One idea is to look at your email marketing campaign as being something more than a last push for year-end sales. It can also be a way to cement relationships with customers during the end of year festive season and as you look into the new year.

With that in mind, here are some holiday email campaign practices for competing in a crowded holiday season inbox.

1. Use email to communicate after the sale

Emails should not just be about lead or sale generation; they are also a way to build a post-purchase relationship. You can use email throughout the customer journey, including shipping, tracking, returns and reorders.

Many customers will appreciate a short thank-you email and an offer to help them with any queries or support requests, especially if there are no other strings attached. You can also send these emails after Christmas, so the customer starts 2021 thinking about your brand.

2. Cater to the last-minute shopper

Many people run out of time to buy gifts for their loved ones and need help at the last minute. You can help them to solve their problem by sending a mailer out detailing top-selling gifts for a range of audiences.

If you can wrap the gifts and get them delivered on time, you can earn lifetime loyalty from a customer who was worried that they could not get their shopping done on time.

3. Promote your gift cards or vouchers

A digital gift card can be especially handy for the last-minute shopper. It may not be considered a particularly unique gift option, but it offers instant gratification because it can be bought and shipped instantly via email or download.

Rather than neglecting the gift card, why not make it the hero of one of your promotions as the clock ticks down to Christmas? And the receiver can choose a gift of something special they wanted.

4. Use referrals

You could reward repeat buyers or first-time holiday purchasers by sending a follow-up email offering an exclusive referral reward. The reward could come in the form of a discount code, two for one offer, free shipping on their next purchase or a small cash-back — the choice is yours.

By prompting existing holiday customers to encourage their friends or relatives to subscribe to your email list, you can create a larger and more engaged audience to target when the next holiday season rolls around.

5. Share Christmas tips and ideas

Rather than doing a hard product sale, you could send out an industry-relevant tips email. For instance, you can offer a buyer's guide to the best smartphones for teens, if you're a technology reseller.

An artisanal bakery could offer recipe ideas for Christmas day, while a boutique could do a rundown of the expected fashion trends of the new year. This sort of content can engage a customer's interest and plant a seed for a later sale, even if they aren't planning to buy right now.

6. Care for your customers

Your customers may be feeling bruised and delicate after a difficult 2020, so they will appreciate mails this year that show real insight into and concern about their needs.

Rewarding loyal customers and surprising new customers with exclusive content and incentives can be a good way to help keep your holiday email recipients coming back for more.

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