Don't worry, it's not as scary as it sounds! Our guide takes you through all the basics of setting up DKIM for your email domain, so you can continue sending awesome (and spam compliant!) email campaigns in the new year and beyond.
From utilising AI to checking over your spelling and grammar to creating fun email content, there are many free marketing tools out there with a wide array of different functions available. Sometimes, you can even benefit from using free marketing tools as a useful supplement to the tools that you are already using.
Keep reading to discover some of our favorite, free marketing tools to help your email campaigns:
For a lot of businesses, Halloween is one of the most exciting events on the marketing calendar. Building a Halloween email campaign gives you the chance to get super creative and try out loads of exciting new ideas. Like all holidays, it's also a great opportunity for holding a sale or special promotion.
However, it can also be daunting to try and come up with a new idea when the stakes are so high. To help you get inspired, we've collected some of the very best Halloween email campaign examples, as well as easy-to-follow tips and tricks on how to recreate them...
P.S: Don't forget to check out our spooky Halloween template collection - ready for you to edit in Mail Designer 365 on your Mac and send via Delivery Hub...
Halloween Email Template Ideas for Your Business
1. Uber
This tarot themed email design by Uber is a great way to kick off our examples. Although not necessarily a traditional Halloween theme, Uber still manage to incorporate some spookiness into their email to keep readers interested.
What we love: Including Halloween survival tips is something many customers will massively appreciate.
2. JackThreads
In this email promotion, JackThreads have opted for the classic Halloween sale. 70% off is impressive and will instantly pique readers' interest. The funny pumpkin graphic is also a clever way to grab the attention of the reader and get them in the Halloween spirit.
What we love: The skeleton font is super unique and perfect for Halloween. We also love the blood spatter effect they've used on their logo to make the email even more scary.
3. Hotel Chocolat
Bring on the first of the GIFs! This simple yet effective email by Hotel Chocolat is super clever and plays on the classic trick or treat theme which everyone associates with Halloween. The spooky ghost in the background paired with the creepy "ring, ring, ring..." makes the design extra exciting.
What we love: The playful CTA button (call-to-action) is smart in this email design. Using a less serious CTA makes readers more willing to play along at Halloween.
4. thredUp
This email by thredUP is a bit less on the scary side, but still seriously cool. Dressing up and having fun is what Halloween is all about so these DIY costume ideas are ideal for kids and parents alike. The CTA links are also easy to locate, making shopping for the perfect costume even easier!
What we love: The costume tips are really inspiring for parents planning a fun Halloween for their kids. thredUp also stresses how the clothes can be worn again and again (not just on the big day) which we think is super productive.
Tip: Build a similar layout in Mail Designer 365 using combi text-image layout blocks:
Use Mail Designer 365's combination layout blocks to create easy-to-follow catalogue layouts.
5. Graze
Graze are making us hungry with this snack-themed Halloween email! Concentrating on the health benefits of pumpkin seeds is smart at this time of the year and gets readers hungry to find out more about this nutritious snack. The little pumpkins scattered throughout the design also help add to the seasonal theme without going overboard.
What we love: The pumpkin shaped eye-catcher at the top of the design instantly introduces the Halloween theme and helps Graze show off their special offer.
6. Boohoo
Boohoo also get creative with GIFs in yet another trick or treat inspired email design. Although the rest of the email is pretty simple, the main eye-catcher is the heaven vs. hell GIF animation at the top of the design which instantly makes the theme clear.
What we love: As well as the really clever GIF, the retro Halloween font choice in this email is also great. Using all of these aspects together helps Boohoo create the perfect basis to advertise their Halloween competition.
Tip: Try out the range of web fonts in Mail Designer 365 to create cool text effects like the one in this email. We personally recommend "Nosifer" or "Creepster" for this time of the year!
Use a Halloween style webfont such as Nosifer to recreate the spooky text effect used by Boohoo.
7. Sainsbury's
This email from Sainsbury's is yet another example of how you can use your Halloween email campaigns to offer customers practical tips and advice. The email has a great balance of text, images, fun graphics and CTA buttons.
What we love: The call-to-actions in this email work perfectly with the rest of the design. The orange stands out against the dark background, but also is completely on point for the season. It's also super effective how they're placed under eye-catching, Halloween themed images.
