Design and strategy inspiration from the biggest send day of the year
Anyone who works in the wonderful world of email knows Cyber Monday is kind of like every marketer's Super Bowl. In fact, shoppers spent over $840 million on Cyber Monday in 2017, making it the biggest year ever. That kind of pressure (and opportunity) means brands big and small had to do everything they could to stand out in the inbox – and this year's batch of emails didn't disappoint. And while 64% of shoppers were on a mobile device last year, email marketing is more crucial than ever.
One note, though: “Cyber Monday” as an insular, one-day event doesn’t seem to be a thing anymore. In fact, I can’t think of a single brand that actually waited until Monday to start their big sales. Many brands began their big promos as early as November 1, proving that traditional sales holidays are beginning to blur into entire seasons.
So with that in mind, here are some emails to inspire you for Cyber Monday, no matter how you plan to celebrate. Kick back and feast your eyes on these top-notch emails!
1. Allivet
Some of my favorite emails are the most unexpected.
For retailers like J. Crew and Kate Spade, animation and cheeky imagery are table stakes for a big email day like Cyber Monday. But I wasn't expecting something like this from Allivet, an online pet pharmacy that typically sends pretty generic emails. They went all-out on their Cyber Monday campaign, utilizing an eye-catching animated banner up top and that incredible photo of a puppy in VR goggles.
10/10 on this one, team.
2. Moment
It's a marketer's worst nightmare: Something goes wrong with your site on the biggest online shopping day of the year. But the team at Moment pivoted beautifully from their mishap with this lovely "oops" email that apologized for the issues and extended their sale.
3. Etsy
In a sea of crowded messages, we loved how Etsy kept it simple with a bold headline and clear CTA. It's something many brands could stand to learn: Instead of cramming every single offer and product into your email, simply tease your subscribers with the most important part of your message and entice them to click through to learn more.
Source: Really Good Emails
4. Bite Squad
People tend to hate or love this type of tongue-in-cheek promo, and our team leans toward the latter. Rather than running any sort of actual deal, the folks at Bite Squad offered 0% off and encouraged people to order food at normal prices. It was definitely a way to stand out – enough so that this email got forwarded around our team several times before the day was over.
5. The/Studio
To be fair, we like pretty much any email with robots. But this one was especially stylish, with that amazing hero image, contrasting CTA button, and clean, mobile-friendly template.
6. Element
Again, often less is more. Element kept their Cyber Monday campaign light on copy, opting instead for a tile format that was easy to scan and quickly navigate. Remember: On busy sales days like Cyber Monday, your recipients most likely aren't actually reading your email. Catch their attention as quickly as possible if you want to inspire action.
7. Blue Apron
Blue Apron is king of the GIF, and they did an especially wonderful job using one to their advantage in their Cyber Monday email. As a food delivery service, it was the perfect way to tie their offerings to the big day and keep their messaging timely.
Image: Really Good Emails
8. Nest
Our big winner for the best Cyber Monday campaign in 2017? Nest, by a landslide.
It's honestly unfair to compare most brands to Nest when it comes to email marketing, yet here we are. Their team leads the way when it comes to email design and innovation, so of course they pulled out all the stops and sent an interactive email. Recipients could add items to their shopping cart directly from their inbox – a neat feature that significantly elevated their brand experience.
The moral here? Invest your time and resources into email. Sure, it's easy to drum up a decent email, and chances are good it will perform decently well. But since so few brands actually take the time to truly optimize their email marketing, making it a priority is a simple way to stand apart from competitors and produce massive results.
9. TunnelBear
Because your readers are receiving so many emails on Cyber Monday, it's important to make sure yours stands out among the rest. TunnelBear displays the value of adding a little fun (and pun!) to your copywriting. There's nothing like seeing your favorite brands get into the holiday spirit.
Image: Really Good Emails
10. Casper
Subject lines will also help you stand out from other messages in the inbox. This message from Casper used the subject line "zzz what's inside: Sleepy Cyber Monday sales!," and it's definitely worth the open:
Image: Really Good Emails
What are you planning to surprise your subscribers with this Cyber Monday? We're gluttons for great examples here at Emma, so please share away in the comments!
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