It always seems like, as soon as Christmas decorations come down in the stores, the aisles are magically flooded with red and pink hearts. Yep, it’s that time of year already: Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and your email marketing campaigns better be ready!

While you’re trying to decide if you really need that adorable giant teddy bear (it might be a bit too much?), your customers are figuring out what gifts to buy and how to celebrate this love-filled holiday, especially on a year marked by the uncertainty and the restrictions imposed by the pandemic.

For retailers, Valentine’s Day is a perfect occasion to use email to strengthen your relationship with your contacts and let them know you have what they’re looking for. So roll up your sleeves and start building your Valentine’s Day email campaigns now with these tips and examples!

Send a first email campaign before Valentine’s Day

Don’t be afraid to send your subscribers a sneak peek of your upcoming Valentine’s Day sale. While they may groan at the realization that the holiday is right around the corner, they’ll appreciate the reminder that they need to start shopping. Keep your first campaign simple and play with the expectation and excitement that comes with Valentine’s Day. If you start by creating a tempting first email in your festive campaign, your customers might remember your email and show more interest as the day approaches.

Example #1: The Valentine’s Day alert

This email is a great example of an initial campaign that reminds subscribers that Valentine’s Day is around the corner and that they need to start shopping.

Philosophy’s Valentine’s Day email campaign

Segment your Valentine’s Day email marketing based on activity

By now, you’ve heard us say it a million times. Segmentation is a great way to reach your audience on a more personal level. For example, you can start your Valentine’s Day campaign with a more general email about your upcoming sale to your main list, then send a campaign to the ones that converted, with some upselling or cross-selling opportunities.

Of course, segmentation is not the only way of adapting your message to your audience. You can also send personalized content by using dynamic content blocks to create sections within your email campaigns that are specifically tailored to each user. For example, a travel site could suggest subscribers’ favorite destinations as inspiration for a Valentine’s Day getaway. Don’t get too personal, though! Your users appreciate smart use of data, but showing them examples that are a little *too* close to home can come across as creepy and might make your customers uncomfortable.

Example #2: The sneak peek

This American Apparel email gives customers an overview of products both for her and for him, thus showing the brand caters for all tastes. This is the perfect way to encourage a Valentine’s Day splurge.

American Apparel’s Valentine’s Day email campaign.

Find the perfect email subject lines with A/B testing

A/B testing emails is a must for marketers. You can run tests to find the perfect Valentine’s Day email templates, to fine-tune the messaging and CTAs, or to make sure you’re putting your most eye-catching email design out there for all your contacts to see. Sometimes, there’s so much you can test that it might feel a little overwhelming. If you’re short on time, the idea of building and testing two (or more!) different email templates might be something you’re just not able to do.

Subject lines, though, are something you should always be testing – especially on big days like this one. Finding the perfect Valentine’s Day subject line is not that hard. All you’ll need is some inspiration and an A/B testing tool to test them. The A/B testing tool, for example, enables you to test up to 10 different versions of your emails.

Brainstorm some great ideas for your different campaigns or email newsletters and run A/B tests on every Valentine’s Day email marketing campaign you send out. A/B testing allows you to send different options to a fraction of your contact list to establish which one works best, and then automatically send the winning one to the rest of your list.

Leverage your order confirmation emails

Valentine’s Day is a great time to go for the upsell. It’s a time where people go all out for their significant others, so use email to make sure they are aware of all their options, even after they’ve placed an order. For example, if one of your subscribers orders a necklace, follow up with an email to let them know they can purchase matching earrings or a jewelry box to go with it. Since transactional emails have consistently higher open rates than marketing emails, you can use them to ensure your message gets to the customer.

You can also use your transactional emails to offer buyers a special deal on their next purchase. That way, your customers will be more enticed to return to your site after the Valentine’s Day excitement has calmed down. In other words, your order confirmation may be the last email a one-time customer opens from you, so make it count!

Give your procrastinators an extra nudge on Valentine’s Day

Has someone clicked through to your landing pages several times leading up to the holiday without making a purchase? You might be dealing with a classic holiday procrastinator. These shoppers are professionals at waiting until the last minute to order gifts, then trying to order something in a panic, on super short notice (and they will still expect to get them on time for Valentine’s!). So, to avoid panic and stress for everyone, let them know that all is not lost through your emails and remind them of the items that they viewed on your website.

Try retargeting the group of people on your list that has opened and clicked without making a purchase to remind them when the last day to order for Valentine’s Day delivery will be to create a sense of urgency. If they miss it, follow up with an email about same-day or next-day delivery (if you can offer it) or simply give them the opportunity to purchase a digital gift card. Your customers will appreciate the last-minute options, so that they’re not caught empty-handed when the big day arrives.

Example #3: The reminder email

This email from Birchbox reminds customers that there is limited time left to buy a gift, and provides two last-minute gift ideas to encourage potential customers to make an immediate purchase.

Birchbox’s Valentine’s Day email campaign

Show your love with a Valentine’s Day email, too

Valentine’s Day isn’t just for the couples, it’s also a great chance for you to show your subscribers how much you love them! Send them a personalized deal that will make them feel valued and special. If they’re a frequent customer, sending them a coupon for your product or service is a friendly way to remind them that you appreciate their business. For example, if you’re in the restaurant industry, try sending your most loyal customers a small discount that can be used on Valentine’s Day.

Example #4: The Valentine’s Day gift

This example shows how you can make your customers feel unique and special and encourage them to click to find out about a special something that you have in store for them.

Don’t forget those who are not in a relationship

Sure, Valentine’s is supposed to be the occasion for people to celebrate with their significant other. But what about those who are not in a relationship? We don’t want them to feel excluded, do we? Send out an email campaign encouraging your subscribers to indulge and get something for themselves.

Example #5: The treat for singles

Max&Co include in their Valentine’s email campaign a special message dedicated to singles, inviting them to treat themselves.

Max&Co’s Valentine’s Day email campaign

Summing up

We hope you’re not feeling too sappy after our love-filled email examples. Don’t miss your chance to form a love connection with your contacts this Valentine’s Day – you might even enjoy a boost in your sales!

Remember the tips:

1. Send a first email campaign before Valentine’s Day.
2. Segment your email marketing for Valentine’s Day based on activity.
3. Leverage your order confirmations.
4. Give your procrastinators an extra nudge on Valentine’s Day
5. Show your love with a Valentine’s Day email, too.
6. Don’t forget those who are not in a relationship