8. Land's End
Land's End have pulled out all the stops on this email design. The 31% offer paired with the spooky ghost and the "Boo" discount code makes it no secret what the theme of this campaign is...
What we love: The ghost, obviously! The ghost feature image made out of clothing is a clever way for Land's End to incorporate Halloween into their usual branding.
9. Pizza Hut
We've found yet another food-themed email! Pizza Hut have embraced the Halloween theme with this vibrant email design. The CTA is super tempting and makes the reader want to click straight away to discover their exclusive deal.
What we love: In this email, it's the color combination of red and black which stands out the most. We also love the fun pizza GIF which helps get readers in the party mood, as well as subtly making them crave pizza!
10. Kohl's
Kohl's have hit the nail on the head with their Halloween themed discount draw. There is a lot going on in this promotion. As well as the mystery discount offer, they also offer money off a threshold spend. All of these offers go along with the exciting nature of Halloween and encourage readers to get shopping.
What we love: Including a sense of urgency was a great way for Kohl's to make sure they attract as many customers to their website as possible. After all, it's now or never! The three pumpkins are also a great, central eye-catcher to keep the email in line with the theme.
11. Unidays
This email by Unidays is a similar concept to the previous email. In this example, there is even more of a sense of mystery thanks to the question mark graphic. The glowing green CTA button is also super prominent and entices the reader to click.
What we love: Thanks to the bats, the whole vibe of this email is really creepy mysterious. This adds even more to the overall effect of the promotion. The orange border paired with the headline font also helps make the design pop; giving it that Halloween feel.
Tip: Recreate this unique border effect in Mail Designer 365 with the borders tool. Customise the color, width and style of your border to suit your spooky email.
Use the borders tool in Mail Designer 365 to create spooky Halloween emails that really stand out.
12. American Eagle Outfitters
Look away now if spiders aren't your thing! This design by American Eagle Outfitters is pretty simplistic, but perfectly captures the Halloween theme thanks to the spooky spiderweb graphic. Also notice the little bat icon in the top left corner which they've swapped their usual eagle logo for. Just small changes like this can be super effective during the holidays.
What we love: The 31% off discount is clever because it differs from the norm and relates perfectly to Halloween. They have also managed to create a sense of urgency with the "only on Halloween" tagline.
13. BKNR
Last but not least, BKNR have gone for a more laid back approach in this email rather than concentrating too much on horror and spooky imagery. The subtle, orange accents throughout the email are great for Halloween and the trick or treat theme is also super effective.
What we love: The email is bang on trend for the Halloween season without going overboard. The quirky orange frames and bold CTA buttons mean customers are instantly drawn to the new products. We also give 10/10 for the Halloween kitty!
Tip: Use the shape creator in Mail Designer 365 to create a similar frame and CTA effect for your images. The color picker will give you exactly the shade of orange you are looking for to make your design Halloween ready.
Use the shape creator in Mail Designer 365 to recreate quirky frame accents and build strong CTA buttons.
Awesome HTML Email Templates for Halloween:
We hope you've enjoyed these great examples of Halloween email designs. We've also got two exciting, Halloween templates for you over in Mail Designer 365! Get inspired and edit them in the app today!
Hungry for more Halloween tips? Check out our other awesome guides:
- 5 Things You Can Do to Build Devilishly Good Designs this Halloween
- 10 Spook-tacular Tricks for Halloween Email Campaigns
Happy Halloween!
Your Mail Designer 365 Team
Get started with Mail Designer 365 today
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As the peak of summer edges closer, so does the start of the back to school season. In many sectors, the back to school season is one of the most significant sales periods on the marketing calendar and kick starts an array of exciting promotions to help gear up students and parents alike for a new academic year.
For many, the back to school period is synonymous with getting stocked up with supplies: Whether it's a new wardrobe, textbooks, study equipment, tech, or other school essentials, your customers will be in the mood to buy. For this reason, a back to school promotion is a great way to put your business on their radar.
The Back to School period is a major shopping event for parents and students alike
In this post, we're sharing the basics of back to school email marketing, along with some best practice examples of some of our favorite back to school email campaigns and steps on how to recreate them for your business.
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When is the back to school period?
In the United States, Canada, the UK and Europe, most schools start to resume from the end of August. However, depending on where you're located, the official back to school period may have a different start date.
For example, in Australia and New Zealand, the back to school season starts in January, as schools there resume in February.
What should I include in my back to school emails?
