Cyber Monday Subject Lines Keep Pace with Black Friday Emails
- Author:
- Amy Tierney
- Source:
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Following a weekend of strong sales, retailers launched a number of online promotions tied to “Cyber Monday” to draw buyers. And a fair number of companies incorporated those words as part of their subject line strategies to further entice shoppers.
According to Email Institute, 19.4% of 180 online and brick-and-mortar retailers surveyed include the words “Cyber Monday” — the nickname given to the Monday following Thanksgiving—in the subject lines of emails sent from Nov. 27 and Nov. 29. The result? Retailers seemed to have sent nearly the same amount of emails containing the words “Cyber Monday” as those that sent messages with “Black Friday” in the subject line.
A survey of the same retailers found that 20% of companies included the words “Black Friday” in the subject lines of promotional emails sent Nov. 24 to Nov. 28. Of all retailers surveyed, just seven brands—Target, Lowe’s, Sears, Staples, Bath & Body Works, Stride Rite, and Borders sent both Black Friday and Cyber Monday-branded emails.
Interestingly, three retailers—Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Belk—played off the cyber theme with their subject lines, but with a twist. Walmart and Sam’s Club, for example, include the words “Cyber Week” to support weeklong promotional offerings, while Belk launched “Cyber Sale! Online Only… EXTRA 20% off!” for its subject line.
Nearly nine in ten retailers offered special Cyber Monday promotions, roughly the same amount as last year, according to the National Retail Federation. One major difference is that some retailers offered "doorbuster sales” and more featured free shipping as incentives to drive sales, the NRF said.
But Cyber Monday isn’t just for retailers. Other industry sectors are trying to cash in on the growing trend with promotions of their own, including Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Frontier Airlines.
At a time of year when email inboxes get cluttered more than ever, email marketers should keep a few tips in mind when crafting promotional subject lines.
· Be relevant and command attention
· Include a solid call-to-action
· Consider offering a unique incentive
· Feature keywords to draw readers
· Test, test , and test your message
While keywords can do wonders to help emails stand out in an inbox, not all retailers are luring shoppers with the Cyber Monday or Black Friday terms. For example, upscale retailer Saks Inc., didn’t mention Cyber Monday in its subject line, but it offered 40% off certain select merchandise and free shipping.
