5 Ways to Get Ahead with Your Winter Emails

October is a good time to start thinking about your winter email marketing if you haven't already. Planning now makes it much easier to create, schedule and send timely campaigns before and during the busy festive season, allowing you to work proactively and make the most of every opportunity rather than scrambling at the last minute.

Here are five simple ways to get started.

1. Plan your campaign dates

Sit down with a calendar and map out an email plan from now through to New Year. Where are the opportunities to promote products or services, share useful updates or strengthen connections with your contacts? Identify key dates and themes for your campaigns, then space your emails so they get noticed without overwhelming your audience. 

Black Friday Email Tips

2. Review your contact lists and segments

Take a moment now to tidy up your contact lists. Removing people who haven't opened your emails not only improves deliverability for future campaigns but also avoids wasting email credits on contacts who aren’t engaging. Cleaning up your lists is easy with professional email platforms like Smart Messenger and we’re here to help if you need a hand. Once your lists are clean, consider grouping contacts by interests, past purchases or previous interactions so you can send targeted messages that are more likely to perform well.

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3. Check your templates

Have a look at your current email templates. Do they have a smart, consistent design that reflects your brand and makes it easy for readers to engage with your content? If they look tired or out of sync, now is the perfect time for a refresh. A professional template can make a big difference to how your emails are received. For just £149+VAT, our design team can create one for you that hits the mark, whether it's a one-off design to use across the year or a template tailored to a specific campaign or series of emails.

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4. Create content in advance

With your email plan to hand, start drafting content for each of your winter campaigns. If you can only create the bare bones of each email at this stage, that's still worthwhile. Preparing your content early gives you time to refine ideas with colleagues, write high-quality copy and source the right images. It also helps keep your campaigns consistent, smooths approval processes and avoids a last-minute rush, reducing the risk of errors or missed opportunities when time is short.

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5. Test and schedule

Once you’ve created your campaigns, check they’re ready to send. Are your subject lines and preheaders enticing enough to get opens? Do your links work, and is your language clear and non-spammy? Send test messages to different devices and email providers to make sure everything displays correctly. Scheduling your emails in advance helps ensure they go out at the right time, keeps you organised and frees you to focus on other priorities.

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Need a Hand?

Planning and running seasonal campaigns can feel challenging but you don’t have to tackle it alone. Whether you need help with strategy, designing templates, managing contacts, creating content or scheduling your emails, our team at Smart Messenger is here to support you. We offer training, tailored advice, unlimited phone assistance and hands-on support to make sure your campaigns run smoothly and achieve the results you want.

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Ready to kickstart your marketing or inspired to explore what else you could achieve?

Our expert team are ready to help you achieve your goals – and get great results. Ask a question, book a demo or get an expert perspective today.