Looking to create a back to school promotion for the first time or want to freshen up your previous campaign with some new ideas? Here are a few ideas of content you can include in a successful back to school marketing campaign.
New product launches
What better time to launch a new product than the start of a new school year? Use your email campaign to showcase new product lines that are bound to keep customers looking and feeling fresh for a new academic year.
Checklists
The start of the school year can be a stressful time for many. With so much to organize and buy, customers may be feeling the pressure.
Clearly present your back to school essentials in the form of a handy checklist or shopping guide which readers can refer back to to ensure they've covered everything they need to.
Tip: Include direct links to any products you mention to make the shopping process even easier.
Discounts and multibuy offers
With so much to buy, a promotion or offer can also be a saving grace for many customers - especially for families with multiple children who need new school supplies.
An attractive multibuy offer such as "3 for 2" or "buy one get one free" can serve as an effective incentive for your customers to buy more and truly stock up on all they need.
Free express shipping
Some of your customers may have left things to the last minute - we're all guilty of it! To ensure they have everything they need on time, consider offering free or discounted express shipping as an added bonus.
Tips and tutorials
As well as standard sales emails, you can also go the extra mile and provide your readers with some more educational content.
In particular, students heading off to university or college for the first time or parents preparing for their child's first day at school will certainly appreciate any tips or advice they can get.
Think about some practical tips or ideas related to your core business and products that you think could benefit your target audience. As well as helping your customers, showing your products in relatable, real life situations makes your campaign much more relevant and effective.
Examples of back to school email campaigns
To help you get inspired for creating your own back to school emails, we've collected some of our all time favorite back to school email promotions. Keep your eyes peeled for top tips on how to recreate some of these great styles in your own back to school campaigns!
Grammarly
Clearly aimed at older students, this back to school promotion by Grammarly is a great way to help get their target audience ready for the upcoming semester.
The email copy does a good job of concisely outlining the benefits of their product and the attractive promotion is instantly highlighted with help from the creative pennant-style banner:
The pennant eye-catcher in this design helps boost the promotion even more
Tip: Use basic shape tools in Mail Designer 365 to easily recreate this pennant graphic in your own back to school campaigns.
Staples
Staples keep things simple yet effective in this back to school promotion. We love the use of strong primary colors and bold black text which really highlight the back to school vibes.
Kate Spade
This clever and creative pop quiz themed design by the team at Kate Spade is a fun and stylish way to showcase essential products for the start of a new school year.
This promotion by Kate Spade stylishly highlights back to school essentials with a clever pop quiz theme
Tip: Effortlessly recreate this pop quiz layout by Kate Spade using combi layout blocks in Mail Designer 365:
Use combi layout blocks in Mail Designer 365 to create a similar pop quiz style layout
Vitruvi
This back to school promotion by Vitruvi is a good example of how to integrate "non-typical" products into a seasonal promotion. As well as a useful tip about essential oils, the advertised product also takes center stage with a prominent product image and CTA (call-to-action).
This campaign by Vitruvi showcases their products by giving them a convenient back to school use case
Britannica
This insightful campaign by Britannica shows how you can use the back to school period as an opportunity to launch a new product or service.
By listing the core benefits of their new online service for kids returning to school, Britannica make their campaign much more relatable to their target audience and, thanks to good timing, will likely generate more revenue from motivated parents at the start of the school year.
Bose
Bose use big headlines and product photos to make their back to school campaign loud and exciting.
Emphasising the potential savings makes the offers even more tempting to prospective buyers and by only running the sale through a limited period, a sense of urgency is automatically generated.
Childsplay Clothing
As well as an eye-catching feature image, this back to school email by Childsplay Clothing also uses a bold, comic book style header to make the back to school theme clear from the get go.
This bold comic book style headline ties in great with the back to school theme
Tip: Use the font Bangers (found under Web Fonts) and experiment with shadow effects in Mail Designer 365 to reproduce a similar comic book headline in your own design:
Use the font Bangers to achieve this style in your own designs
Creating email templates for Back to School in Mail Designer 365
We hope you're now feeling inspired for the upcoming back to school period!
Mail Designer 365 is your one-stop solution for creating brilliant back to school emails. Whether you're building a template from scratch using the tools in the WYSIWYG editor or using one of our dedicated back to school HTML email templates, you will find all the tools and resources you need.
