How to Create Email Campaigns About Promotions: Effective Examples

Date: 2023-08-10 | Time of reading: 7 minutes (1309 words)

Customers love discounts and often subscribe to brand newsletters to not miss out on lucrative offers. Companies are well aware of this and periodically organize promotions to boost sales, draw attention to new products, or re-engage subscribers. Promotional email campaigns are used in both regular and situational marketing campaigns, covering various marketing channels. Sending promotional messages via email remains one of the most popular ways to capture customers' attention with special brand offers. In this article, we will discuss the different types of promotional campaigns, how to create them, and provide examples.

What are promotional email campaigns and why do you need them

A promotional email campaign is a message or a series of emails that inform subscribers about discounts, sales, and special offers from a brand. The goal of such emails is to sell products and services within a specific time frame. The limited-time nature of discounts or a limited quantity of available items motivates subscribers to make purchases quickly.

Usually, these promotional messages are sent to prepared and loyal customers who are familiar with the brand and have intentionally subscribed to the company's marketing channels to receive timely information and attractive offers.

Promotional email campaigns are a versatile approach that suits any business direction. People love and anticipate discount periods, and sellers use them to stimulate sales, introduce less-known brands into their range, or simply clear out excess inventory.

Types of promotional emails

Promotional campaigns are typically classified into three types.

Type of campaign	Descripton
Regular	They are launched periodically, possibly always at the same interval. For instance, a brand might have a new promotion every month, while a construction company changes its offers once per quarter.
Situative	They are done in honor of holidays or newsbreaks: expected or unexpected occurrences (football championships, movie premieres, and so on). Traditionally, promotions take place before New Year, Easter, and other holidays. A brand's anniversary is also a reason to launch a promotion.
Seasonal	Planned sales (often large-scale) during the change of seasons. For instance, discounts on winter footwear right before spring to reduce the amount of inventory in stock.

Messages about promotions are also categorized based on the types of offers. This can include a discount on:

one, several, or a specific group of products;
the entire assortment;
the second/third or related product;
certain products during "happy hours."

Instead of discounts, customers may be offered gifts or special conditions (free delivery and others). The mechanics of discounts are only limited by the marketers' imagination. However, the choice of promotion type and the message for distribution that a customer receives always depends on the business goals.

How to create an email campaign about a promotion

1. Define the goals of the promotional campaign: to inform about discounts, increase sales, boost website traffic, and so on.

2. Set a specific timeframe for the promotion, clearly indicated in the email. Regardless of whether it's an email, push notification, or SMS campaign, the promotion should have a time limit. Otherwise, customers might delay their conversion or forget about it.

3. Segment your audience to personalize offers. For example, offer loyal customers a discount on an additional item, as they are likely to make a purchase anyway. For the rest of your customer base, provide a 30% bonus on their first order.

4. Determine the frequency of emails sent to a single email address. If the promotion spans over a longer period, consider sending multiple reminders to ensure that customers don't miss out on the attractive offer.

5. Write the email content, including:

A headline with the offer (usually displayed on a banner).
Description of the promotion, both the general details and specifics of individual products (if applicable).
Additional information about related promotions or other offers. However, it's generally better to focus on one promotion per email.
CTA button for making a purchase. It should be prominent and lead to the website. At the bottom of the email, include an unsubscribe link and additional contact information for the company.

6. Create an appealing email design. Avoid overloading the email with images to ensure quick loading. Also, ensure that the layout is mobile-friendly.

7. Come up with a clear and engaging subject line and preheader (a brief description after the subject line) that immediately convey the content or intrigue the recipient. If a subscriber doesn't open the email, all other efforts will go to waste. Therefore, a well-crafted subject line is crucial for the success of your email campaign.

8. Launch the campaign and analyze its effectiveness. Make adjustments if necessary and feasible based on the campaign's performance.

Examples of promotional email campaigns

Subject Line: Up to 20% Off! 📣 Spend & Save on NOW!

This promotional email showcases a vibrant color palette for added impact. The email features a striking header that boldly announces the special offer, coupled with the coupon code and collection links. The subject line is equally captivating, promptly unveiling the offer's benefits.

Subject Line: Flash Sale ⚡30% Off Cosmetics

Scheduling a time-sensitive flash sale email taps into audience FOMO. Check out Swati Cosmetics' site-wide flash sale example. Sent to loyal customers and subscribers familiar with the brand, the email's bold design and vivid CTA colors grab attention.

Subject Line: Our New Collection Is Finally Here

Informing loyal customers about your latest launch or collection is an effective way to demonstrate your interest in them. Follow Valentino Beauty's lead with their announcement email for the new spring collection. The email sparks interest in trying new nail polish colors and strategically places a contextual CTA to shop the spring collection, encouraging users to explore the new products on the website.

Subject Line: Why Is Renting a Car So Chaotic?

Using email to boost blog or website content is a proven strategy. Marketers use email lists to drive website traffic. Craft a content promotion email with blog links, inspired by Apple. This targets subscribers interested in updates and includes relevant blog links. Automated through email tools, you can replicate this with your RSS feed for content promotion.

Subject Line: Last Chance for Easter Delivery 🐇

Sending holiday promotion emails at season's end or during festive periods boosts engagement and capitalizes on the holiday shopping mindset. Brands craft elaborate holiday campaigns for a slice of the revenue pie. Consider this M&Ms email example: a vibrant theme with testimonials prompts Easter purchases. A last-minute reminder and shipping assurance taps into subscribers' FOMO, driving impulse buys.

Subject Line: Shayla, NEW! Collect our second enchanting Disney 100 charm ✨

Utilizing promotional emails for product launches can intrigue subscribers to explore your new offerings online. Consider Pandora Jewelry's sophisticated product launch email as an example. It introduces their Disney collaboration range, featuring elegant charms available for online purchase. The personalized subject line and email note attract charm and Disney enthusiasts. High-quality product images further captivate attention, encouraging clicks.

Summary

Promotional emails are one or multiple messages, often emails, that inform subscribers about special offers from brands. These emails (or SMS, Push notifications, etc.) are used to increase sales, attract customers to lesser-known brands, or clear excess inventory through sales. Typically, regular, seasonal, or situational campaigns are launched, triggered by specific events. To create an email campaign for a promotion, the first step is to set a goal, segment the audience, and establish discount limitations. Following this, the email's content is crafted with a compelling subject line, clear preheader, and noticeable CTA. Design is also important, with a focus on avoiding cluttered visuals.