Listrak’s approach to AI2 integrates artificial intelligence and actual intelligence to create a seamless, omnichannel experience for retail customers. Together, our seasoned team of Account Managers, Digital Strategists, and Project Managers comprise the latter component of AI2 to offer insightful strategies for your marketing campaigns. Here are a few tips they recommend you follow for a successful holiday this year.
Unwrap: Today’s Digital Best Practices

Account Services

• Analyze last year’s holiday email performance data to help optimize your 2018 campaigns.
• Increasing your send volume during the holidays is a given, but it can take a hit on your unsub rate. Inform your subscribers in August and September, and create an opt-down page to help decrease the total number of unsubs.
• Listrak’s Popup Pro offers a “maybe later” button feature. This is a great way to allow your shoppers to see your popup offer when it’s most relevant to them - later in their shopping experience. This functionality may help save sales.
• Set up an automated, re-engagement campaign to keep your site traffic engaged. Work closely with your Account Manager and the Deliverability Team to ensure messages are deployed at the proper cadence.
• Gift guides are a must-click for shoppers. Send a series of emails promoting yours, highlighting a product that is showcased through relevant content. Create a webpage specifically dedicated to the gift guide with all the products available to buy from the email series using Listrak’s Product Recommendations.
• Mystery code campaigns still see a lot of success. Hold off showing the potential discounts the shopper could receive until they reach their shopping cart. This is a great way to drive click rates, cart totals (for SCA), and revenue.
• It’s an omnichannel holiday. Maximize engagement with browsers and subscribers in their preferred channel – Email, SMS, Social, Direct Mail.

Unwrap: New Opportunities & Actionable Strategies

Strategy Services

• Begin split testing subject lines, pre-header text, and calls to action. The more data you have available, the better it is to ensure holiday success.
• Split test sale messages now for time-of-day success so you know the best time to send on those important dates during the holidays.
• Use Send Time Optimization for top-of-the-inbox placement. To maximize ROI, email content that isn’t necessarily time-sensitive (non-sales) should be delivered when the subscriber is most likely to engage.
• Connect with disengaged email subscribers (those who haven’t opened in 90 days) via a different channel - SMS, Social, or Direct Mail.
• Segment and speak to disengaged, active non-purchasers, purchasers and VIPs differently using Dynamic Content, Product Recommendations and Predictive Content.
• Use Dynamic Content with contact behavior filters to show similar products purchased to customers based on what they previously purchased, especially if they are on sale for the holiday.

Unwrap: Insights to Engage & Convert

Professional Services

• Increase your deliverability to the inbox by ensuring your branding settings and authentication is working correctly before the holidays.
• Test your messages to make sure they render correctly and that all the links and images are going to the correct landing pages.
• Swap usual email templates with holiday-themed ones - but stick to your brand.
• Have fun with a themed hashtag. Engage with your customers across your social channels by encouraging them to post pictures of their festivities and tagging your holiday-themed hashtag.
• Be intentional with your CTAs. Make sure emails aren't cluttered with too many options so shoppers will feel confident on where to go for the best holiday deals.
• Inboxes are filled with holiday sales and greetings. Consider how well you can stand out from all the other subject lines to increase open rates.
• Keep it simple. While holiday cheer is lovely, don't lose your brand and products in the message. A few small touches go a long way.
• Drive traffic instore and increase your bottom line. Use Dynamic Content to match your subscriber’s location to your nearest store.
• Use Listrak Conductor to create a countdown conversation that leads up to a holiday sale. The conversation can have the customers wait, and then pulled out with child threads when they show activity.