Winter is a difficult time to sell. All the Christmas promotions are over, and for the first big chunk of the season, people aren’t spending. Firstly, because we can’t afford to. Secondly, because we are stalwartly observing a New Year’s futile resolution. This resolution, by February, often amounts to us admitting we were kidding ourselves. But still we have to drag ourselves through a long January. How do we combat the bleak weather, the empty wallets and month-long hangovers to write winter email newsletters you will love? Here are some newsletter ideas.
Warm and Inviting
There is definitely an unwritten rule if you are in the UK. There is a perfect temperature to live in, but it happens once a year. This is probably about two in the morning on a specific Wednesday. Winter is always spent complaining about the cold, and looking forward to the time when you can complain about the heat. For certain industries this preoccupation with the weather can provide many marketing opportunities.
Exploit two things for your winter email newsletter idea.
- What a customer needs immediately.
- what a customer will need in the future.
Clothing brands undoubtedly will bust out the lovely imagery of a target customer all snug and warm in whopping faux furs . But what of the coming Spring? The later you get into Winter, the shorter the life span your products will have. Can you force your customers to look to the future? Have a picture of a man in beachwear in the snow with a caption forewarning them of the clothes they will need. Not only will this give you the chance to exercise a little humour, but it gives your customers something to look forward to. They will love it.
Winter Tastes Better than Summer Anyway
When you think of food and drink, our mouths water at the spiced tastes of ginger and hearty meals of winter. As the cold creeps in, filling meals, chocolate, doughy puddings, and roasted meats dominate our marketing. Nobody wants a salad at Christmas. Nobody buys their significant other a 6 pack of protein shakes for Valentine’s either. When Spring comes, the “get your beach body” nonsense will start hitting our inboxes. But this is winter. We can afford to be a little naughty. Create something your customer will love.
Play upon the rebelliousness of your calorific monstrosities. Yes, people are forced to be a little more frugal after the seasonal festivities. And yes, many have offered their glutinous souls up to the gods of ‘Slimming World’ for a time. This doesn’t stop them wanting to indulge. Create a tempting “You know you shouldn’t” menu. Couple this to a mouthwatering deal and let the rebels feast.
Reinvent your Winter Email Newsletter Idea
The whole “New Year – New You” cliché can get a little bit sickening. However, a lot of people take it seriously. No matter how cynical you or I may be about the staying power of those who go to unfeasible lengths to try and change, it is a serious thing. As a result, this is the time to reinvent your email marketing template. Shake things up. Freshen your brand’s voice. Reinvent your winter email newsletter.
I always think that marketing doesn’t capitalise on the New Year’s resolution phenomenon enough. At the beginning of the year, this tends to be the most important thing to your customer. So, with this in mind, there are a number of ways you can embrace this phenomenon.
- Set your own resolutions and share your story. Let people follow as you struggle with your own changes.
- Motivate your customers with supportive emails. Can your product be used as a reward for their persistent stamina?
- Reject resolutions by highlighting the futility of such declarations. A humourous newsletter idea.
Empathy. Humour. Engagement. Something you will love.
Did you know there is an equation. It goes something like this: [W + (D-d)] x T^Q} ÷ [M x N_a] (according to Holidays Calendar). In 2019 the answer to this equation will be 21st January. Yes, that is the date of Blue Monday. The most depressing day of the year. And this happens in winter every year, according to this formula.
OK. So it is pseudo science. Actual science shudders at the very thought of us taking it too seriously, however it does look at some interesting things. Weather. Debt. Mental Health. Whether or not it is accurate, it does go some way to pointing out that winter is possibly the season where we need the most cheering up. Sending bland colourless emails is only likely to make a potentially long winter even longer.
Email newsletter ideas are most effective when driving traffic, whether to your website or social media. Link your email to a customer interactive campaign. Even if it is a competition for the bleakest winter camera-phone picture. Call for some interaction with your marketing campaigns, and brighten up their winter just that little bit. Your winter email newsletter is the perfect tool for this.
Wrapping up (nice and warm)
You could be entirely blameless for mistakenly believing that the fun is over when January arrives. Yes, the real world is back upon us, and yes bad weather is not cute and glittery anymore. But sales are still there for anyone who is willing to try something different. People are loping back to their desks, looking out of their windows at a slate and granite world. By creating an email marketing campaign that is going to smash through the monotony you will remain at the forefront of your customers mind.
And that is exactly where you want to be all year round.
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