Don't have a Mail Designer 365 plan yet? Sign up free today to start testing Mail Designer 365 and designing your own unique back to school campaigns.
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June is just around the corner, which means it's time to start considering your LGBTQ Pride Month email campaigns!
The Pride movement is one of great significance in the US as well as all over the world. In this guide, we will take you through the basics of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, including great examples of email templates for LGBTQ Pride and creative campaign ideas.
Jump to
What is LGBTQ Pride and why do we celebrate it?
LGBTQ+ Pride Month is an annual event taking place every year throughout the month of June. Like all international Pride events, this month celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and aims to promote equality and raise awareness of challenges faced by LGBTQ individuals across the world.
Why is LGBTQ Pride Month in June?
In the USA, Pride Month is celebrated in June. This is to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of June 1969 - a prominent turning point in LGBTQ history which paved the way for the gay rights movement across the world.
Although LGBTQ+ Pride Month is celebrated in June in the US, many other countries also have their own dedicated Pride events throughout the year.
What should my business do for LGBTQ Pride Month?
As a business, showing your support for the Pride celebrations in your country is a great way to demonstrate inclusivity and a positive working environment for both staff and customers.
Alongside social media, email is also a great channel to use to support LGBTQ Pride. Many businesses spend time creating meaningful email campaigns to either promote a Pride event, spotlight important charities or show solidarity with their LGBTQ+ community.
Email Template Inspiration for LGBTQ Pride Month
LGBTQ Pride is most famously associated with the rainbow motif. The colors of the rainbow are representative of the diversity within the LGBTQ+ community and the symbol is frequently included in Pride Month email templates and other campaign materials.
Other important elements of an effective Pride campaign may include:
- Words of support for LGBTQ+ staff and customers
- Promotion of LGBTQ+ charities
- Special events like parades and festivals
- Dedicated product launches
- Information and awareness about issues in your local community
Here are some bold and colorful examples of Pride Month email templates which you can use as inspiration for your own campaigns.
Spotify
Spotify take the rainbow theme seriously in this color-overload email design that perfectly captures the vibrant nature of the occasion.
Uber Eats
This campaign by Uber Eats is more serious and highlights what the company are doing to promote equal rights for all their employees and customers as well as what they wish to improve on.
YouTube
Events play a large part in Pride Month celebrations and in recent years, these have been both virtual and in person. YouTube's example of an exciting Pride event invitation is a lot of fun and helps get the recipient in the mood for a celebration.
Tripadvisor
In this email campaign, travel giants Tripadvisor use their platform to promote upcoming LGBTQ Pride events around the world. They also take the time to include some of the history of the Pride movement.
New Look
In this special Pride campaign, New Look shared the stories of LGBTQ individuals within their organisation to promote inclusivity.
Dr Martens
The Dr Martens team also incorporate the rainbow theme in this charity-focused email campaign, shining the spotlight on LGBTQ+ charities.
Goodreads
Goodreads used their platform to highlight books that are particularly relevant for the LGBTQ+ community and therefore perfect for Pride Month.
Reebok
In recent years, many retailers have chosen to launch a themed Pride collection for LGBTQ+ Pride Month - often with the proceeds going to charity. Reebok have taken a similar stance in this rainbow themed campaign.
Canva
Web designers Canva curated a Pride themed collection of templates which they showcased in this colorful email.
Creating LGBTQ+ Pride Month email templates in Mail Designer 365
We hope you're inspired and ready to start working on your email campaigns for LGBTQ Pride Month.
In need of some more inspiration? Mail Designer 365 offers a diverse collection of Pride themed email templates - perfect for a bold event invitation or a meaningful show of solidarity to the LGBTQ+ community.
Get started with Mail Designer 365 today
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Even if the current circumstances may prevent many of your customers from physically celebrating with their moms, creating a Mother's Day email campaign is a great way for you to show them how your business can help them thank their moms for all they do.
Email Campaign Ideas for Mother's Day
Come rain or shine, Mother's Day is an important occasion for us all, and an opportunity that your business shouldn't pass up on. Here are some different types of Mother's Day email campaign, plus examples for you to try out this year...
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Creating Mother's Day Gift Guide Emails
Choosing a gift to signify just how special your mom is can be difficult. Provide your customers with a guide of your best products for gifting to help give them a little bit of inspiration.
