Caffeine Hot Shot: Expert Offers Tips On Avoiding Q2 Doldrums

Wondering how to avoid sluggish, post-holiday email metrics going into the second quarter?

Kyle Henderick, Yes Marketing’s senior director of client services, suggests using unconventional themes in email messages. That would include tying them to key dates and events. 

Here’s what worked for Yes Marketing’s clients last year, according to Henderick:  

Festivals — SXSW, Coachella and other such events generated an 18.9% open rate when used in emails in second-quarter 2018. This is 37% higher than the average business-as-usual (BAU) emails, which averaged 13.8%.

Tax Day — Tax Day-themed emails scored a 14.3% click-to-open rate (CTO) in 2018 — 55% higher than the 9.2% average CTO for BAU emails.

Earth Day — Earth Day-themed emails pulled a 4.3% conversion rate compared to the 3.7% rate for BAU emails.

Start of spring — Email focused on spring garnered a 15.1% open rate, compared to 13.8% rate for BAU emails.

And for the third quarter?  Hendricks suggests these timely themes:

Oktoberfest — Emails with this theme achieved a 22.2% open rate, vs. 13.5% or BAU emails — for a 64% difference.

National Dog Day — These emails drove an 18.6% conversion rate, compared to 4.2% for BAU messages.

Black Friday in July — Emails with this theme drew a 16.6% open rate, compared to a 13.5% rate for BAU communications.

And don’t forget National Coffee Day — In the second quarter of last year, thee caffeine-driven emails enjoyed a 23.9% CTO rate, over twice the BAU average of 10.1%.

Henderick notes that brands often need a boost going from the first quarter to the second quarter. Yes Marketing determined that ““unsubscribe rates increase dramatically during this time of year leaving marketers struggling to keep their audience engaged. Instead of getting lost in the crowded inbox, it’s time to exercise your creative muscle and think outside the box.

 

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