AM Inbox: Setting expectations for email-a-day campaigns
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Neiman Marcus, 11/29 — DAY 3 Surprise: Up for a game of CHANCE?
Neiman Marcus, 11/28 — Day 2 Surprise? A SCRUMPTIOUS GIFT with purchase
Neiman Marcus, 11/27 — Day 1 SURPRISE: Rack in the POINTS!
There’s no doubt that Black Friday through Cyber Monday are four critical days for retailers. Neiman Marcus ties these days together with a 4-day email campaign that sets clear expectations for when folks will receive emails and adds a little urgency by showing that some deals have already expired. Since a fair number of retailers will be starting their “12 Days of Christmas” campaigns tomorrow, I’ll be curious to see how they do at setting clear expectations of how many and when subscribers will receive emails.
The other interesting thing about these Neiman Marcus emails is their use of all-caps in their subject lines. While you definitely want to be careful of overusing all-caps, capitalization in general is worth experimenting with. Using initial capitalization on prepositions (in, with, etc.) and articles (a, the) can make subject lines harder to scan, for instance.
Northern Tool, 11/27 — Enter To Win A Toy CAT Backhoe Tractor
With ISPs paying more attention to how engaged your subscribers are, I expect that we’ll see more click-to-enter sweepstakes like this one from Northern Tool. We may also see an open-to-enter sweepstakes.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Toys “R” Us, 11/28 — Zhu Zhu Alert! Plus Bonus Deals of the Day, Sun. Nov. 29th!
HP, 11/29 — HP's Cyber Monday Sale Starts Now!
Macy’s, 11/29 — Cyber Monday starts today! Get Free Shipping at $75!
Petco, 11/29 — PETCO Cyber Monday Savings A Day Early + FREE Shipping!
Home Depot, 11/29 — Shop Cyber Monday Savings Now!
J&R, 11/28 — CYBER MONDAY SALE: Amazing Online Deals Good Thru Monday Only!
Walgreens, 11/28 — Pre-Cyber Monday Deals + $15 Off & FREE Shipping
Kohl’s, 11/29 — Cyber Monday Preview + Get $10 Kohl's Cash for every $50 spent.
Target, 11/29 — Sneak peek: Cyber Monday preview and other great deals.
TigerDirect, 11/29 — Final Chance at Pink Friday Deals...Sneak Peak at CyberMonday SALE
Sears, 11/29 — Exclusive Online Only Cyber Monday deals start Tonight at 8 pm
Dick’s Sporting Goods, 11/29 — Shop Our Circular and Save Big + Your Cyber Monday Offer!
Sportsman’s Guide, 11/29 — Cyber Monday E-mail Deals & Coupon from The Guide
Kmart, 11/29 — Cyber Monday Sale
Musician’s Friend, 11/29 — Musician's Friend: Cyber Monday – Get Up To 15% Off Almost Anything! Details Inside
Overstock, 11/27 — Black Friday - 10% Off Your Entire Order
JCPenney, 11/27 — Black Friday Is Here + Free Shipping!
Blair, 11/27 — Black Friday Special: 25% off everything
Sports Authority, 11/27 — Black Friday Doorbusters - 5am to 3pm! Save up to 75% Off Original Prices!
PC Connection, 11/27 — Black Friday Exclusives Now Available – Get Incredible Savings Today Only!
Diamond.com, 11/27 — Black Friday Blowout Sale - Up to 75% Off
Linens ’n Things, 11/27 — Black Friday Extra 20% Off plus Doorbusters!
Avon, 11/27 — AVON's Black Friday Shopping Event & FREE Shipping Spree
Home Depot, 11/27 — Exclusive Black Friday Savings - While Supplies Last
Buy.com, 11/27 — Alert: Black Friday Blowout
Toys “R” Us, 11/27 — WOW! Black Friday Doorbusters extended until 10pm Fri. Nov. 27th!
SmartBargains, 11/27 — NEW Black Friday Doorbusters! 6 HRS ONLY
1-800-Flowers.com, 11/27 — This Black Friday, get Free Shipping or No Service Charge
HP, 11/27 — Email Exclusive - Unreal Black Friday Deals!
Newegg, 11/27 — TODAY ONLY - Newegg's ULTRA-SECRET Black Friday Deals!
Dell, 11/27 — 24 Hours to Save! Don't Miss the Black Friday Sale.
Crutchfield, 11/29 — Last chance for Black Friday specials - sale ends at Midnight EST 11/30
Apple, 11/27 — The one-day Apple shopping event. Today only.
_____________________
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Neiman Marcus, 11/29 — DAY 3 Surprise: Up for a game of CHANCE?
Neiman Marcus, 11/28 — Day 2 Surprise? A SCRUMPTIOUS GIFT with purchase
Neiman Marcus, 11/27 — Day 1 SURPRISE: Rack in the POINTS!