Compiling these gifts on a separate landing page will make it even easier for your customers to shop and find the right items faster.
Here are some great examples of Mother's Day gift guide email campaigns...
Whistlefish
Nordstrom
GAP
Kate Spade
Sending Mother's Day Promotional Emails
A holiday like Mother's Day also provides your business with a great excuse to hold a promotion. At this busy time of the year, this encourages customers to choose your store over other competitors and should help drive sales.
Try offering a promotion which will be practical for your customers, such as free delivery, an extra gift with every purchase, or complimentary gift wrapping.
A percentage discount or sale is another great way to help you get the competitive edge when it comes to prices.
Here are some great examples of promotional email campaigns for Mother's Day...
Starbucks
West Elm
Avon
Mother's Day Reminder Emails
Last but not least, a friendly reminder email can make all the difference in securing a sale this Mother's Day.
It's easy for holidays and dates to slip your customers' minds. Sending out an email reminder not only helps them keep track of the date, it also applies a gentle sense of urgency and could help increase the likelihood of them purchasing from your store.
Here are some examples of reminder emails sent out as part of a Mother's Day email campaign...
Paperless Post
J Crew
More tips for your Mother's Day email campaign
Now you've got some ideas of what kind of Mother's Day email campaign to send, try out these quick tips when building your design in Mail Designer 365...
- Use a floral theme: Flowers are a common Mother's Day gift and often associated with the special day. Browse the Unsplash library to find a fitting floral motif or background to use in your email design and set the tone.
- Pick a vibrant color scheme: Using bright colors is a great way to create a feeling of celebration in your design - perfect for the occasion. Try using fun colors like pinks, purples and oranges to lift the mood.
- Optimize the call to action: This is the most important part of your email design, as it will take your customer straight to your site, where they will make their purchase. Make sure the links are practical and direct and use a bold design to help them stand out from the rest of the email. Here are some great techniques you could try...
- Mention Mother's Day in the subject line: Finally, you need to round off your email campaign with a powerful subject line. This will help your email stand out in a crowded inbox. Be sure to mention Mother's Day in the subject line so that customers on the lookout for a great gift will be tempted to open your email.
Creating Mother's Day Email Templates in Mail Designer 365
Mail Designer 365 offers a wide range of stunning seasonal email Design Ideas, including these ready-to send HTML email templates for Mother's Day:
We hope these examples of Mother's Day email campaigns have helped inspire you and that you will give these tips a go when building your own template in Mail Designer 365.
Not got a Mail Designer 365 plan yet? Sign up here for free and start creating amazing email templates for Mother's Day and the rest of the year!
Until next time,
Your Mail Designer 365 Team
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First published: April 2020
Updated: April 2021
Summer can be a challenging time for email marketers. After the influx of major holidays throughout the spring, it may be hard to find interesting subject matter for your summer email campaigns - especially if mentally you're lying on a beach with a mojito (definitely not us.)
This year (2023), the official astronomical summer season in the Northern Hemisphere runs from 21st June through to 23rd September. This still gives you plenty of time to map out a summer email strategy.
To help lighten the load, we've compiled a list of 25 newsletter ideas that you can browse through to find inspiration for your summer emails - including some top class email templates and real life campaign examples. With ideas ranging from major holidays to out-of-the box events and even some unheard of gems, there's bound to be an "aha!" moment here that motivates you to kickstart your next campaign.
Remember, it's down to you to assess which of these ideas could be relevant to your target audience. However, with a little creativity, one small campaign idea can go a long way! Let's get started!
25 ideas for summer email campaigns
1st June, LGBTQ+ Pride Month begins (World)
In the USA, and many other countries worldwide, June 1st signifies the beginning of LGBT Pride Month.
In recent years, more and more businesses have been getting involved and showing their support for the LGBT Pride movement. Whether that be for their LBGT members of staff, LGBT customers, or simply to demonstrate the company's overall values.
Perhaps you also want to take this opportunity to hold a special Pride event, give LGBT voices a platform, or simply share a few words with your email subscribers about the importance of acceptance and tolerance.
LGBTQ+ Pride Month email template in Mail Designer 365
18th June, Father's Day (World)
Father's Day is an opportunity for you and your customers to celebrate the fathers and father figures in your lives. This could include a sale or special promotion, gift ideas, or an exclusive event for dads. Find more inspiration here.
