Memorial Day means multiple things for us. First and foremost, it’s a day established to honor men and women who have served in the military defending our country. It’s also a holiday that’s pretty much universally celebrated in the US, no matter their differences in other areas.
This means that almost everyone in the country will be thinking about Memorial Day weekend – and not only because of the holiday. As it takes place on the last weekend of May, it also marks the start of summer, finally! After a long winter, people are feeling ready to kick start the summer and probably spend some money, too.
This is where us marketers come in. Why? Because Memorial Day doesn’t only mean summer, it means summer sales and a chance to reengage your customer base with some on-point email marketing. However, you know from your own experience that people are bombarded with Memorial Day marketing – so you need to make yours stand out.
How? Well, that’s where we come in, with our top email marketing tips for Memorial Day weekend.
#1 Get People In The Mood For Summer
Summer is always a time of optimism and excitement, so tap into that positive mood with your marketing. Think about a countdown campaign that gets people not only ticking off the days until the long weekend but until your sale as well! Highlight the offers you have on seasonal items. Or, if you’re a service provider, introduce some summer-themed options (and discount them!).
Keep your email marketing content and design upbeat and breezy to match the season. Evoke family gatherings or trips away in your imagery to speak to people’s holiday plans. As well as helping you for Memorial Day, this will also mean your business is associated with summer in people’s minds throughout the season.
#2 Don’t Forget The Message Of The Day
While we’ve just spoken about keeping marketing ‘summer-y,’ it’s also important not to remember the real purpose of Memorial Day. Email marketing around this holiday can be a tricky balancing act between respect for the service people who lost their lives and lighthearted summer anticipation.
Do this through careful use of color and tone. Red, white, and blue colors are an excellent way of showing your patriotism. However, this is quite common in Memorial Day marketing, so try to think of a creative way to incorporate these. Alternatively, focus on the great weekend aspect of the holiday, but without going over the top (for example, avoid any references to partying!).
#3 Tie In Your Social Media Marketing
Emails are a great way to connect directly with your audience, but to consolidate your message, support your email marketing with an engaging social media campaign. If you’re doing a countdown campaign or any events, then highlight these on your social media channels and link to these in your email marketing.
Make sure the imagery and messaging are consistent across your marketing channels and encourage interaction on social media as much as possible through hashtags or contests.
#4 Do Something That Stands Out
This tip applies to all your marketing campaigns, but is particularly crucial at a time when lots of businesses are promoting, like Memorial Day. Try to provide something unique to your customers, like mobile coupons they can use on-the-go, or exclusive passwords that’ll get them in-store discounts.
It’s not only your offer but your messaging that should stand out. As we mentioned above, lots of companies will utilize the red, white, and blue motif, so if you want to use this color scheme as well, think of an original way to do it! Personalizing your campaign, if appropriate for your brand, is another way of attracting attention.
#5 Write An Enticing Subject Line
We all know that the first step in achieving tip #4 is in the perfectly-crafted subject line of your email! Keep it in line with your theme, whether that’s more about summer or Memorial Day itself. Remember to avoid words that might trigger spam filters (for example, ‘free’ or ‘urgent’) while creating a sense of exclusivity and time priority.
If subscribers get a sense that this email contains something special, something that will benefit them, they’re so much more likely to open it – and then your copy can work its magic!
#6 Set A Time Limit
Talking of urgency, one of the best ways to motivate your customers and clients is by highlighting the temporary nature of your offer. They don’t have time to come back to your email later; if they want to benefit, they need to act soon! This is why countdown campaigns are so useful, immediately creating a sense of importance.
Of course, you don’t want to seem like you’re pressuring people, so ensure your time reminders are more like gentle nudges and friendly reminders than a nagging boss hurrying them along!
#7 Give Back
Why not use your Memorial Day email marketing as a way to contribute to a good cause? Show how much you appreciate our armed forces by donating to a charity that supports them. Link this to your campaign or offers by telling customers you’ll give a certain amount for each sale you make over the long weekend.
This both encourages people to spend their money with you, knowing they’ll be contributing to a good cause and means that you’ve done something worthwhile as well. It’s a win-win!
Now you’ve activated these email marketing tips, go ahead and enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!
