'Tis the season to captivate your audience! The winter holidays are prime time for brands to make meaningful connections across all their touch points. With consumers bouncing between devices, your strategy needs to shine brighter than Rudolph’s nose.
Let’s unwrap a plan so good, your audience won’t just open — it’ll engage.
🎯 Step 1: Define Your Campaign Goals
First things first: What do you want Santa to deliver? Increased app traffic? Boosted sales? Enhanced brand loyalty? Be crystal clear about your goals.
Here’s how to match channels to purpose:
- Push Notifications: Re-engage your app users. Think flash sales or holiday countdowns.
- Email: Your storytelling MVP. Ideal for longer narratives, gift guides, or exclusive discounts.
- SMS: For urgency and immediacy; limited-time offers or delivery updates.
- In-App Messages: Prime real estate for personalized offers. These reach users already in your app.
- Digital Passes: Perfect for loyalty perks or surprise discounts that stay in the consumer’s pocket.
✨ Step 2: Deck the Data Halls
Your strategy is only as good as your data. Use segmentation and behavioral insights to craft personalized messages. No more "Dear Valued Customer" messages!
Give these a shot:
For Push and SMS, keep it short, sweet, and personal — it’s all about connecting quickly!
With email, feel free to dive deeper — add product recommendations tailored to past purchases to keep it relevant and engaging.
In-App Messages? They're a goldmine for abandoned cart nudges! Sprinkle in some loyalty points updates, and you've got a winner cross-platform campaign.
🎨 Step 3: Design Festive and Functional Content
Make your messages a visual gift! Each platform demands a tailored approach:
- Push: Keep it snappy and emoji-friendly.
- Email: Use dynamic, mobile-friendly designs with a clear call-to-action (CTA). Add countdown timers for urgency.
- SMS: Concise and action-oriented. Use our Links to drive users to your website or mobile app.
- In-App Messages: Match your app’s holiday theme. Subtle animated GIFs can sprinkle magic!
- Digital Passes: Use vibrant colors and festive imagery to make digital passes a delightful visual reminder.
🕐 Step 4: Timing is Everything (Seriously)
A poorly timed message is like getting socks for Christmas. Leverage these tips:
- Push & SMS: Best for real-time engagement—perfect for limited-time offers or flash updates.
- Email: Plan campaigns in waves: Early December for gift-buying guides, mid-December for shipping reminders, and late December for last-minute deals.
- In-App: Trigger messages based on actions, like opening the app or reaching a certain screen.
- Digital Passes: Use geofencing and date triggers to notify users when they’re near a store or event location.
🤝 Step 5: Build a Cozy, Connected Experience
Cross-platform doesn’t mean disconnected! Orchestrate a seamless journey across channels:
- Start with a push notification teasing your holiday sale.
- Follow up with an email diving deeper into the offer.
- Reinforce it via SMS for urgency.
- Engage app users with an exclusive in-app discount.
- Reward loyalty with a digital perk like double points on purchases.
🛠️ Step 6: Measure, Tweak, Repeat
You’ve baked your campaign — now taste-test it! Keep tabs on these key metrics:
- Push: App engagement, message opens and response rates.
- Email: Open rates, CTRs, and conversions.
- SMS: Click-through rates for included links.
- In-App: Views and conversion rates.
- Digital Passes: Pass activations and usage.
And don’t forget to A/B test subject lines and visuals to optimize results.
🎉 Wrap it Up With a Bow
A successful holiday messaging campaign is a blend of creativity, strategy, and a pinch of holiday magic. By leveraging each platform's strengths and delivering cohesive, personalized experiences, you'll not only meet your goals — you’ll sleigh them.
So grab your cocoa, fire up those campaigns, and let your brand shine like the star atop the tree. Happy holidays and happy messaging! 🎅✨
Need help unwrapping the full potential of your holiday campaigns? As always, you can find us available for any question you might have via our Support Channel.