Looking for ideas to spice up your October email marketing campaigns and newsletters?
October signals the beginning of Fall, and all the comfy images and aromas that come with it. There are pumpkins in fields, waiting to be picked. The sweet smell of hot apple cider, and pumpkin spice flavors everything from cheesecake to lattes. And of course, Halloween decorations that have been in stores since August.
All of which means it’s time to brew up some creative email marketing ideas to entice your subscribers.
In fact, there is so much going on in October that there are plenty of imaginative opportunities to connect with your subscribers and fans. Here are some October email marketing promotions we’ve carved out for you to use.
Focus October Email Marketing Campaigns on these Celebrations
The many national and international observances this month make for a goldmine of October email marketing opportunities.
International Coffee Day, October 1st
Kick off October by tantalizing your customers with coffee promotions in honor of International Coffee Day. Celebrated on the 1st of October, you can send email campaigns offering discounts or special deals related to coffee products or services. Make the promos good for the day or extend them for a week or the whole month.
If you’re in the restaurant industry, consider sending out emails offering free coffee upgrades or discounted pastries with every cup purchased.
If you’re a local boutique, team up with conveniences stores or restaurants in town to offer your customers a coupon for a free cup of coffee at their establishments.
A pet store might use International Coffee Day to showcase coffee mugs designed for dog lovers.
If you’re a consultant, invite prospects to have coffee with you in person, or over a Zoom call. For Zoom calls, “pay” for their coffee by sending them a gift card for Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts.
International Day of Older Persons Day, October 1st
Most statistical sources consider “older persons” to be anyone who is 65 years of age or older. In the United States, alone, that designation applies to some 55 million people. You can profit by offering people who are 65 and up a savings at your establishment this day.
Retirement living centers could send out emails focusing on their residents enjoying the amenities at their facilities.
And any business can send out campaigns touting the contributions older citizens make to the community and country.
World Habitat Day – October 7th
If environmental sustainability aligns with your company values, consider running special campaigns around World Habitat Day (the first Monday in October).
You could encourage eco-friendly practices among clients – maybe offer discounts on products made from recycled materials or plant trees equivalent to sales made during this period.
The key here is authenticity – make sure these initiatives genuinely resonate with what your brand stands for, rather than appearing as mere tokenism.
Honor Teachers on World Teacher’s Day, October 5th
Teaching is one of the most important occupations in society. Unfortunately, in today’s world, it’s often under-appreciated, stressful, and challenging. Make the day brighter for educators by sending an email to your list applauding teachers for their work helping students learn and succeed.
If your business sells products educators purchase, offer them a special discount this month as a token of your appreciation.
National Food Days
If your business is food-related, here are a few other days that have been designated for national celebration:
- National Taco Day (October 4): This is great time for restaurants serving Mexican cuisine to offer taco specials via targeted email blasts.
- National Dessert Day (October 14): This day lets restaurants, bakeries and dessert shops make their customers’ mouths water by sending newsletters with photos of tantalizing deserts – and a special offer to buy them.
- National Pasta Day (October 17): An Italian eatery might leverage this day by emailing pasta coupons redeemable at their establishment.
- National Nut Day (October 22): You could come up with plenty of puns about this day. But this is a good day to run promos for nuts if you sell them, or to feature deserts and other foods made with nuts if you have a restaurant.
If you have a recipe site, send out email campaigns pointing your subscribers to the most popular recipes for all of the above.
Related Content: Newsletter Content Ideas for Small Businesses
Thanksgiving in October?
Why are we mentioning Thanksgiving in an article about October email marketing ideas?
Because Thanksgiving is the second Monday in October for Canadian residents. If your business is in Canada, or if you have Canadians on your mailing list, wish them a happy holiday.
Boss’s Day, October 16th
“Boss” is a term I’ve never associated with myself, until an online friend who was doing some work for me, jokingly started using the term Boss instead of my name. (Rocky, if you’re reading this, Hi!).
Whether the term “boss” is one you’d apply to yourself or others, it’s a designation that has its own “day.” And that makes it ripe for creative email campaigns.
If your mailing list consists of consumers who are likely to be employees, send a mailing suggesting small gifts or simple things they can do to show appreciation to an employer they like.
Another mailing idea: If many of your email subscribers are likely to be bosses, consider running a promotion offering discounted products or services employers and managers. Services that help managers relax, or get more done, would be ideal for this type of promotion.
Still another email campaign idea: Flip the table. Run a campaign that shows appreciation for your employees. The mailing could promote the fact that the success of any business or boss is due to the hard work of their employees.
Halloween-themed Promotions
Although Halloween is the last day in October, the decorations, festivities, and fun fill the entire month of October. Therefore, well-crafted Halloween marketing campaigns can boost customer engagement while promoting your products or services all month long.
Creating engaging Halloween discount strategies
An effective way to leverage the spooky season is by offering Halloween-themed discounts on your products or services. This could be anything from ‘Scary Savings’ to ‘Frighteningly Good Deals’, but remember – creativity is key.
You might even consider creating limited-time offers that expire at midnight on October 31st, adding an element of urgency that encourages quick purchases.
You can use Halloween themes in mailings if your niche is content, rather than direct product sales, too. For instance, a Mom blog might send a mailing talking about “Monstrously Easy Ways to Throw a Party; or a web developer might send a mailing about “Scary Website Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making.”
Encouraging customer participation through costume contests
If you’re looking for a more interactive approach, why not host a virtual costume contest?
Your customers can submit photos of themselves in their best costumes for a chance to win prizes – perhaps discounted or free products/services from your business?
Platforms like Instagram and Facebook are perfect for hosting such contests as they allow easy photo submissions and public voting. When contestants share their posts, you may pick up more email subscribers, too.
Incorporate Emojis into Email Subject Lines
Studies have shown that emojis in the subject line can increase open rates.
Among the reasons, an emoji can make your email subject line stand out from all the others in the inbox. It can also adds a touch of fun and personality. Another bonus: In some cases, you can substitute an emoji for a word, thus shortening the subject line. Some examples:
- Use a carved pumpkin emoji instead of the word, Halloween
- Use a leaf emoji to replace the word Fall in autumn-related promotions,
- Use a coffee cup emoji in the subject line on International Coffee Day
Remember though, relevance is key – don’t use an irrelevant emoji simply because it’s cute. And always test before sending out.
Scare Up Your Own Ideas
October is a month for you to harvest a multitude of marketing opportunities, each offering unique themes for your marketing content. Don’t limit yourself to familiar themes. Creativity can turn any day into a relevant promotional opportunity.
The trick lies in the right blend of personalization, creativity, and relevancy – all while avoiding sounding too salesy. By using personalized messaging, thematic elements, and even emojis in subject lines, you can create engaging email campaigns that resonate with their target audience.
Find email marketing ideas for every month of the year.
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