There’s no doubt that Black Friday through Cyber Monday are four critical days for retailers. Neiman Marcus ties these days together with a 4-day email campaign that sets clear expectations for when folks will receive emails and adds a little urgency by showing that some deals have already expired. Since a fair number of retailers will be starting their “12 Days of Christmas” campaigns tomorrow, I’ll be curious to see how they do at setting clear expectations of how many and when subscribers will receive emails.
The other interesting thing about these Neiman Marcus emails is their use of all-caps in their subject lines. While you definitely want to be careful of overusing all-caps, capitalization in general is worth experimenting with. Using initial capitalization on prepositions (in, with, etc.) and articles (a, the) can make subject lines harder to scan, for instance.
Northern Tool, 11/27 — Enter To Win A Toy CAT Backhoe Tractor
With ISPs paying more attention to how engaged your subscribers are, I expect that we’ll see more click-to-enter sweepstakes like this one from Northern Tool. We may also see an open-to-enter sweepstakes.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Toys “R” Us, 11/28 — Zhu Zhu Alert! Plus Bonus Deals of the Day, Sun. Nov. 29th!
HP, 11/29 — HP's Cyber Monday Sale Starts Now!
Macy’s, 11/29 — Cyber Monday starts today! Get Free Shipping at $75!
Petco, 11/29 — PETCO Cyber Monday Savings A Day Early + FREE Shipping!
Home Depot, 11/29 — Shop Cyber Monday Savings Now!
J&R, 11/28 — CYBER MONDAY SALE: Amazing Online Deals Good Thru Monday Only!
Walgreens, 11/28 — Pre-Cyber Monday Deals + $15 Off & FREE Shipping
Kohl’s, 11/29 — Cyber Monday Preview + Get $10 Kohl's Cash for every $50 spent.
Target, 11/29 — Sneak peek: Cyber Monday preview and other great deals.
TigerDirect, 11/29 — Final Chance at Pink Friday Deals...Sneak Peak at CyberMonday SALE
Sears, 11/29 — Exclusive Online Only Cyber Monday deals start Tonight at 8 pm
Dick’s Sporting Goods, 11/29 — Shop Our Circular and Save Big + Your Cyber Monday Offer!
Sportsman’s Guide, 11/29 — Cyber Monday E-mail Deals & Coupon from The Guide
Kmart, 11/29 — Cyber Monday Sale
Musician’s Friend, 11/29 — Musician's Friend: Cyber Monday – Get Up To 15% Off Almost Anything! Details Inside
Overstock, 11/27 — Black Friday - 10% Off Your Entire Order
JCPenney, 11/27 — Black Friday Is Here + Free Shipping!
Blair, 11/27 — Black Friday Special: 25% off everything
Sports Authority, 11/27 — Black Friday Doorbusters - 5am to 3pm! Save up to 75% Off Original Prices!
PC Connection, 11/27 — Black Friday Exclusives Now Available – Get Incredible Savings Today Only!
Diamond.com, 11/27 — Black Friday Blowout Sale - Up to 75% Off
Linens ’n Things, 11/27 — Black Friday Extra 20% Off plus Doorbusters!
Avon, 11/27 — AVON's Black Friday Shopping Event & FREE Shipping Spree
Home Depot, 11/27 — Exclusive Black Friday Savings - While Supplies Last
Buy.com, 11/27 — Alert: Black Friday Blowout
Toys “R” Us, 11/27 — WOW! Black Friday Doorbusters extended until 10pm Fri. Nov. 27th!
SmartBargains, 11/27 — NEW Black Friday Doorbusters! 6 HRS ONLY
1-800-Flowers.com, 11/27 — This Black Friday, get Free Shipping or No Service Charge
HP, 11/27 — Email Exclusive - Unreal Black Friday Deals!
Newegg, 11/27 — TODAY ONLY - Newegg's ULTRA-SECRET Black Friday Deals!
Dell, 11/27 — 24 Hours to Save! Don't Miss the Black Friday Sale.
Crutchfield, 11/29 — Last chance for Black Friday specials - sale ends at Midnight EST 11/30
Apple, 11/27 — The one-day Apple shopping event. Today only.
_____________________
SEARCH... Recent Posts / By Selling Season / By Topic / By Retailer / Monthly Archive
Labels: AM Inbox, Email Frequency, Neiman Marcus, Northern Tool, Subject Lines, Sweepstakes
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posted at 1:34 PM by Chad White
I love Smith-Harmon's enthusiasm. It's so great to have a connection with people who really "get" and get excited by email marketing. (Truly, there are not that many of us out there!) I count myself very lucky to have found such accomplished enthusiasts to collaborate with on the REI program. They are helping to bring amazing opportunities to fruition with panache.
1 Comments:
those Zhu Zhu pets are almost impossible to find at this point, i spent most of my "cyber monday" searching for one (that wasn't excessively overpriced) and couldn't find one
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