Father's Day email template in Mail Designer 365
28th June, Eid al-Adha (Islam)
Eid al-Adha is the second of the major Islamic festivals to take place in the year and a huge occasion for Muslims worldwide. Consider sending out an email greeting or starting a promotion if relevant to your audience.
Eid al-Adha template in Mail Designer 365
1st July, Canada Day (Canada)
To kick off July, we've got Canada's national holiday on the first of the month. This is a great sales opportunity if you have a customer base in Canada and can also be a fun theme for a regular newsletter outside of Canada - e.g. Canadian cuisine and recipes, popular Canadian movies, travel tips in and around Canada...
4th July, Independence Day (USA)
The Fourth of July is one of the biggest celebrations of the year in the USA - taking place at the height of summer. Many businesses take this opportunity to design an attractive promotion or launch a sale for this major holiday. Here are our top tips.
Happy 4th of July email template in Mail Designer 365
14th July, Bastille Day (France)
Bastille Day is the national day of France and is celebrated by people all across the world - often with fireworks and music. This is also a unique occasion to hold an event or launch a sale - especially if you have a large French customer base. If relevant to your business, you could also give a nod to some classic aspects of French culture, like the French cuisine, fashion, or significant historical events.
20th July, FIFA Women's World Cup
There's not much that unites people in the way that football does and the World Cup is always a great opportunity to provide special email content for your subscribers. Whether you're helping them prepare to watch the big game at home with friends and family, or hosting your own viewing party.
24th July, World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly
While Mother's Day and Father's Day are both widely celebrated, World Day for Grandparents often receives less attention. Think outside the box and use this occasion to put together a gift guide or dedicated promotion.
30th July, International Friendship Day
For International Friendship Day, why not promote fun activities for friends to do together? Alternatively, a 2 for 1 offer could also be a great campaign to encourage sharing and spending time together.
5th August, International Beer Day
Cheers! Nothing unites a group of people like a nice cold beer. This is a great occasion for pubs, bars and restaurants to be aware of on their marketing calendar.
8th August, International Cat Day
Thinking of a fun way to incorporate cats into an email campaign would certainly be an a-mew-sing way to celebrate International Cat Day with your subscribers: Come up with a cat-based design or punny slogan, show off your team's feline friends, support a cat protection charity, or maybe share a funny cat video.
15th August, Independence Day (India)
As one of the world's largest populations, today is a great day to celebrate the rich Indian culture: Including delicious food, history, dance, cinema, music, or travel tips.
19th August, World Photography Day
Ideas include showcasing poignant photos from history, recommending readers a prime location for stunning snaps, sharing photography tips, or holding a photography competition...
23rd August, International Day for the Remembrance of Slave Trade and Its Abolition
This is a more serious occasion but of great importance. This provides your business with an opportunity to demonstrate your core values and use email as a platform to raise awareness for an important cause.
26th August, International Dog Day
Dogs are man's (and woman's) best friend so why not celebrate our four-legged companions this summer? Showcase some of your team's dogs in a fun campaign or show support for a dog-loving charity. The possibilities are endless!
26th August, Women's Equality Day (USA)
Women's Equality Day celebrates women receiving the right to vote in the USA - an important step forward for the feminist movement.
Mail Designer 365 Email Template for Women's Equality Day
27th - 29th August, Notting Hill Carnival (UK)
London's annual Notting Hill Carnival celebrations attract thousands of colorfully dressed visitors each year and, as Europe's largest carnival, certainly gets everyone in the party mood. Can you reflect this in your campaigns?
31st August, Eat Outside Day
Calling all restaurants: Promote your outdoor facilities this "Eat Outside Day" and encourage your customers to come along and dine al fresco!
5th September, Labor Day (USA)
In the USA, Labor Day is the last big holiday of the summer. Most businesses celebrate big with a sale or promotion and it's also a popular time to take one last summer vacation.
Labor Day Sale email template in Mail Designer 365
5th September, International Day of Charity
Email marketing is a powerful tool for charities. Whether you are a non profit organisation or want to show support for a charity of your choice, this is a great day for a charitable campaign.
8th September, International Literacy Day
This UNESCO awareness day focuses on the importance of literacy and reading worldwide.
13th September, World Chocolate Day
Who doesn't love chocolate? This is a no-brainer for any businesses in the food industry but maybe there is another creative way you can tie the sweet chocolate theme into your campaigns? We're hungry already!
