How To Prepare for Memorial Day Email Marketing Campaign

How to get the most out of a Memorial Day email marketing campaign

According to Statista, Memorial Day is one the top three most popular holidays in the US, with 77% popularity among Americans. As per Numerator, 57% of consumers celebrated it in 2024, and most of them planned to shop on the occasion. Among popular items on the shopping list are food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, decorations, party supplies, candy, and games.

For marketers, it is a perfect time to plan promotional email campaigns and generate interest. The tricky part here is to stay respectful while acknowledging the opportunity. 

Here are some useful tips to get you started.

Segment the audience

Proper email segmentation is crucial when it comes to marketing, as it can significantly boost your sales. With Memorial Day email campaigns, it’s important to consider:

• Geographic segmentation. Summer varies considerably from state to state in the United States (for instance, LA summers differ from those in Maine). Make sure your email is appropriate for all recipients by targeting different audiences. For example, no one in a region with cold weather would be happy to receive a sales email about swimwear. If you represent a global seller, geographic segmentation is also a must since Memorial Day is exclusively a US holiday.
• First-time buyers group. The larger the discount, the greater the incentive for potential customers to make their first purchase from you. Consider providing bigger discounts and offers to those email recipients who have not yet purchased from your brand to give them the necessary encouragement.
• Loyal customers segment. Don’t forget to show appreciation to your loyal customers. Offer them a gift or free shipping as a token of gratitude. This way, you can maintain a positive relationship between your brand and consumers.

Make it patriotic

To make your Memorial Day email marketing campaign more effective, consider incorporating patriotic elements. 

There are several ways to add patriotic touches to your messages. One approach is to use images of American flags, military uniforms, or other symbols like eagles, fireworks, or landmarks that represent the country’s values and history. These images can help convey a sense of patriotism and gratitude for the sacrifices made by service members.

Another way is to use national colors such as red, white, and blue in your email design. This also conveys the theme of patriotism and makes your subscribers feel connected to this special day.

Using language that celebrates the country and its values is another way to make your campaign patriotic. Consider using phrases like “Proud to be an American” or “Honoring our nation’s heroes.” These phrases can help your audience feel a sense of connection to your brand and the values it represents.

Here’s an example of what your message might look like:

Emphasize spending the weekend with loved ones

Memorial Day weekend is a time for families and friends to come together and celebrate. Your email campaign can encourage your audience to make the most of this time.

There are several ways to incorporate the theme of family and friends time into your email campaign. One approach is to promote activities or events that bring people together: local parades, barbecues, or other Memorial Day weekend events that your audience may be interested in attending.

You can also offer tips or ideas for celebrating the holiday with family and friends. For example, share recipes for Memorial Day-themed dishes or provide suggestions for outdoor games that are perfect for the long weekend.

Remember that your email campaign should ultimately tie back to your business or brand. As you emphasize spending time with loved ones, be sure to connect this theme to your products or services. For example, if you sell outdoor gear, you could promote products that are perfect for Memorial Day weekend activities like camping or hiking. That’s exactly what the Cotopaxi company did:

Optimize your email for mobile users

In 2024, 48% of marketers stated that most of the emails they send are opened on mobile devices. The mobile-friendly email trend is here to stay, so make sure your email is easy to access on smartphones and tablets.

There are several best practices to keep in mind when optimizing your email for mobile users:

1. Choose a simple, clean design that is easy to read and navigate on a small screen. Avoid using small fonts or graphics that may be difficult to see on a mobile device.
2. Consider the length of your email. Mobile users are often on-the-go and may not have the time or patience to read a lengthy email. Keep your content concise and to the point, and use images and bullet points to break up long blocks of text.
3. Test your email on different mobile devices before sending it out. This will help ensure that your email looks and functions as intended on a variety of devices and platforms. There are several email testing tools available that allow you to preview your email on different devices and email clients. Some popular options include Litmus and Email on Acid. Consider using a responsive email design that adjusts to the size and orientation of the device being used to view it.
4. Be sure to include a clear and compelling call-to-action in your email. Whether you’re promoting a sale, an event, or simply looking to build your brand, make it easy for mobile users to take the desired action. Use buttons or links that are easy to click and clearly indicate the next step.

