple of billion web site popups—found that popups containing countdown timers convert at a better fee than these with out (8.07 % vs. 3.79 %).
What’s extra, a separate examine focusing particularly on e mail advertising and marketing revealed that emails generate 1.7X extra income after they comprise a countdown timer.
Instance 4: Clear Out Summer season Inventory
Overstocks are a relentless supply of frustration for ecommerce manufacturers.
They go away you with a ton of merchandise that’s exhausting—or unattainable—to promote, saddling you with extra warehousing prices and consuming into your income.
Certainly, analysis from IHL Group claimed that for the common retailer, overstocks result in a 3.2 % lack of income, with the overall loss from overstocks in North America including as much as an astonishing $123 billion a 12 months.
Little question you already take measures to restrict (or, ideally, eradicate) overstocks.
However errors occur; we’re solely human, in spite of everything. There are inevitably going to be occasions whenever you’re left with a bunch of previous, out-of-season inventory.
So what are you able to do when late August rolls round and also you’re nonetheless sitting on a ton of summer time inventory?
One method is to launch a reduction on previous product traces, as Sunski does right here:
In case your product is as seasonal as sun shades, you need to strike whereas the iron’s scorching.
Fail to shift that previous inventory earlier than summer time ends and also you may not get one other alternative till the next spring.
So an aggressive low cost is a helpful ploy.
Nevertheless, Brooklinen demonstrates that overstocks aren’t simply a problem for manufacturers with extremely seasonal product ranges.
That’s proper—even on the earth of mattress linen, retailers don’t have any need to take a seat on inventory for longer than they should.
Brooklinen’s method works as a result of it positions previous inventory as “fan favorites” fairly than “stuff we couldn’t promote”, which makes it sound much more fascinating.
Instance 5: Seize Consideration With Summer season Emojis
Emojis are form of a contentious situation within the e mail advertising and marketing world.
For some manufacturers, they’re like catnip. If an e mail topic line doesn’t comprise an emoji, it’s barely value sending.
For others, it’s a world away from their tone of voice.
You’ll need to determine whether or not or not emojis are acceptable to your model, however analysis suggests they are often extraordinarily efficient, resulting in a 56 % upturn in distinctive open charges.
Summer season is a season that positively lends itself to emojis.
From the easy solar emoji to the extra subtle flamingo, there’s no scarcity of related choices.
So attempt giving these summer time emojis one final airing in your August e mail topic traces, as Banana Republic does right here:
And for extra concepts on how you can enhance open charges throughout the hottest months, take a look at our roundup of summer time e mail topic traces.
Instance 6: Present Summer season/Fall Outfit Suggestions
Late August is one thing of a grey space with regards to vogue ecommerce.
Most clients aren’t on the lookout for summer-specific outfits towards the top of the season.
However on the similar time, they won’t be able to spend money on their autumn wardrobe.
Nonetheless, you’ve bought to promote them one thing. You’ve bought a enterprise to run.
That’s why many retailers use this in-between interval to advertise outfits which are relevant to each seasons.
Abercrombie & Fitch reveals us how that may look:
The theme of interseasonality continues throughout the e mail copy, which places the emphasis on year-round favorites:
Instance 7: Focus On Consolation
Clearly, your clients need to really feel comfy at any time of 12 months.
However “consolation” has completely different meanings in several seasons.
In summer time, it’s all about protecting cool, whereas when the colder months method, it means wrapping up and feeling cozy.
Or what we Danes would name “hygge.”
So one good August e-newsletter concept is to get folks enthusiastic about wrapping themselves in a mushy blanket and cozying up with a very good e-book, similar to The White Firm does right here:
This method is all about promoting a feeling fairly than a product.
It’s not saying: “Purchase a brand new chair.” It’s saying: “Wouldn’t you wish to really feel comfortable now summer time’s coming to an finish?”
Instance 8: Ship Finish-of-Sale Reminders
So that you’ve run a summer time sale to drive income all through August.
That’s a sensible transfer.
As you probably already know, the standard of your follow-up emails is a giant issue within the success of your promotions.
Say your sale ran for per week; your e mail cadence may look one thing like this:
- Day 0: Tease the sale and supply pre-registration
- Day 1: Launch the sale
- Day 3: First reminder concerning the sale
- Day 5: Second reminder
- Day 7: Finish-of-sale reminder
That ultimate half—the end-of-sale e mail reminder—is essential as a result of it performs into customers’ pure worry of lacking out.
FOMO is a strong motivator in driving gross sales, with analysis revealing that it’s skilled by 56 % of individuals.
All Saints makes use of this to its benefit with a topic line warning its viewers that its sale is coming to a detailed:
This messaging continues within the e mail physique, with copy insisting it’s “time to profit from” the model’s summer time sale:
Instance 9: Take Benefit of Consciousness Days
There are consciousness days for just about something you’ll be able to think about.
August has a packed calendar, beginning with Nationwide Girlfriends Day on August 1st, and ending with Worldwide Overdose Consciousness Day on the thirty first.
In between, there are days celebrating all the things from alpacas to ice cream sandwiches and from cats to wiggling your toes.
So that you’re positive to search out one thing to faucet into, which makes consciousness days a superb supply of August e-newsletter concepts.
On this instance, 4ocean—which sells bracelets comprised of recycled supplies—bases an e mail marketing campaign round Worldwide Whale Shark Day on August thirtieth:
That’s an ideal match for a model that cares deeply concerning the ocean and coastlines.
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