Holiday Messaging Trends and Best Practices

Welcome to a Fishbowl Best Practices Webinar

Hosted by: Natalie Ikemeier Managing Consultant

Agenda

A Snapshot of U.S. Holiday Email Data Holiday Messaging Performance Trends We’re Seeing Messaging Best Practices Calendar Planning Q&A

A Snapshot of U.S. Holiday Email Data

Holiday Period 2012 - Mailing Volume

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

2-Oct 9-Oct 16-Oct 23-Oct 30-Oct 6-Nov 13-Nov 20-Nov 27-Nov 4-Dec 11-Dec 18-Dec 25-Dec 1-Jan

WSJ reports that consumers received an avg. of 38

promotional emails per week

Estimated to have accounted for 28% of all email volume

Holiday Period 2012 - Day of Week Metric Comparison

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

% of Total Sent Open Rate CTR

Weekday

Weekend

Internet stats indicate that nearly 80% of promotional

emails were sent on weekdays

Almost half of consumers will use social media to assist

with holiday shopping

Retailers are expected to begin promotional offers

before October 1st

The most popular email types sent by marketers will be %

OFF and $$$ OFF

Upwards of 70% of consumers will use smartphones for

holiday shopping

The BUZZ on

2013

Holiday shoppers expected to spend 11% more in 2013

Gift cards are highest on list of what people say they

want to receive

2013 spending predicted to exceed $640 BILLION

Holiday Period 2013 - Overall Spending

Holiday Messaging Performance Trends We’re Seeing

• Overall volume 7% higher in 2012 vs. prior year • 25% of total mailing sent occurred between Nov 4th – Nov 24th

*Data collected from amongst all Fishbowl chain clients

High email volume + inbox filtering makes effective use of

segmentation, subject lines and unique offers crucial.

Fishbowl Holiday Volume Trends

Fishbowl Holiday Volume to Open Rate Comparison

• Open rates held between 20% and 22% throughout the holiday period • Highs in open rates came as mailing volume began to increase in October and again

during the post holiday time period

*Data collected from amongst all Fishbowl chain clients

Keep mobile design in mind since many people view and

make Cyber Monday purchases on their smart phones.

Fishbowl Day-of-Week Messaging Comparisons

Highest: • Open rates on Sundays • Mailing Volume on Tuesdays

Lowest: • Open rates on Saturdays • Mailing Volume on Saturdays

Study individual member open and click trends, then develop a mailing schedule that mimics past behavior.

Holiday Messaging Trends and Best Practices

Think outside the inbox!

Motivating Subject Lines

• Convey a sense of urgency

• Include offer in first 2-3 words and offer in pre-header

• Use new subject lines in re-blasts (“In case you missed it”)

Top Holiday Subject Lines

• Happy Thanksgiving, From Our Family To Yours

• We Gift Thanks to You

• You made the Nice List... Here is your Holiday Bonus!

• ☃ Our Gift To You: More Holidaily Coupons!

• Bonus gift card and no crowds, need we say more?

• The Christmas Clock is Tick Tocking

• There's Still Holidaily Offers For You, ##firstname##

Audience Segmentation

• Holiday frequency opt-in

• A/B split testing

• Use existing profile data to customize message

Male Version Female Version

Increased Frequency Alert

Creative Design

• Limit length of message

• Optimize for mobile viewing • Try well-placed animation

Soft Benefits for eClub Members

• Gift suggestions

• Charitable donations

• Free shipping

• Reservation reminder

Thanksgiving Messaging Ideas

• Flash offers • Leftover blahs

• “Family Gatherings” • Catering and take out

Connect Online

• Drive members to Facebook

• Post special holiday offers and insights via Facebook status updates

• Leverage Pinterest as a way of sharing wish lists

• Add opt-in for eClub to online purchase page

Resend Holiday Messages to Non-Openers

Change up the subject line

• Get your holiday bonus card now!

• Let us cook your holiday meal

• Free shipping won’t last much longer…

• Only 2 days left for this exclusive offer!

Year-end Messaging (12/26 - 12/31)

PRAGMATIC APPROACH • Simple • Straight Forward • Transactional

Year-end Messaging - Recent Fishbowl Examples…

THANKFUL APPROACH • Retrospective • Interactive • Animated

Holiday Messaging Trends and Best Practices

HALLOWEEN

Industry and

Fishbowl

volume spikes

Candy for Kids

Meal Promo

Beat the Rush -

Gift Card Promo

Promote

Catering for

Halloween

2721 22 23 24 25 26

28 29 30 31

12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

7 8 9 10 11

3 4 5

SUNDAY6

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY1 2

Holiday

Marketing

Season Begins

OCTOBER PLANNING

HANUKKAH

BEGINS

THANKSGIVING

Black FridaySmall Business

Saturday

25 26 27 28 29 30

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

8 9 10

Daylight Savings

VETERAN'S DAY

4 5 6 7

SUNDAY1 2 3

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

NOVEMBER PLANNER

NEW YEAR'S

EVE

30 31

After Christmas

Sales

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Free Shipping

DayLast Sleigh Day

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Green Monday

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Cyber Monday

HANUKKAH

ENDS

SUNDAY2 3 4 5 6 7 8

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

CHRISTMASDAY

DECEMBER STRATEGY PLANNER

27 28 29 30 31

Beat the Chilly

Weather

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Catering for the

BIG GAME

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

NEW YEAR'S

DAYShare New Year's

Resolutions

SUNDAY1 2 3 4 5

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

POST HOLIDAY STRATEGY PLANNER