DALLAS, TX — July 29, 2009 — According to Epsilon’s Holiday Trend Report multichannel marketers incorporating triggers, advanced analytics, testing messages and subject lines and utilizing data are the most successful at breaking through the holiday clutter and connecting with customers to drive revenue. Based on analysis of the 2008 holiday season, the research shows that specific days and weeks led to marketing campaigns with more opens, clicks and conversions.
According to Kevin Mabley, SVP of Strategic Services at Epsilon, “The findings of our Holiday Trend Report are a valuable guide for multichannel marketers facing a similarly challenging economic environment in 2009. With tighter budgets, consumers will respond well to deals and offers early in the season and leading up to the holidays. Retailers are competing for consumer attention both online and offline so a detailed, thoughtful approach will improve marketing efforts.”
Key findings from the Holiday Trend Report include:
Multichannel
- Seasonality of the consumer market shows lower holiday spending in 2008, compared to the previous three years.
- Call center/mail order sales declined the week of Thanksgiving and reached their peak the following week. Online and search and affiliate channels behaved similarly with a peak in week 50 (two weeks after Thanksgiving), whereas retail spiked in week 51.
- Online sales showed the strongest growth from 2007 to 2008 across all regions of the country and in most regions online was the only channel with growth.
Email
- Email volume was particularly high on Tuesdays and Fridays, also the peak revenue days for the season.
- Heaviest holiday email volume targeted late season shoppers in the second and third weeks in December when both opens and clicks were at low points. This reflects a “last-chance” push by marketers.
- Opens and clicks were generally higher in 2008 than in 2007, likely due to the economic climate and bargain hunting.
- Holiday click rates spiked on Cyber Monday, the first Monday after Thanksgiving, and then trailed off. Conversions spiked the week before Christmas, four weeks after click-throughs peaked.
- In both 2007 and 2008, early season purchases were larger than late season purchases.
“It’s not too late to improve your multichannel marketing strategy for the upcoming holiday season. A clear understanding of what worked in previous years and the optimal timing and channel for consumers will enable a more targeted approach and a successful season this winter,” said Mabley.
Tips for multichannel marketers as they plan for the 2009 Holiday Season:
- Effective holiday email marketing campaigns are sent earlier in the season, especially for big-ticket items. Triggered campaigns may be used to target consumers who demonstrated early season interest by following up with a combination of brand-building and hard-offer message.
- Cross channel promotion will drive messaging and connect with customers through different vehicles during this critical period. Successful campaigns use direct mail and the internet to drive store traffic and store display to encourage incremental online shopping. Offers should emphasize all points of purchase.
- Carefully crafted messaging that focuses on the concept of “gifting” will make the most of the timeframe when customers are shopping for someone else. Use email and direct mail that provides gift suggestions such as “The Top Gifts of 2009.”
- Viral promotions spread the word quickly and effectively through influencers and loyal customers. A friends and family promotion or holiday sweepstakes can expand marketing reach. Let your customers spread holiday promotions through social media.
- Offering a deal of the day or special daily offers may bring about ongoing engagement throughout the holiday season. Free shipping and targeted sales promotions are a must to remain competitive.
- Clearly communicating shipping deadlines provide an opportunity to connect with last minute shoppers and create a sense of urgency. As another late season tactic, focus on consumer procrastination and smaller ticket items that increase the likelihood for impulse buying. Include cross-sell opportunities to mitigate the lower transaction amounts.
The Holiday Trend Report examined more than 640 million email messages from more than a dozen companies from October, November and December 2008. The findings also reflect a segment of historical purchasing activity from the Abacus Cooperative database from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2008. Additional in-depth information about the Holiday Trend Report can be found at
www.epsilon.com/pr/HolidayTrendReport.
