More attention during year-end business

Most people are enjoying the golden autumn right now, but the rather dreary and dark season is right around the corner. But this also means that the Christmas season is getting closer and closer. For one or the other, the thought of it may already trigger slight panic attacks. Others, on the other hand, are already looking forward to Black Friday or similar shopping highlights. Companies however already hear the cash ringing and for all those who want to their fair share with the year-end business, it is time to wrap out the big guns. So if you want your piece of the cake, you have to ensure maximum visibility.

But what is the best way to do this? Use the potential of your existing email distribution list, but use it properly with special mailings. You probably know it from personal experience. You don’t even open many emails and if you open them, you usually just skim through them. On the one hand, you have to make sure that the recipient opens your email and, on the other hand, that he recognices your content and reacts to it as desired in the best case.

As always in email marketing, the first hurdle is always the subject line that should make you curious about the content. You can have the best mailing, but if you already fail at the subject line, it’s a lost cause. To help you overcome this important obstacle, we have summarized a few tips for you:

• Personalization: Use the possibilities of personalization already in the subject line
• Relevance: The most important things should come first
• Clear word: Make it easy to understand what you’re trying to tell
• Urgency: Create the feeling that no postponement is possible
• Upgrading: Use symbols and emojis in the subject line, max. 2-3
• Attention Spam: Avoid terms that can be identified as spam
• Testing: Test different variants, e.g. with a split mailing

Once you have overcome the subject hurdle, you must, of course, provide the appropriate content and ensure that the recipient’s expectations are not disappointed. Don’t just use the standard newsletter for the year-end business, make it something special. Use particularly beautiful or animated pictures or dynamic content. We have compiled a few possibilities for special mailings for you, which you can also use far beyond the year-end business.

The countdown has proven itself, especially in generating a certain pressure and to force the receiver to make a move. A countdown in itself is a good eye-catcher in the newsletter. Online you can quickly find providers of countdowns, both free of charge and for a fee. All you have to do is integrate the generated HTML code into the newsletter.

Everyone now expects a personal address in the newsletter text, but personalized pictures are something special. Because these address the recipient’s ego and also pleases them, if they see their name written in the sand or snow.

Unfortunately, using videos in newsletters is still difficult since most email clients do not support them. But an animated GIF can help. One movement alone generates enough attention. There are countless examples for Christmas to be found in the Internet (Attention: picture rights!). Who would like to have an individual animation or to draw attention to a discount campaign in the animation, is well adivced to take a graphic designer.

Unfortunately, you can never be sure when a recipient opens a mailing. For example, in case of short-term offers, this may no longer be available or the time may be inappropriate. What would it be like if your offer were to adapt flexibly directly in the newsletter? Yes, that works with Dynamic Content. With the help of reference tables you can determine when which offer is displayed / sent. If you would like to know how you can best use said dynamic content in the EMM, then simply contact us.

Even though newsletters are usually aimed at adults, the play instinct still works for most people. Therefore, even a small challenge, like a memory or a puzzle, can generate lot of attention. And a bit of fun and games in the office is sure to please one or the other. For the realization of said games, forwarding to a landing page where the actual execution takes place, is necessary. Here the puzzle pieces can be moved or the memory cards can be uncovered with a click. Depending on the motto, the puzzle or memory can be decorated with Christmas motifs, for example. If the game is solved, a voucher can then appear as a reward. If the ambition is to be fired up additionally, a countdown can also be integrated.*

Another playful element is the scratch card. Most people are more familiar with the scratch card from mail circulars, where a coin is used to “scratch” the top layer and a prize or voucher is then revealed. It works similarly with the digital counterpart, only that the mouse cursor replaces the coin. For the conversion, a link to a specificly designed landingpage, on which the scratch ticket is to be found, is mandatory.*

Whether it’s just a few fun questions from colleagues with the prize of a few sweets or a professional quiz for the entire newsletter mailing list, with a big prize – quizzes are also a lot of fun. Just trying to be better than the colleague in the neighbouring office is enough to generate motivation. Depending on the occasion, different questions can be collected, e.g. about Christmas or your own company. The conversion can take place depending upon target group and expenditure. The easiest way is to write the questions directly into the mailing and ask for an answer by return mail. Another possibility is to link to the quiz in the newsletter and then either create it using a survey tool such as SurveyMonkey or have it created by a professional provider such as postina.net.*