The holidays are tough on email lists. Inboxes overflow, and unsubscribe rates spike. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
The Problem
Most businesses ramp up email frequency without ramping up value. Your subscribers’ inboxes are already packed, so more promotional emails just add to the noise.
What Works Instead
Be genuinely helpful first: Send gift guides, planning tips, or behind-the-scenes content instead of just sales pitches.
Manage frequency smartly: If you’re sending daily emails during a sale, warn subscribers in advance. Better yet, create an option at sign up where they can choose to receive only your best deals or weekly roundups instead of daily emails.
Segment your list: Your most engaged subscribers might enjoy daily updates, while less engaged subscribers should get your absolute best content only once or twice per week.
Personalize and reward loyalty: Instead of sending the same Black Friday/Cyber Monday emails to everyone, create different versions based on past purchase behavior. Give longtime subscribers early access to sales. (Pssst, you can tag people based on them opening messages or clicking links in your messages).
Try the “12 Days of Value” approach: Send one piece of genuinely useful content each day for 12 days leading up to a major holiday: recipes, decorating tips, gift wrapping tutorials, or productivity hacks. Mix in your promotions, but make sure value comes first!
Make unsubscribing easy Offer alternatives like less frequent emails before they leave completely.
The Key Takeaway
People don’t unsubscribe because they don’t want to hear from you. They unsubscribe because they feel overwhelmed or get too many irrelevant messages.
Focus on being helpful first, promotional second. When you respect your subscribers’ time and give them control, you’ll often see increased engagement during the holidays.
What’s worked for you during busy seasons?