Think about a holiday sale/offer

Discounts for special days are a great way to attract customers and drive sales. Consider offering free shipping, complimentary gifts with purchases, percentage-based discounts, or threshold offers such as “buy for $50 and get 10% off”. These promotions can help to add value to your products while motivating people to spend more.

Mark the arrival of summer

A lot of marketers tend to approach Memorial Day Weekend as the beginning of the summer with special sales and offers. Usually, this is a fashion, beauty, and accessories brand’s prerogative. In most cases, they use “Memorial Day” in the subject line but avoid relying on it too heavily in the marketing email itself. 

Take a look at the example below. Koral sent this email with the subject line “55% OFF | Kick off the Summer with Memorial Day Sale” and used the name of the holiday in their code for a discount, but other than that, it’s your regular promotional email.

Test your campaign

Before sending a Memorial Day email marketing campaign to your entire list, it is important to test it out. Take the time to send a trial run of the email to a small group of people and review the results. Marketers working with platforms like Selzy can test the layout of their emails by sending a test message to their own email addresses. This enables users to preview how an email will appear on various devices and email clients. 

Assess open rates, click-throughs, conversions and purchases for this sample to make any necessary adjustments before sending to the entire list. It is also important to review the subject line, content, images, CTAs, and overall layout of the email for accuracy. An effective way to conduct these tests is through email A/B testing. This allows you to compare two versions of an email and analyze which one performs better among your subscribers. This type of testing is important because it helps identify best practices and maximize the results of future campaigns. 

Best memorial day email examples

As Memorial Day approaches, many businesses (especially e-commerce ones) are looking for ways to show their respect for the holiday while also promoting their products or services. Below are some of the best Memorial Day email marketing ideas that will help you create meaningful messages that capture the spirit of this special holiday.

Patriotic greetings

The BEE Content Design began its email with a heartfelt greeting that acknowledges the sacrifice made by the USA military personnel. A simple “Have a meaningful Memorial Day” and “Honoring our fallen heroes” is a great start to a message. 

The company also takes a moment to share the history of Memorial Day and why it is significant. The message encourages customers to take a moment to reflect and remember those who have served and sacrificed for the country.

Sale emails

This sale email from Enesco Gift is particularly noteworthy due to the special Memorial Day discounts as well as complimentary shipping. The tone is positive and upbeat, and the flag in the background reminds you about the Memorial Day spirit. What is also noteworthy is that the message itself doesn’t go overboard — it is simple and short since the design did most of the emotional heavy lifting.

This email is a great example of how you can honor Memorial Day’s significant holiday while promoting your product.

Summertime promo emails

Since Memorial Day is often seen as the unofficial start of the summer holiday, it’s a great time to promote your summertime products or services. 

Take a look at this fun email from Lane Bryant with a summertime theme and patriotic color scheme — it subtly reminds of the Memorial Day meaning, while staying true to seasonal fun.

Emails to clients

If you have a business-to-business (B2B) company, you can still show your respect for Memorial Day with a thoughtful email to your partners — but keep the tone light. 

You can take Vineyard Vines’ email as inspiration. The brand sends its clients a non-promotional email on Memorial Day itself. The message is thoughtful and expresses the company’s respect for the holiday and those who have served. A photo of the founders is a nice personal touch — so don’t hesitate to use this, too.

Travel and adventure-themed emails

In 2024, almost 44 million U.S. travelers were forecast to take a trip during the Memorial Day holiday, as reported by Statista. So, incorporating a travel theme into your email campaign is a great idea. 

Of course, airlines or buslines are winners here, but you can use this theme with almost any product. For example, Apothékary created a list of their herbal products to help travelers get through the weekend and their journey safely.

Final thoughts

Memorial Day offers an opportunity for marketers to incorporate somber patriotic themes in their email campaigns. It’s not an easy task to keep the right tone and balance on occasions like that, so let’s review some strategic tips that can help you with holiday email marketing:

• Making it patriotic
• Emphasizing spending time with loved ones
• Optimizing for mobile users
• Thinking about a holiday sale or offer
• Properly segmenting your audience

By following these guidelines, you can create a campaign that resonates with your customers, enhances your brand image, and pays tribute to the sacrifice of those who have served.