Strategies for Irresistible Valentine's Day Emails for your E-commerce Store

Love is in the air (if you’re into that sort of thing) and while Cupid readies his arrows, your e-commerce store should be bracing for impact. 

Valentine’s spending is set to hit a record $14.2 billion this year—$9.4 billion of which is expected to be splashed on jewellery and clothing alone. But how do you make your online store stand out in a crowded inbox alongside all the retail giants? Besides splashing red and hearts across all of your marketing campaigns? 

The ticket is to craft messages that resonate, engage, and convert while encompassing all walks of love. 

Dive into the art of crafting lovely Valentine's Day emails to make your e-commerce store a go-to destination for gifting, self-love, soul-searching, and everything in between.

1. Tailor your offers

Make sure your brand stands out by offering customers more than just products. Services designed just for V-day to make gift-giving easier and as stress-free as possible will keep you in their minds for future holidays. Consider these offers:

• Complimentary gift wrapping is convenient and inexpensive. 

• Offer special V-day packaging to your customers so it looks like they’ve gone above and beyond for their loved ones while you’re doing all the work. 

• Personalisation is a great touch in gifting. Engraving, monogramming, or adding a special message—whichever applies to your brand—can transform a gift into a treasured keepsake.

• Create exclusive Valentine's bundles by pairing some of your most-viewed items with slow-moving stock. This adds value for your customers and makes the gift-buying process more simple, but it also helps optimise your inventory.

Understanding your audience is key to a successful Valentine's Day campaign. It's worth mentioning the power of segmentation in making sure the right customers receive the right line of messaging. Use insights from past purchases, preferences, and engagement to classify your audience. This way, you can send emails that always resonate.

2. Re-ignite old flames

Valentine’s Day also provides a perfect opportunity to rekindle your relationship with lapsed subscribers. Not only because it presents a chance to bring out some of your best puns in your copy, but it is a good place to start. 

Have some fun with your subject lines and inject a little bit of humour. Think “Are we breaking up?”, “This can’t be goodbye,” or “Don’t you miss us?” for some clickbait magic. Transforming churn into renewed engagement goes beyond your openers, though.

You want to make use of the theme of reconnection and second chances throughout your messaging. Clever, heartfelt copy and design will remind your former customers of the value you bring. “We've got special Valentine's treats to win you back. Let's make up and celebrate" can strike the right chord. Following this up with special offers gives subscribers an incentive to re-engage. Make it Valentine's-themed; maybe a gift with a purchase or a discount on a second item. You can offer access to limited-edition products and make your offer irresistible.

Another way to tap into Valentine’s Day’s emotional appeal is by touching your customers on a more personal level. Share stories of love and connection related to your brand or products, pushing them to reignite the spark.

But if you want to win back lapsed contacts, you need to provide value beyond the sale. Include content that enriches the Valentine's experience, like gift guides, tips for planning the perfect Valentine's Day, or how to enjoy a pampering self-care evening. 

For more insights, check out Klaviyo’s resources on customer churn rate prediction here.

3. Time Things Right

February is a short month anyway. Timing and urgency are everything. Schedule your email sendouts to coincide with key moments leading up to Valentine's Day. Start by building anticipation early in February with a teaser email, followed by introductions to your Valentine’s offerings. Increase frequency and remind your subscribers of the looming deadline, especially if you’re pushing a gift guide or Valentine’s ale. Make use of countdown timers and last-minute shipping deadlines to inject a sense of urgency.

The copy is king here. Phrases like "Last chance for guaranteed Valentine’s Day delivery!" or "24-hour flash sale for Valentine’s Day!" will motivate subscribers to take action quickly. Sending a last-minute reminder to those who may have procrastinated on their gift purchases can capture additional sales from late shoppers too. 

4. Cherish your VIPs 

Make sure your most engaged customers know just how special they are to your brand. Beyond generic promotions, create exclusive experiences that reward the loyalty of your VIPs. Do this with personalised teasers that build anticipation too. Offer sneak peeks of what’s to come, be it a V-day sale, special collection, or gift bundle, then roll out the red carpet with offers that are exclusive to your most loyal customers. 

Think along the lines of early access, additional discounts, or exclusive products and bundles only available to them. Time-sensitivity, again, will create more urgency. Hinge on clickbait and announce a “VIP-only” flash sale to prompt immediate action from your highly engaged contacts (they’re the most likely to bite, after all). Frame your copy around these deals as a token of appreciation for their support.

Make sure you’re also leveraging SMS alongside email so your messages are seen. SMS generates high open rates, especially for your most active customers. Valentine’s is a short-lived holiday anyway, so SMS is perfect for sending reminders about your sales, deals, or just to wish your VIPs a happy Valentine's Day with a personal touch.

5. Adapt Your Language

Translating your usual copy into the language of love can make all the difference. By infusing your emails with heartfelt messages and romantic flair, you're not just selling a product, you're offering a token of affection. Even if you’re celebrating self-love or tearing apart the institution of Valentine’s Day itself, using relevant and relatable language will help you connect with your audience, whoever they may be.

Take it a step further for Valentine's Day. Consider creating themed pop-ups to attract potential customers to sign up for exclusive deals or a surprise gift. A touch of Valentine's Day magic in your welcome series will make it more relevant and timely, capturing the essence of the season.

As always, design plays an important role in this transformation. Make use of pinks, reds, and white, and incorporate fun motifs like hearts or flower petals to visually communicate your message. Integrating gifs and animations will also help to capture attention while adding a playful, memorable touch to your messages.

Campaign Ideas for Going Against the Grain This Valentine’s

1. Galentine’s Day Celebration

Celebrate a different kind of love: friendship. Launch a Galentine's Day campaign and encourage your subscribers to treat their best friends with special gift bundles or product pairs. This is a good chance for a “Buy 1 Get 1 __% Off” offer or to promote a referral program.

Image source: Milled

2. Self-Love Promos

Capitalise on self-care and put together products that encourage your subscribers to pamper themselves. From luxury cosmetics to indulgent foods and self-help books to splurge-worthy accessories, this can be angled to fit any brand. Create a campaign that says it's okay to be your own Valentine.

Image source: Milled

3. Gift Guides

Valentine’s Gift Guides are great ways to push slow-moving stock and they can be repurposed everywhere. They can also be considerate of all types of love, whether you’re treating your bestie, a parent, or yourself for Valentine’s. 

Image source: Milled

Final Thoughts

This Valentine's Day, make sure love isn't just in the air—but also in the click-through. Need help crafting Valentine’s Day campaigns that convert? Book a call with our team and find out where your marketing strategy can go next.