World Chocolate Day email campaign by Thorntons
16th September, Mexican Independence Day
Got a large Mexican customer base? Send out a colorful celebratory email to recognise this important day. If not, there are many other ways you can celebrate the Mexican culture in your email campaigns like sharing some recipes, travel tips or interesting facts from history.
21st September, World Gratitude Day
Say a big thank you to your customers on World Gratitude Day with a sale or special promotion.
23rd September, Autumnal Equinox
The official end of summer! This is a great opportunity to launch a fall collection, summer clearance sale, or new autumn-inspired menu.
Get started with Mail Designer 365 today
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Today we're thrilled to announce the arrival of TextScout AI: AI-generated subject lines for your email campaigns.
Read More
It's no secret that a good email marketer always needs to be two steps ahead in terms of planning. Having your email content mapped out is a good way to stay motivated and reach your marketing goals.
With this in mind, now is a great time to start looking at your email marketing plan for 2023. When deciding on your campaign ideas for the year, it’s useful to have a clear overview of all key events taking place over the next 12 months. This will help you create email content which is relevant and interesting to your target audience.
We've created some handy resources to help you get started with your email marketing planning for 2023, available for you to download free:
- Digital weekly email campaign planner - with important dates marked and space for planning your upcoming email campaigns
- Email marketing calendar - 2023 email marketing calendar packed with all key dates
2023 marketing resources delivered directly to your inbox
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Make the most of your free resources:
Once you have downloaded your free 2023 marketing calendar, you can skim through all the most important dates, holidays and sales periods coming up in 2023. Use these dates and any others you want to include to fill out your 2023 email campaign planner.
Throughout the year, you can carry on noting down todos, campaign ideas, important links, etc. and keep track of all your campaign planning in one useful document. We’ve already provided you with some useful links to help you get started.
How to get started with your first campaign
- Build your email newsletter using the creative tools in Mail Designer 365.
- Upload design drafts to Mail Designer 365 Approval to get feedback and ideas from your team members.
- Once your team has approved your campaign, you can go ahead and export directly to use with your ESP.
Want more inspiration for 2023? Keep reading to discover more unique marketing opportunities your business can get involved in this year…
12 dates you need in your 2023 marketing calendar
Every year has those key marketing dates that a marketer can't do without, such as Valentine's Day, Halloween, "Black Friday", etc. What really sets your business apart from the rest is getting involved with unique holidays and events that keep your campaigns fresh and interesting to your target audience.
Here's a monthly breakdown of exciting events coming up in 2023 that you can adapt for your own creative campaigns.
January 11th - International Thank You Day
January 11th is International Thank You Day and poses the perfect opportunity for your business to show your gratitude to customers in whichever way you see fit.
One idea could be to launch a "thank you" sale or promotion, allowing customers to save money after the costly holiday period. You could also hold a special event in store, offer a free gift with every purchase, or simply send out a warm thank you email to all your subscribers. Tip: Here are some great ideas for thank you emails.
Say thank you to your customers this January on International Thank You Day
February 20th - Start of Carnival Season
Traditionally, in Christian countries, Carnival is known as a pre Lent celebration (the time leading up to Easter.) However, Carnival events are celebrated today by people of all backgrounds and are a great excuse to dress up, take to the streets and have some fun.
Carnival Season presents many opportunities for email marketers and potential email campaign ideas range from travel tips, events, costume and fashion inspiration, hair and make up services, street rood recipes, etc.
Incorporate the Carnival spirit into your email designs by opting for bold. bright colors and eye-catching fonts.
Encapsulate the Carnival spirit in your email designs with bright colors
March 25th - Earth Hour
There's never been a more important time to raise awareness about climate change and sustainability. The Earth Hour movement is all about taking time out to reduce our impact on the planet and switching off the lights to reduce global energy usage.
There are so many ways your business could get involved in raising awareness for this cause, for example by using your platform to share tips and ideas and to get the word out there. The Earth Hour website also has plenty more ideas and resources for you to explore.
Earth Hour is an extremely important movement that your business should be part of.
April 23rd - UNESCO World Book Day
Everyone loves a good book! Celebrate the power of reading by recognising World Book Day in your email campaigns this year, whether you have a book to promote yourself, are selling books in your store, or want to advertise a reading event.
