Email marketing isn’t easy. It’s not enough to include a compelling call-to-action for your customers and prospects. You must also wrap it up in a neat little package with an inviting sender name, brief yet compelling subject line with all the right keywords and none of the spam triggers, a call-to-action placed above-the-fold, images tested to properly render and a design that has been optimized for mobile.

After all that, is there any room left for creativity?

A recent email from The Gap offering up to 44% off in honor of the 44 US Presidents for President’s Day got me thinking that holidays and events offer the perfect opportunity to entice your email audience.

Event-centered emails aren’t just for retailers nor must they focus only on a handful of select holidays. Here are a few subject line ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

· Valentine’s Day – Spread the love – Review your latest Amazon.com purchase

· Daylight Savings – Don’t fall behind, spring ahead with these top 5 IT trends for 2011

· St Patrick’s Day – As luck would have it, we’re having a sale

· April 15^th, Tax Day – Save for a rainy day – Deposit your tax refund into a high interest savings account

· Earth Day – On April 22^nd, don’t just support Earth Day, help save all the planets (think planetariums, NASA or other space research)

· First Day of Spring – Spring is here, time to clean out your document management system

· Labor Day – White is always in, even after Labor Day (perfect for a certain iRetailer)

· Columbus Day – Discover a new world: Don’t miss our grand opening

Are some of these themes a bit silly? Yes. But do they also grab the reader’s attention? Absolutely. And is getting your email opened and read half the battle? Without a doubt.

So what do you think? Will you embark on event-inspired email campaigns anytime soon? Do you have additional event themes to share? What other tactics are you using to spice up your email marketing?

About Sharon Zaugh

Sharon Zaugh has written 7 post in this blog.

Sharon believes the best method for developing customer engagement (and thus driving sales) is through the careful analysis of contact behavior and preferences. A traditional marketer in the fact that she spends her days in Microsoft Excel, she’s also quick to embrace new forms of media and technology. Sharon is Digital and Database Marketing Manager for Alterian.

• View all posts by Sharon Zaugh →
• Blog

Share