Holidays are more than just a time for eggnog and peppermint lattes—they’re also prime time for driving revenue through email marketing. 🎄🛍️ But let’s be real: not every holiday campaign hits it out of the park. So, what’s the secret to getting your emails noticed (and getting people to buy)?

It’s all about timing, offer relevance, and strategic promotions. When done right, holiday and event-driven email campaigns can deliver major sales spikes that take your revenue to the next level. In this post, we’ll show you exactly how we used holiday and event promotions to boost sales, sharing the real data that proves how effective these campaigns can be.

Why Holiday and Event Promotions Work Like Magic

Let’s face it—holidays are already a trigger for spending. From Black Friday to Mother’s Day, shoppers are in a buying mood, whether for gifts or to take advantage of irresistible discounts. This makes it the perfect time to connect with your audience and drive sales through strategic email campaigns.

But here’s the kicker: you can’t just send a generic “Happy Holidays!” email and expect the cash to start rolling in. You need a well-timed, well-targeted email that speaks directly to your audience’s needs at that very moment.

Real Data Example: For a recent event-driven campaign, emails sent for a Black Friday sale at 10:00 PM generated a placed order rate of 0.00425 with over $5,978 in total revenue. The late-night send time worked wonders for this specific audience, who clearly responded to the urgency of the deal as the night wound down.

This isn’t just a one-time win either. We’ve consistently seen spikes in engagement and sales when emails are strategically timed around holidays or major events. The key? Hitting that sweet spot between when your customers are ready to shop and when your offer is too good to pass up.

The Power of Timing: When to Hit "Send" on Holiday Emails

The timing of your holiday emails is just as important as the content itself. Want to know the most effective time slots? Based on our data, here are a few insights into when you should be hitting "send" during big promotions.

• 2:00 PM: Consistently one of the highest-performing time slots, emails sent at this time saw a placed order rate of 0.00438 and brought in over $55,000 during holiday promotions. Why? Many customers are likely taking a mid-afternoon break, ready to browse and make purchases.

• 10:00 PM: While late-night emails might seem unconventional, they’ve proven highly effective. For example, a Black Friday campaign sent at 10:00 PM resulted in $5,978 in sales with a placed order rate of 0.00425. Some shoppers love those last-minute, “final chance” emails!

• 6:00 PM: Emails sent around dinner time have also been successful, capturing a placed order rate of 0.00630. This time slot works especially well for evening shoppers winding down and checking emails after work.

Want to get even more precise with your timing? Try a personalized email & SMS marketing strategy ($97) to tailor your campaigns to your audience's behavior and boost sales even further.

How to Create Irresistible Holiday Offers

Now that we’ve nailed the timing, let’s talk about the offers themselves. If your promotion doesn’t scream “I can’t miss this deal!” to your audience, your perfectly timed email won’t matter much.

Here are some tips to create holiday offers that not only stand out but compel your audience to click “buy now”:

1. Create a Sense of Urgency: Whether it’s a 24-hour flash sale or a “last chance” promotion, urgency drives action. For example, emails that included “only 24 hours left” messaging performed significantly better, with engagement rates spiking by over 30%.

2. Bundle Offers: One of our most effective strategies? Bundling products at a discounted rate. Customers love feeling like they’re getting more for their money. A recent email promoting a “Build Your Own Bundle” deal saw an average placed order value of $41.60, and conversions increased by 15% compared to standard promotions.

3. Use Early Access to Build Excitement: Offering early access to your best deals for VIPs or loyal customers is a powerful tactic. These customers feel valued, and they’re more likely to make a purchase before your sale is even open to the general public. Our early-access promotions have resulted in generating thousands in revenue before the main event even begins.

4. Make Shipping Offers Count: Free shipping is a game-changer, especially during the holiday rush. Including free shipping in your promotion increased total placed orders by 10% in several campaigns. It’s a simple tweak that can pay off big.

Not sure where to start with building holiday offers? Our team is ready to take on a few e-commerce brands this season. Book a call to see if we're a fit to work together to scale your email & sms sales.

Why Testing and Data Matter

Every audience is different. While some segments respond to early morning emails, others may be more active late at night. Testing is the key to uncovering your audience’s behavior patterns and optimizing your sends accordingly.

Example: In one campaign, we tested send times over a three-day period, staggering emails between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM. The results? Early afternoon consistently outperformed other time slots, but a 10:00 PM “final chance” email secured nearly $6,000 in last-minute sales.

By keeping an eye on performance data, you can fine-tune your holiday and event campaigns for maximum impact. Our [Done-For-You automated email & SMS flow setup (starts at $2997)] can help you implement these strategies with ease—without lifting a finger.

Conclusion: Timing and Offers That Deliver Big Wins

By adjusting the timing of your holiday and event emails to align with your audience’s habits, you can see major spikes in both engagement and sales. When combined with irresistible offers, your campaigns will be primed for success during the most important times of the year.

Ready to boost your email campaigns for the holidays? Explore our other posts, like Why Timing is Everything to dive deeper into advanced email strategies.

Think your email campaigns are performing at their best? Think again! In our next post, we’re diving into A/B testing and showing you how small tweaks can lead to big wins. Discover the secret to optimizing your subject lines, send times, and offers—backed by real data.