7 January Publication Concepts (and Why They Work)

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

That sense of reduction lasts proper up till you keep in mind that you’ve nonetheless bought targets to hit. At that time, issues get a bit of extra… tough.

January is a troublesome 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 common 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 an alternative, our priorities change to taking care of our money, with Financial institution of America analysis revealing that our #1 New 12 months’s decision heading into 2023 is to avoid wasting more cash.

And the dangerous information doesn’t cease there, as a result of January can be a barren interval for electronic mail advertising and marketing.

January languishes within the backside quartile for common electronic mail open charges by month, at 19.83 p.c. That’s virtually 11 p.c decrease than the very best month, November. To make issues worse, January additionally sees the joint-highest electronic mail unsubscribe fee 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 probability they’ll unsubscribe.

So ought to all of us simply quit and take January off? By no means. For one of the 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 performed the laborious give you the results you want by rounding up seven of one of the best January electronic mail advertising and marketing concepts from Drip’s bottomless electronic mail swipe file…

So what higher time to launch a sale?

If you happen to’re planning a January sale, you naturally need as many eyes as attainable in your electronic mail. Which means nailing the topic line. On this instance, yoga model Sweaty Betty struck the suitable word by wishing clients a Pleased New 12 months, then instantly segueing into promotional, sale-related messaging:

A 60 p.c low cost sounds fairly engaging—particularly at a time when shoppers are tightening the purse strings. Mentioning it within the topic line may make the distinction between somebody opening your electronic 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 bought the messaging proper. However there’s one other key aspect of a profitable “Pleased New 12 months” electronic mail: the timing. When’s the suitable time to ship it?

Logic dictates that New 12 months’s Eve or New 12 months’s Day are one of the best dates. However the information suggests in any other case.

In accordance with DMD statistics from the 2020-21 Christmas and new 12 months interval, electronic 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 case you’re planning a giant sale launch, it is smart to carry again your announcement for a couple of days till everybody’s again into the swing of checking emails.

And, in fact, you’ll wish to comply with up with two or three reminder emails over the approaching days to make sure your messaging hits residence.

Particularly, it’s a improbable technique for any model promoting self-improvement-related merchandise. In accordance 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 wish to enhance their health, 
• 37 p.c are aiming to drop extra pounds
• 33 p.c vowed to eat a more healthy weight loss plan

Plant-based dietary supplements model Apothékary is well-placed to capitalize on this development. On this instance, it devoted a whole electronic mail to clients who wish to lower down on their alcohol consumption, providing all the things from alcohol-free beverage alternate options…

…to a devoted alcohol-alternative natural mix designed to copy the sensation of ingesting a wealthy glass of pink 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 targets, however it’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. 

Probably the greatest methods to do that is to leverage the facility of social proof—the phenomenon that prompts folks to copy the actions of others in order that they’re seen to show “appropriate” or “accepted” behaviors.

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

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

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

This can be a traditional instance of social proof in motion. The message right here is delicate however efficient: all these folks love this explicit product, so you must in all probability purchase it.

I like the topic line, however the electronic mail physique is even stronger. It begins with a buyer quote and a reference to the excessive evaluate scores for Unseen Sunscreen, earlier than detailing a number of the product’s key options and advantages:

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

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

Nonetheless, proof suggests shoppers assume in a different 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 big deal in its personal proper. 

Greater than half of People deliberate to have a good time the vacation in 2022, in accordance with the Nationwide Retail Federation, with the common shopper 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 begin your Valentine’s Day electronic mail advertising and marketing marketing campaign.

One model that bought the memo is 4Ocean, which shared this ocean-friendly Valentine’s Day present information on January nineteenth:

Past getting the timing proper, 4Ocean’s electronic mail works by positioning its merchandise as a extra significant present than Valentine’s Day classics like flowers and balloons.

That is a sexy message for shoppers, with 62 p.c of respondents to a Mastercard survey saying it is change into extra necessary for manufacturers to behave in a sustainable, eco-friendly method because the 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 wish to make extra sustainable decisions. However they’ll’t do it alone; they need assistance from manufacturers. In accordance with a survey from insurance coverage big Zurich, 75 p.c of shoppers count on organizations to assist them make greener selections—not simply when buying, however extra typically.

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

There are numerous methods to do that. You may spotlight the sustainability of your supplies or the eco-friendly nature of your packaging. Or you may place your merchandise as long-lasting and versatile, like The Frye Firm did right here:

The topic line suggests you may 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 lots of customers are feeling, with analysis from sustainable style platform Unfolded discovering that 61 p.c of shoppers wish to upcycle and reuse their style purchases extra.

See for your self by signing up to your 14-day free trial immediately.