How to Use Email Marketing to Cut Through Holiday Noise
The end of the year creeps in with inboxes groaning under the weight of ‘unmissable’ offers. Black Friday! Cyber Monday! Free shipping—but only if you order before 2 pm, on the 18th, and can get through the flashing countdown timer first.
The holiday inbox has become a crowded marketplace of urgency and exclamation points. With so many emails shouting the same thing, how do you get heard? Our answer: stop shouting.
Why personalisation matters more than ever
During the holidays, attention is the rarest commodity. And while it’s tempting to go big and broad, personalisation wins. Klaviyo’s 2024 Holiday Email Marketing Insights show that personalised subject lines increase open rates by 26% and personalised product recommendations see a 50% higher click-through rate (CTR).
That means when brands treat their audience like individuals, not email addresses, they stand out. It’s not about inserting a first name in the subject line (that doesn’t hurt, though); it’s about sending something thoughtful and meant for them.
The holidays are emotional—they’re nostalgic, stressful, and sentimental, all in one. When your brand can meet someone in that space with relevance and empathy, you’re not just driving clicks, you’re building trust.
Segment smarter, not harder
One of the biggest misconceptions about personalisation is that it takes a massive amount of data. In reality, it's about how you use the information you already have.
Platforms like Mailchimp and Klaviyo make segmentation surprisingly easy:
Purchase behaviour: tailor your message based on what someone bought last year (or didn’t)
Engagement level: send your most loyal subscribers early access to holiday drops, and re-engage quiet ones with softer storytelling.
Location: adjust send times or imagery based on hemisphere—no one in New Zealand wants an email about cosy sweater weather in December.
In simple terms, focus on getting the right message to the right person, at the right time.
Think like a friend, not a salesperson
The most successful holiday emails often read less like a pitch and more like a conversation. Instead of leading with 20% off everything, think about what your customer actually needs help with right now.
A few timeless tactics that work:
Curated gift guides: ‘What to get the person who says they don’t want anything’ is still gold. Make it genuinely helpful, not just a product dump.
Early access: position it as a thank you to your community, not a ploy for urgency.
Gentle urgency: a reminder that shipping deadlines are looming, not a flashing countdown clock.
Storytelling-driven CTAs: Tell a short story, then invite people to be a part of it.
In a season of sameness, humanity is a differentiator.
Real-world inspiration
Allbirds keeps things simple: warm copy, neutral design, and genuinely useful gift ideas based on past purchase behaviour. Their emails feel like advice from a friend who has impeccable taste.
Glossier leans into community—their ‘Top Shelf’ gift emails highlight customer favourites, not just products. It feels social, not salesy.
Brands use personalisation differently, but the thread is the same: restraint, clarity, and tone that feels human.
Data meets empathy
The best personalisation happens when data and empathy meet in the middle. You can automate all you like, but if your content lacks warmth, it still lands flat.
That’s why the most effective brands use tools like Mailchimp’s predictive analytics or Klaviyo’s behavioural flows without losing the human voice. The technology simply frees up marketers to focus on what really matters: understanding their audience.
And if you need a practical filter, try this: before you hit send, read your email out loud. Would you actually say it to a customer face-to-face? If not, back to the draft.
The takeaway
The brands that win the inbox this December won’t be the loudest; they’ll be the most personal. The holiday emails that convert don’t shout ‘SALE!’; they whisper, we get you. It’s about relevance.
So while everyone is scheduling their seventh final reminder email of the week, be the brand that sends something someone actually wants to open.
