Independence day email marketing: summer strategies that sizzle

Independence Day is one of our country’s biggest summer holidays. Fireworks, barbeques, traveling, enjoying the outdoors… no matter what they’re doing, a vast majority of Americans will be celebrating on July 4th in some way.

Consumers tend to stay busy during this time of year, and because of this, email marketers have to be creative in order to capture attention in the inbox during the summer months.

In order to do that, let’s take a look at some Independence Day email marketing campaign ideas and strategies, as well as some ideas of ways to keep folks engaged with your email marketing throughout the dog days of summer.

July 4th/Independence Day email marketing

This year Independence Day falls on a Wednesday, but statistics from past years prove you should be sending emails in the days leading up to the holiday.

We’ve found 67 percent of emails are sent a week before the holiday. And 76 percent of email-generated revenue over the July 4th holiday comes from campaigns sent a week before the holiday.

Thirty-two percent of sales have come in on the actual holiday itself.

That being said, buyers looking to take advantage of July 4th sales aren’t shopping much more than a week out, so there’s no need to start sending holiday themed sales emails many weeks in advance of the 4th.

The fact is, the July 4th holiday sees a 32 percent revenue increase from email marketing. In addition, Americans spent $7.1 billion dollars on the holiday last year. So what can you do with your July 4th email marketing to get your share of that holiday revenue?

Show patriotism

Just as with Memorial Day, we recommend incorporating patriotic imagery and colors into the overall design of your email marketing campaigns. Think red, white and blue, stars, stripes, fireworks, cookout/picnic and outdoor imagery.

Take a look at some examples from different industries for inspiration:

Ralph Lauren Independence Day email marketing is a step above.

This is a good example of Independence Day email marketing.

Petsmart's Independence Day email marketing shows patriotism.

Tout the date

Using simple, relevant imagery and messaging that is timely helps your email marketing resonate with your subscribers.

This email example uses animation to capture attention in the inbox. The message may be minimal from a creative standpoint, but it’s effective. We know why the company is sending it (July 4th special) and what the deal is (35 percent off). Additionally, it incorporates a clear, easy-to-spot CTA button.

GoDaddy does a great job with Independence Day email marketing.

Understated messages such as this serve to trigger memories of the 4th and bring to mind emotional reactions from the subscriber to inspire action. The simplicity of a message such as this works because it’s so timely. Consider sending content such as this to better help your messages resonate with your subscribers and stand out in the inbox.

Early access

We’ve already established subscribers aren’t looking for July 4th deals much earlier than a week before the holiday. However, at a week out you can start sending early access deals. Within these types of campaigns, be sure to let subscribers know how to catch the early deals, incorporate festive imagery, and highlight products and/or services that would be helpful or are on a big discount for the holiday timeframe.

Look at this Lowes Independence Day email marketing campaign.

Have fun with coupon codes

When it comes to holidays, people love to get into the spirit, and July 4th is no exception. When planning your sale, design an engaging (possibly animated) graphic for your email, and extend the theme all the way to your promotion code. Having an easy-to-remember promotion code will be easier for your customers to take advantage of once they get to the cart if the coupon isn’t automatically carried over.

This example shows a relevant and memorable coupon code. The company used a red, white, and blue email design to keep things patriotic and created the ‘FIREWORK25’ promo code—which is simple and theme-oriented.

This is a great example of Fourth of July email marketing.

Look the part

Twenty-eight percent of shoppers plan to purchase holiday related/themed apparel and decor. Even if you don’t sell products specifically themed for the holiday, you can put together collections to give folks ideas of how to incorporate your products into the overall theme of the holiday.

Here’s an example where Madewell grouped items together into an email. The bonus for shoppers is that even after the holiday, they can still wear these items. They’re not emblazoned with graphics specific only to the 4th of July.

Check out Madewell's Independence Day email email marketing.

What are some Independence Day email marketing strategies that have worked for you in the past? Let us know how this year’s ideas perform and have a safe holiday.

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