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Most people can count at least ten or fifteen holidays off the top of their head that are appropriate to market towards.  While some industries are seasonal by nature, others can take advantage of passing seasons and holiday observances to create a sense of timeliness in their marketing.

Here are some excellent reasons to observe holidays via email marketing:

Holiday newsletters give you a chance to shake things up. You are free from your usual structure in a special newsletter like this. This email might simply be one big coupon and sale offer, or you might take time to do a little bit of “who we are” fun that doesn’t fit into one of your regularly scheduled sends.

Holiday newsletters fit into very specific time frames.  Even if you normally don’t do the “limited time offer - act fast” game, a holiday gives you an end-date which will spur the reader to action with immediacy if they have interest.

Each holiday is a chance to spin what you have to offer in a new way for your readers.  Consider it a chance to broaden their minds…or at least a chance to make some gentle suggestions!

The common sense rules of holiday email newsletters:
1.  Plan in advance. This especially applies if part of your email newsletter is letting people know about upcoming events or offering special deals specific to the holiday season.

2.  Don’t send on the holidays themselves. This includes both holiday newsletters as well as regular newsletters that you send out on a set schedule.  If your delivery date is scheduled for a holiday, consider moving it so that readers are more likely to see the email newsletter. Send either before or after the holiday with enough cushion that it isn’t lost in the pile of emails that accumulated while they stepped away from their computer for the holiday.

3.  Don’t force it.  If you can’t think of a way to make the your newsletter relevant to the holiday and you don’t have anything to offer - skip that holiday and focus on the next one that does make sense.