Summary of Episode 58: Sending Emails During the Holiday Season

The Email Sound Booth with Liz Wilcox is a podcast dedicated to helping online businesses enhance their email marketing strategies. In Episode 58, titled "Sending Emails During the Holiday Season," released on December 4, 2024, host Liz Wilcox delves into the nuanced topic of managing email campaigns amidst the unique challenges and opportunities that the holiday season presents.

1. Introduction to Holiday Email Strategies

Liz opens the episode by addressing a frequently asked question from her listeners: "How should I approach sending emails during the holiday season?" She emphasizes the variability in strategies, stating, "The answer is like, it depends. [...] this is totally up to you" (00:30). Traditionally, Liz advocates for maintaining a consistent email schedule—once a week without exception. However, she acknowledges that the holiday period is an exception, urging listeners to prioritize what "feels good to you."

2. Liz’s Personal Holiday Email Approach

Sharing her recent experiences, Liz explains her decision to alter her usual email cadence during the holidays. After conducting a "giant Black Friday sale" complemented by daily emails, she chose to take a week off from her standard newsletter to avoid email fatigue among her subscribers. "I can tell by my open rates that my email list is tired of hearing about me," she notes (02:15).

Instead of her regular Tuesday newsletter, Liz introduces her "12 Days of Lismas" campaign, spanning from December 9th to December 20th. This initiative features daily emails highlighting her favorite products, collaborators, and exclusive discounts. Additionally, recognizing the intensity of Q4 email activity, Liz plans to pause all non-essential emails for the remainder of the year to recharge. She humorously describes her post-email routine: "I just veg out on the couch, I binge watch reality shows, I stay up late, I sleep in late." (04:00).

3. Community Feedback and Diverse Approaches

Liz actively engages with her community, particularly her Facebook group, Email Sound Booth, to gather insights on how other email marketers handle the holiday season. The feedback showcases a spectrum of strategies:

• Selective Sending: One member shares, "I send if I'm inspired. I only don't send on Christmas and the day after Christmas," and mentions running a successful promotion between December 28th and January 3rd (05:10).

• Increased Activity: Another participant, whose business isn't her full-time occupation, opts to "send more emails because I have more time to work on my business" during the holidays (05:30).

• Delayed Campaigns: A business owner states, "I don't do Black Friday, but a week or two after Black Friday I send more emails and their sales emails work really well for me," indicating a preference for post-Black Friday engagement (05:50).

• Extended Breaks: Someone else mentions going offline entirely from December 19 to January 12, choosing to focus on rest and personal time (06:10).

• Special Promotions: Another member highlights their focus on Christmas-related content and a live mini-class during midwinter, effectively "sending extra emails about that" (06:30).

These diverse approaches underscore Liz's initial assertion that holiday email strategies are highly personal and should align with individual business needs and capacities.

4. Insights and Recommendations

Drawing from her own practices and community feedback, Liz offers several key takeaways for managing email marketing during the holidays:

• Flexibility is Key: There's no one-size-fits-all strategy. Businesses should assess their capacity and audience engagement levels to determine the best approach.

• Permission to Pause or Accelerate: Liz reinforces the notion that marketers have the autonomy to either decrease or increase their email activity based on their unique circumstances. "If you need permission to send more emails during this time because you have more time off or you want to do a 12 days of deals or whatever, here's your permission slip for that," she encourages (07:00).

• Prioritize Well-being: Recognizing the burnout potential from constant emailing, Liz advocates for taking necessary breaks to recharge. This not only benefits the marketer but also maintains the quality of engagement with the audience.

• Leverage Special Campaigns: Initiatives like Liz's "12 Days of Lismas" can create excitement and drive sales, capitalizing on the festive spirit and consumer readiness to spend.

5. Conclusion and Encouragement

Liz wraps up the episode by wishing her listeners well for the holiday season, emphasizing the importance of enjoyment and not overcomplicating email strategies. "Have fun," she advises, "Don't make it too difficult for yourself." She reiterates the flexibility of email marketing approaches during this period, ensuring that whether one chooses to intensify their email campaigns or take a step back, their decision is valid and supported.

Liz signs off with her signature positivity: "As always, you are awesome," leaving her audience motivated and empowered to tailor their email strategies to best fit their holiday goals and personal well-being.

Notable Quotes:

• "The answer is like, it depends. [...] this is totally up to you." — Liz Wilcox (00:30)
• "I can tell by my open rates that my email list is tired of hearing about me." — Liz Wilcox (02:15)
• "I just veg out on the couch, I binge watch reality shows, I stay up late, I sleep in late." — Liz Wilcox (04:00)
• "If you need permission to send more emails during this time because you have more time off or you want to do a 12 days of deals or whatever, here's your permission slip for that." — Liz Wilcox (07:00)
• "Have fun. Don't make it too difficult for yourself." — Liz Wilcox (07:50)
• "As always, you are awesome." — Liz Wilcox (08:00)

This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for email marketers navigating the complexities of the holiday season, offering both strategic advice and empathetic understanding of the marketer's experience.