Alternatively, you could add a module after the title or navigation bar to remind people of your order deadline, e.g. crate and barrel Did it here:
It’s relatively easy to add headers and provide appropriate dynamic content to all emails (or adapt a holiday email template, like ours ) Free Email Template Library.)
But don’t make your new headline too flashy or too big—remember, about half of your subscribers are likely to read your holiday emails on mobile devices. Instead, convert desktop “Gifts” or “Holidays” navigation links into clickable call-to-action icons and frames, like how Target tweaks its emails:
Since the headline is prime real estate, consider adding more information and a call-to-action in the trigger email footer near the bottom of the trigger email, as well as any other information about topics your subscribers might find useful, such as gift guides, gifts service, or extended holiday returns.
Yours can be fairly simple, like this jenny and jack:
Or something broad, like this one from The Citizenry , which includes links to gift guides, holiday gift landing pages, and gift-specific language.
No need to red-green the entire set of triggered emails. A little holiday magic can go a long way in building a cohesive brand (and hide the fact that it’s an automatic trigger.)
4. Make a deal where they least expect it
Who doesn’t like a little surprise? The holidays are all about giving, so consider adding seasonal discounts to your triggered emails.
Consider product-related triggered emails that have driven sales, such as:
- Adjust typical abandoned cart emails to accommodate seasonal promotions
- Add discounts or offers to inventory restock or product restock announcements to achieve same conversational conversions
- Include seasonal images or promotional messages in loyalty milestone emails
This is a great place to add a CTA block about a featured product, a reminder of order deadlines, or a mention of your holiday gift guide. If you’re worried about changing your discount code in many places, it might be time to look into an instant personalization tool to reduce the number of email versions you have to create and test (e.g. litmus personalization! Empowering you to create more personal, dynamic experiences.
in this Black Friday Email Campaign from Under Armoruses instant personalization in action for a variety of purposes. First, the quote in the email is a unique barcode. Second, by using Movable Ink, they were able to generate store location information based on when the email was opened.
This way, if a promo code for a Black Friday sale has expired but you want to replace it in time for Cyber Monday, using the instant personalization tool allows you to do it in one place. You have a lot of other things to do during the holidays, so automate as much as possible.
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Deliver personalized festival content at scale. Use instant polls, dynamic content, and advanced targeting to drive results.
5. Make your subject line happy and bright
Another simple holiday swap to make your triggered emails do more this season? change your subject line To match what attracts shoppers this season. Think: gifts, rom-coms, holiday puns, seasonal emojis, and of course, deals.
Try some subject line swaps, especially these Black Friday email subject lines Pass A/B testing.
And don’t just save your best lines for one-off marketing campaigns—triggered emails deserve a little love, too! Experiment with methods of browsing abandonment or transactional emails that work for you and see what gets the best open rates.
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6. Clarify the delivery deadline
What’s the biggest difference between shopping during the holidays versus shopping at other times of the year? Shoppers have reached the deadline. You already know how long shipping takes during busy times like this, so make sure your subscribers know too. While you may want to send a dedicated email to procrastinators closer to time, consider creating a specific trigger for shoppers who are still on the fence.
This content from Citizenry includes a specific shipping CTA and countdown block:
For the true procrastinator, this product from Lake Pajamas advertises gift cards as a last-minute gift:
You can also add a reminder CTA block to an existing triggered email (such as a standard abandoned cart) so shoppers know if they wait too long, their gift won’t be delivered. Hannah Anderson changed their blocks over time last season.
December 16:
December 19:
Christmas Eve:
You can also add a block in the footer, like Roller Rabbit does for their post-December 15th campaign:
Segment your subscribers by browsing and cart behavior – If they’ve been lingering on your site all season but still haven’t pulled the trigger, see if a strict deadline can add a sense of urgency.
For more tips on dealing with holiday procrastinators, check out our guide Creative ideas for festivals.
7. Make gift giving simple through smart behavioral triggers
Behavioral marketing campaigns are designed to get into the minds of potential buyers. What push do they need to make a purchase? During the holidays, the most important thing is giving gifts. Now is the time to take a look at your existing trigger emails and consider changing the imagery or language to be more appropriate for the season…otherwise, you might Discover subscriber opt-out.
View behavioral data about frequent customers. For example, if you see someone browsing the Kitchen and Desktop section of your site, and they usually only buy bedding or bath items, then they are most likely looking for gifts, or if you created a holiday or gift item, that’s more Use the guidance section of your website to create specific follow-ups or browse through abandonment emails designed to help them decide on their plans for the year.
You can start with a simple title swap, like this one from Anthropologie:
Puzzle game company Jiggy adds a section with social proof at the bottom of one of its trigger emails:
The same goes for retailer Tuckernuck, who added a gift-specific footer to their emails:
For more examples of what brands are doing right, check out how Sephora uses email personalization During the holidays.
Spread holiday cheer with effective triggered emails
The holidays are a busy time, but don’t let triggered email marketing run automatically. By taking the time to update your email marketing strategy and using triggered emails effectively, you can create a seamless customer experience that keeps your subscribers engaged and coming back for more.
Triggered emails are a powerful tool for customer retention – they meet your audience where they are and deliver timely, relevant content that builds loyalty. Whether it’s sending reminders, promotional emails or Personalized product recommendationsthese automated emails can boost your profits and put a festive spin on every inbox.
Need help? We’ve got you covered. our free library Email template Packed with holiday options that are easy to customize and mobile-friendly, so you can spend more time decorating the halls and less time writing emails.
Ready to make your holiday emails sparkle? Let’s start our Holiday Email Marketing Guide.