World Book Day is also a great opportunity for a charitable campaign, such as raising money tor reading-related causes or holding a book drive for disadvantaged communities.
Celebrate the power of books and reading on World Book Day 2023
May 15th - European Song Contest Final
This year, the ESC final will be taking place in Liverpool, as the UK host for last year's winners, Ukraine.
Eurovision is a major celebration of diversity and culture and is also a great excuse for a party! Campaign ideas could include holding a Eurovision themed event at your venue or sharing tips and party ideas for customers watching at home.
This year, the Eurovision Song Contest is being held in Liverpool, UK
June 1st - LGBT Pride Month begins
In the USA, and many other countries worldwide, June 1st signifies the beginning of LGBT Pride Month. During this time, events and parades are often held to celebrate LGBT people and promote tolerance and equality.
In recent years, more and more businesses have been getting involved and showing their support for the LGBT Pride movement. Whether that be for their LBGT members of staff, LGBT customers, or simply to demonstrate the company's overall values.
Perhaps you also want to take this opportunity to hold a special Pride event, give LGBT voices a platform, or simply share a few words with your email subscribers about the importance of acceptance and tolerance.
Outline your business's core values this Pride Month by promoting tolerance, acceptance, love and equality for everyone
July 20th - FIFA Women's World Cup
There's not much that unites people in the way that football does and the World Cup is always a great opportunity to provide special email content for your subscribers. Whether you're helping them prepare to watch the big game at home with friends and family, or hosting your own viewing party.
The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup is a great opportunity to celebrate the uniting power of football
August 8th - International Cat Day
Cats are an internet sensation and a funny cat meme or video can be the ideal addition to liven up an otherwise standard email campaign. Of course, if your business is related to cats in any way, or you are a cat charity, then this is also a very important date for your diary.
Stuck on ideas? Try incorporating our feline friends into your campaigns in August for International Cat Day!
September 8th - Start of the Rugby World Cup
Rugby is hugely popular in Europe and many other countries worldwide, including Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
This major sports event will take place in France and is set to run up until October 28th. The tournament could present a unique marketing opportunity for your business: Think live stream events, viewing parties, travel offers, sporting equipment sales, etc.
Celebrate the Rugby World Cup in September 2023
October 10th - World Mental Health Day
The importance of taking care of your mental health is something which is being emphasised more and more. World Mental Health Day allows your business to use your platform to raise awareness.
You could run a social media campaign inspiring people to open up and support one another, or set up a charitable campaign encouraging donations to leading mental health organisations. Alternatively, sharing tips and resources on dealing with common mental health problems is another useful way your business can help show support.
Mental health matters: World Mental Health Day falls on October 10th
November 25th - Small Business Saturday
Everyone's heard of Black Friday but have you heard of Small Business Saturday? As the name suggests, this is a day to show support for small, independent businesses in the run up to the holiday sales season.
If you are a small business owner, this is a great focus for your main seasonal sales campaign to drive more customers to your physical store or website.
Taken from the US Chamber of Commerce website:
"Small Business Saturday... encourages consumers to support local businesses by shopping small. American Express launched this shopping holiday in 2010, at the height of the Great Recession, as a way of redirecting holiday shopping to local stores. A decade later, it’s observed in all 50 states, and in 2011, the Senate passed a resolution recognizing Small Business Saturday."
December 6th - St Nicholas Day
St Nicholas Day is a Christian celebration based on the origins of Father Christmas. The holiday is celebrated in many countries throughout Europe, including France, Germany and Belgium, and provides a chance for your business to get super festive in early December. Especially if you have a big target audience in Europe, holding a sale or special event around this time could be a great warm up for Christmas.
Celebrate St. Nicholas Day in the run up to Christmas.
Getting started with Email Marketing in 2023
We hope we have given you some ideas and inspiration for your 2023 email marketing calendar. Alongside the regular holidays and events in your planner, these events should give you some fresh and interesting new subject matter to create engaging emails with in 2023.
Don't forget to enter your email address to get our free resources for your 2023 email marketing calendar delivered straight to your inbox. The extensive email campaign planner and downloadable events calendar are both completely free and a great way for you to get your campaigns organised this year.
Need help building awesome email templates to use with your campaigns? Check out Mail Designer 365. Sign up free today to discover all the Design Ideas, creative tools and resources you need to create amazing emails in 2023…
Until next time,
Your Mail Designer 365 Team
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