October is the primary full month of fall. It’s all about pumpkin spice lattes, cozy outfits, Halloween costumes… and buying.
That’s proper. Knowledge exhibits that in 2021, October noticed the second-highest US retail gross sales whole of any month moreover November:
What’s extra, figures from one report present that October has the third-highest e mail open fee of any month, at 21.22 p.c.
In different phrases, customers want to splash the money, and so they’re much more receptive than standard to manufacturers’ advertising and marketing emails. As an e mail marketer, it’s onerous to not be excited by all that chance.
However at instances of loads, will we sit again and dial it in, assured within the data that outcomes will come anyway? Or will we work even more durable to nail our messaging and smash our income targets?
For me, possibility #2 wins each time.
In the event you really feel the identical, you’re in the best place, as a result of I’ve rounded up among the most inspiring October e-newsletter examples from manufacturers I really like.
7 October Publication Concepts to Encourage You
1. Torrid: Push Halloween (Early)
Looks as if only a few years in the past, Halloween concerned nothing extra difficult than stocking up on sweet in case the neighbors youngsters got here knocking.
At this time, it’s turn into an enormous retail occasion.
So big that we’ve devoted a complete article to rounding up the greatest Halloween e mail advertising and marketing examples.
Based on the Nationwide Retail Federation (NRF), US customers will splurge a report $10.6 billion on Halloween-related purchases in 2022. And with 69 p.c of buyers planning to have fun the vacation this 12 months, up from 65 p.c in 2021 and 68 p.c in 2019, it appears there’s unprecedented curiosity in “spooky szn.”
Clearly, fancy costume is an enormous vendor forward of October thirty first. Nevertheless it’s definitely not the one present on the town, with the NRF naming the highest product classes for Halloween buyers as:
- Sweet (96 p.c of households plan to purchase for Halloween 2022)
- Decorations (75 p.c)
- Costumes (67 p.c)
- Greeting playing cards (39 p.c)
That spells alternatives for retailers throughout a number of niches, from attire to interiors to meals.
Okay, so we’re agreed that Halloween is a key seasonal retail occasion. However when’s the best time to start out selling it?
The reply is: in all probability sooner than you’d suppose.
Based on Google, searches on Google Photographs for “household Halloween costumes” grew by 90 p.c 12 months on 12 months from June to August 2021.
That’s proper. It’s 90 levels out and oldsters are fascinated about whether or not to decorate their youngsters as Wednesday and Pugsley Addams or tiny variations of Harley Quinn and The Joker.
I’m not suggesting you begin sending Halloween emails on the peak of summer season—that’s going too far.
However early October offers you loads of time to construct pleasure and drive gross sales from super-prepared Halloween buyers. That’s exactly when plus-size trend model Torrid despatched this October e-newsletter instance:
Torrid didn’t simply nail the timing of this marketing campaign.
The mix of spooky graphics, participating copy, a clear name to motion, and a few robust (and seasonal) product imagery makes for a extremely efficient e mail.
2. Fabletics: Begin Your Black Friday Sale
It’s honest to say Black Friday is type of an enormous deal on the planet of ecommerce, with US customers spending a whopping $8.9 billion on-line on Black Friday 2021.
(NB need extra juicy tidbits like that? Take a look at my roundup of eye-catching Black Friday statistics.)
However I do know what you’re pondering:
“Emil, isn’t Black Friday the final Friday in November? Why are you mentioning it in an article on October e-newsletter concepts?”
As a result of for lots of customers, Black Friday isn’t simply concerning the day itself. Based on Criteo, 54 p.c of buyers begin fascinated about Black Friday offers a minimum of one week beforehand, whereas one in 12 begin the method greater than 4 weeks upfront.
And by my math, 4 weeks earlier than Black Friday takes us firmly into late October.
So I wasn’t precisely shocked to find this e mail from Fabletics—despatched on October thirtieth, 2021—whereas trawling our large digital library of high-quality e mail advertising and marketing examples:
As you may see, this isn’t only a teaser e mail prompting clients to enroll in a sneak peak at forthcoming offers. It’s a full-scale launch of the sports activities attire model’s Black Friday sale, despatched 27 days earlier than Black Friday “formally” arrives.
One phrase of recommendation:
Though I totally advocate starting your Black Friday advertising and marketing in late October, don’t push the messaging too onerous.
Keep in mind, Criteo’s analysis exhibits that solely a comparatively small proportion of customers are fascinated about Black Friday this early within the 12 months. And also you positively don’t need individuals to be sick of your messaging by the point late November arrives.
One Black Friday-themed October e-newsletter is completely acceptable. Any greater than that’s in all probability overkill.
3. Missguided: Promote Chilly-Climate Necessities
With the lengthy, sizzling summer season behind us and fall kicking into gear, October is the proper time to push these chilly climate must-haves.
The kind of stuff you want if you’re heading out for a cold day of pumpkin-picking or curling up on the sofa with e book.
As soon as once more, timing is every part in the case of selling your fall collections.
