Resources Hub » Blog » 8 Tips for Successful Valentine’s Day Campaigns

Roses are red, violets are blue, inboxes want to be in on the holiday, too!

If you want to create a successful Valentine’s Day email campaign, you need to stand out from the crowd. More than that: you need to provide subscribers with content they won’t find anywhere else.

Marketing for this holiday already tiptoes on the line of cheesy, but In this post, we’ll break down a few tips for creating a successful Valentine’s Day campaign.

9 tips for a successful Valentine’s Day campaign

National Retail Federation (NRF) says American consumers are expected to spend $19.6 billion celebrating Valentine’s Day this year with each individual dishing out an average of $143.56.

Who will spend the most? Millennials aged 25 to 34. They’ll spend over $202 per person on average.

But Valentine’s Day isn’t just about flowers and chocolates anymore. People, especially young consumers, are looking for interesting and unique ways to share the holiday with people they care about.

At the same time, your marketing (especially for millennials) needs to be on-point. These tips can help you create unique and interesting Valentine’s Day campaigns for your brand.

1. Now’s the time to play up your niche.

Now is not the time to throw that same old coupon at the wall with a “Happy Valentine’s Day” message and hope it sticks. Why should subscribers care about what you have to offer over everyone else in their inbox?

Valentine’s Day is a good opportunity to test the waters with unique combinations of products or services you normally wouldn’t offer, such as a complimentary Lyft or Uber ride when subscribers RSVP for their Valentine’s Day dinner at your restaurant.

Roadshow knows their audience well. This email takes a totally different route than traditional Valentine’s emails with specially tailored movie suggestions and a fun quiz.

niche marketing

Source: Really Good Emails

2. Segment your subscriber list.

Be intentional about the information you collect from your subscribers when they opt in. From there, break up your subscriber list into segments to create Valentine’s Day campaigns that offer unique specials and content for each group.

It’s much easier to cater to the specific needs of, say, ten people rather than ten thousand. Plus, according to research from Campaign Monitor, segmented campaigns deliver 760% more revenue than bulk emails. Win-win.

This Valentine’s Day email from Francesca’s is segmented based on the subscriber’s behavior. It contains products (rompers) that she’s viewed in the past.

segmented subscriber list

Source: Pinterest

3. Encourage self care.

There are more single adults in the U.S. and world today than ever before—and experts believe that number is only going to increase. It’s difficult to track how many adults aren’t in a relationship, but we do know that about half of the American adult population is not married.

When it comes to your Valentine’s Day campaigns, keep in mind that a lot of subscribers are happily single. And even if they aren’t, they probably don’t want apologetic emails that attempt to make them feel sorry for themselves. (Not to mention that January is the most common month to file for divorce.)

Instead, be straightforward, uplifting, generous, or even decadent. Many people may feel compelled to dish out extra money on themselves for the holiday if they don’t have to spend money on a partner. Others may look at Valentine’s Day as a good opportunity to give back to their favorite NGOs.

This email from Basic Outfitters uses neutral language to simply inform readers about their Valentine’s Day sale. As a bonus, it provides the reader with VIP access to give off an exclusive feel.

self care

Source: Milled

4. Highlight urgency.

Valentine’s Day sneaks up pretty fast after the dust starts to settle on Christmas and the holiday season.

This holiday is a great chance to highlight last-minute gifts, easy-to-purchase products, and other deals that create some kind of urgency. Use an understanding tone that lets readers know you’re here to help—not give them a guilt trip or send them into a panic.

Field Notes Brand strays from the standard “Act now” or “Time is running out” phrases to create urgency. Using witty copy, they successfully inform readers about their one-day sale that won’t come around again until next year.

urgency marketing

Source: Really Good Emails

5. Don’t underestimate the power of copy.

Think your business just isn’t suited to run Valentine’s Day promotions? Think again. With the right copy, you can promote just about anything.

Use this as an opportunity to help make your subscriber’s lives easier.  75% of millennials around the world work at least 40 hours each week, so they’re a great target market for basic repair or home delivery companies.

Offer discounts on basic car maintenance services as gift cards. Hold an event like a crash-course in basic home electricity night for couples or roommates.

Just make sure to make your subscribers feel valued and cared for through your copy, and stray away from a condescending tone.

Source: Really Good Emails

This email from Paper and Stitch offers unique content specifically for Valentine’s Day without any clichés. The copy is perfect for engaging readers because it’s written with a conversational tone instead of talking at subscribers.

6. Acknowledge different types of love.

Going back to that press release from the NRF, you’ll see that for large portions of the population, Valentine’s Day isn’t only about romantic love—it’s an opportunity to show people you care.

American consumers that celebrate Valentine’s Day are expected to spend

  • $3.5 billion on family members including children and parents.
  • $991 million on teachers.
  • $982 million on friends.
  • $654 million on coworkers.

This is good news for you as a marketer because it means you can branch out your Valentine’s Day campaigns to create content for these different groups. See? You have no need to send that generic heart emoji message.

This email from WWT uses vague terminology like “the nature lover in your life” to encourage people to purchase its cute kit for friends and family members as well.

Image Source: Pinterest

7. Use the holiday as a chance to show your appreciation.

We already talked about different types of love and appreciation, but what about the love you have for your loyal subscribers and customers? Valentine’s Day is a perfect chance for you to give back.

Segment your list based on past behavior or purchases. Offer unique coupons, special deals, or even free products to different groups based on what you think they’d appreciate.

Source: Milled

This email from Hanna Andersson opens with the statement, “We’re feelin’ the love” and provides subscribers with hefty 25% and 50% discounts to show appreciation.

8. Boost your re-engagement potential.

Do you have subscribers who opened your email campaigns a few times and never clicked that sweet button? Let them know there’s still time to get in a last minute purchase.

Likewise, you could also take this opportunity to clean out your subscriber list. Offer a free product or nice coupon with a, “We miss you” message or something similar and see what happens. If they still don’t open or bite, maybe it’s time to break up.

Emails like this one from DSW are perfect for having those difficult conversations with your subscribers.

boost re-engagement

Source: Pinterest

Wrap up

Sticking with tried and true tactics for your Valentine’s Day campaigns will probably deliver lackluster results. If you want to break through the noise, you need to do more than add a heart emoji to your email subject line. You need to provide subscribers with a unique way to show other people they care.

By gaining a solid understanding of your audience, developing unique campaigns for different segments, and focusing on what makes your business stand out, you can successfully engage your audience while building some brand awareness and loyalty. (And cashing in on some of that $19.6 billion is nice, too.)

Need some help segmenting your audience and creating customized campaigns for Valentine’s Day? Check out some of our features to see how Campaign Monitor can help.

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This blog provides general information and discussion about email marketing and related subjects. The content provided in this blog ("Content”), should not be construed as and is not intended to constitute financial, legal or tax advice. You should seek the advice of professionals prior to acting upon any information contained in the Content. All Content is provided strictly “as is” and we make no warranty or representation of any kind regarding the Content.
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