Via Constant Contact

No matter how hard you try, it’s difficult to ever be completely prepared for the holiday season, which is why a tool like email marketing makes it quick and easy to promote your business and drive sales during the holiday season.

Whether you sell products to customers, offer services to other businesses, or run a nonprofit organization — there are plenty of last-minute emails you can send out before the end of the year.

Here are 15 ideas to help you get started:

Business to Consumer

Here are five ideas for businesses that market to consumers:

Holiday sale

Choose a day (or days) to offer exclusive discounts to customers during the holiday season.

Free shipping

If you sell products online or let customers place orders over the phone, consider offering a special holiday discount on shipping to encourage customers to shop small.

Holiday giveaway

Giveaways are a fun way to reward your most loyal customers while also generating sales during the holidays. Rather than offering a discount, create a holiday giveaway and promote it to your email list.

Business to Business

Even if you’re not a business that sells products or services to consumers, you can still use the holidays to connect with clients and generate new opportunities for your business.

Here are some last-minute ideas for business to business companies:

Client appreciation

No matter what time of year it is, clients always like to feel appreciated. There are a number of ways you can use email to show your gratitude. You can also look for opportunities to offer discounts on products or services that can be used during or after the holiday season.

Event

Celebrate the season with current and potential clients by hosting a holiday event.

Preview email

Give clients a sneak peek at what you have planned for 2016. Are you introducing new products? Have you grown your staff or expanded your services? Send out an email recapping 2015 and let people know what you have planned for the New Year.

Nonprofit

December is a critical month for nonprofits, especially those who rely on end-of-year giving to reach their fundraising goals.

Use these five ideas for nonprofits:

Thank you message

Don’t miss the chance to say thank you to all the people who have contributed to your success in 2015. Send a thank you message to everyone on your email list, or create a personalized thank you message for all the different groups of people that you work with.

Recurring giving

December is a great time to highlight the different giving programs you have available for 2016. Tap into the giving season and set your organization up for success in the New Year by encouraging people to become recurring donors.

Holiday gift guide

There are a number of ways nonprofits can offer gift ideas for the holiday season.

Massachusetts animal rescue organization, Fairy Dogparents, sells gifts like bottles of wine and candles that include the Fairy Dogparents logo, which benefit their organization. Gorilla Doctors, an organization that works in areas of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, puts out an annual calendar as a way to raise proceeds.

You can also encourage people to sponsor a donation as a gift to a friend or family member.

These are just 9 ideas for last minute holiday email marketing. For even more, along with great examples, head on over to Constant Contact.

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