Google Traits knowledge exhibits that searches for the time period “fall trend” peak in late September and early October, earlier than plummeting as November approaches:
Ideally, you’ve already began sending fall-themed newsletters by the point October rolls round. Both method, that is the month to essentially ratchet up your fall messaging.
That’s exactly what Missguided does on this October e-newsletter instance:
The very best factor about this e mail?
After catching our consideration with the hero picture and banner textual content, it goes on to supply product suggestions on particular outfits:
In a world the place 17 p.c of customers admit to feeling overwhelmed by alternative, your viewers will certainly admire a bit professional steerage in the case of choosing on-trend fall seems.
4. Out of doors Voices: Drive Buyer Referrals
Referral advertising and marketing is a robust instrument at any time of 12 months.
Based on one examine carried out over a three-year interval, clients referred by different clients:
However it may be particularly efficient in October.
Give it some thought. Each new buyer you appeal to in October could have your model in thoughts as the vacation season approaches, placing you in pole place to drive a ton of extra gross sales throughout the busiest buying interval of the 12 months.
That’s why I’m such a fan of this October e-newsletter instance from Out of doors Voices:
For extra, this e mail stands out for 2 predominant causes:
- It nails the seasonal messaging. Using Halloween-themed copy and graphics stops this sense like a generic referral advertising and marketing e mail that would have been despatched at any time of 12 months. That makes it really feel extra related and impactful.
- It promotes a easy referral supply. Some referral campaigns fall down by overcomplicating issues. “Share with a good friend and also you’ll each get 17.5 SploshPoints. Each SploshPoint is value $0.01, besides on random SploshDays, when their worth doubles. Glad sploshing!” Out of doors Voices avoids this entice by merely providing $25 off a $100 buy for each the referrer and referee.
5. The White Firm: Put together for Celebration Season
In some methods, October is a tricky time of 12 months for us entrepreneurs.
You’ve obtained a key buying occasion—Halloween—on the finish of the month, and one other—Black Friday—simply across the nook.
As if that wasn’t sufficient, you’re acutely conscious that the vacation season is creeping ever nearer. In case your vacation campaigns miss the mark, you may as nicely spend Christmas dusting off your resumé.
For that motive, it pays to focus a few of your October newsletters on key vacation traits, similar to Christmas social gathering buying.
A fast look on the ever-helpful Google Traits exhibits us that searches for “social gathering outfits” rise steadily all year long, with a spike in exercise in October (that’s the bit within the pink field beneath):
So I’d positively advocate taking a leaf from The White Firm’s e book by selling partywear in your October campaigns.
As is so typically the case, all of it begins with a robust topic line:
It captures the tone completely, primarily saying: “Certain, Christmas events are nonetheless a pair months away, however why not begin planning your outfit proper now?”
The e-mail physique is straightforward however equally efficient…
…utilizing product imagery to showcase The White Firm’s social gathering outfits and incorporating a outstanding CTA to its partywear assortment.
6. Søstrene Grene: Roll Out Your Christmas Marketing campaign
I do know, I do know.
All of us love complaining about Christmas “getting earlier yearly.” It’s virtually a reflex response to tut and shake our heads once we first see baubles, tinsel, and wrapping paper on the cabinets.
However the knowledge suggests that buyers really like giving themselves loads of time to plan for the festive season. Two in 5 People begin their Christmas buying earlier than the tip of October, whereas an astonishing one p.c start in January.
Speak about preparation.
So October is certainly honest sport for a spot of Christmas e mail advertising and marketing.
Scandi interiors model Søstrene Grene was one of many manufacturers to benefit from this technique in October 2021:
The product imagery does a incredible job of creating you’re feeling enthusiastic about decking out your own home with tasteful Christmas decor, and the copy is equally inspirational.
Simply be sure to don’t overdo it.
As with the Black Friday recommendation I gave earlier on this article, it’s effective to advertise your festive collections in October. However don’t bombard your viewers with Christmas messaging for 3 complete months—until you desire a bunch of unsubscribes.
7. J.Crew: Launch a Fall Sale
We all know that for lots of customers, October is prime time for Christmas buying.
That may sound like factor for retailers—in any case, Christmas means large spending. However when you concentrate on it, it’s really a double-edged sword.
Certain, you may be capable of deliver ahead your festive and winter collections.
However on the flip aspect, you’ve obtained so much much less time to advertise and promote your fall merch.
As an instance my level, let’s take one final glimpse at Google Traits, evaluating the phrases “fall trend” and “summer season trend”:
As you may see, there’s barely extra total exercise round “fall trend”, and the peaks are much more pronounced. However “summer season trend” has larger longevity, with much less extreme troughs.
In different phrases, fall merchandise have a brief shelf life.
So by the point mid-October comes round, take into consideration launching a fall sale to make sure you’re not caught with a bunch of out-of-season inventory, like J.Crew does right here:
As soon as once more, the perfect factor about this October e-newsletter instance is its simplicity.
No overly wordy e mail copy or distracting, flashy visuals. Simply an easy-to-understand supply and two clear calls to motion.
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