11 Holiday Email Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses
Try Thryv for FreeBy Tami Cannizzaro, Small Business Expert
Updated October 21, 2026 · 13 min read
Email is one of the most effective marketing channels for small businesses, and the holidays are a great time to launch an email marketing campaign.
People are online shopping and checking their inboxes for invoices and order confirmations. Why not engage them with discounts, promo codes, and updates from your company? A catchy email subject line paired with an exclusive offer is a great way to attract and retain customers during the holiday season.
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Email is one of the most effective marketing channels for small businesses, and the holidays are a great time to launch an email marketing campaign.
People are online shopping and checking their inboxes for invoices and order confirmations. Why not engage them with discounts, promo codes, and updates from your company? A catchy email subject line paired with an exclusive offer is a great way to attract and retain customers during the holiday season.
Holiday Email Marketing Strategies
Here are 11 holiday email marketing ideas for small businesses.
WATCH NOW: Best Small Business Practices During Holidays
1. Share an exclusive deal.
The holidays are one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year. It’s the perfect time to send customers an exclusive deal that motivates them to buy from your business. You could give a discount on your services or share a special deal on one of your products. Just ensure your offer is front and center so customers can easily see it and learn more with a click of a button.
Holiday Inside Tip: With inboxes more crowded than ever and attention spans even shorter, your offer must be compelling and unmistakable — e.g., “Holiday flash 48-hour offer”, “VIP bundle ends midnight”. Use dynamic countdown timers and early-access segments (e.g., loyal customers) to boost urgency.
2. Give your customers a gift.
The holidays are for gift-giving, and you can get into the season of giving with your marketing emails. Send your customers a gift, like free shipping and promo codes only available in your email newsletter. That will give existing customers a reason to keep opening your messages while enticing new customers to sign up for your emails. Your gift should be something simple to redeem and encourage people to learn more about your business, like a free quote or estimate, shipping deals, etc.
Holiday Inside Tip: Free gifts or free shipping still work — but you can layer in more value: e.g., “Gift with purchase + personalised note”, or “Pick your free gift when you purchase”. Also: consider digital gifts (downloadable, experience vouchers) for those shifting away from physical goods.
3. Wish people a happy holiday season.
Some businesses aren’t launching major holiday deals this season — but that doesn’t mean you can’t engage people via email. A simple marketing strategy is to thank your customers for their business. Send them an e-postcard or a personalized thank-you note. It will communicate your gratitude and strengthen bonds with existing customers, improving loyalty and creating repeat purchases.
Holiday Inside Tip: Not all holiday emails need to push a sale. Warm-tone, personalized cards or messages build loyalty. Make it interactive (a poll: “What’s your favourite holiday treat?”), or tie it to a cause (e.g., “We’re donating $1 per purchase this week”).
4. Distribute coupon codes.
Coupons and limited-time offers create a sense of urgency for customers. By adding a deadline, customers are more likely to take advantage of your deal because they know they must act quickly. If you give them too much time, they might find a better deal or forget about your offer.
WATCH VIDEO: Win New Customers this Holiday Shopping Season
Email is great for sharing coupons because it creates a conversion path to your website. Customers can open your email, view your coupon, and navigate to your site in seconds. That helps you advertise to people who are ready to buy but just need that last bit of motivation before they make a purchase.
Holiday Inside Tip: Coupons still work, perhaps now even more because consumers expect digital savings. But ensure your code is unique (e.g., “XMAS25 VIP”), expire soon, and track code usage. Also experiment with “smart” coupon offers (e.g., offer better discount if cart value is higher).
5. Announce seasonal offerings.
Your business might have several holiday deals you want to promote this season, and email is a great place to do it. You can use email campaigns to share your company’s latest offers and deals, like free shipping, same-day delivery, and more. Pair these messages with a product that’s on sale and add links to your website so customers can check out your online store. That will drive traffic to your site and let people know your store has special deals.
Holiday Inside Tip: Many small businesses launch special holiday services, bundles or limited-edition items. In 2025, consider emphasizing sustainability (“eco-friendly gift bundle”), or personalization (“custom monogrammed service”). Highlight shipping/lead-time details explicitly (with supply-chain concerns still in many minds).
6. Send reminders about seasonal services.
If you’re a service-based business like a dog groomer or an HVAC technician, the holidays are a good time to remind people about your seasonal services. People are busy shopping and decorating and might forget that they have to trim their dogs’ nails or turn off their pipes for the winter. A friendly email can be that gentle nudge needed to schedule an appointment with your business and book your annual services.
Holiday Inside Tip: Service businesses (HVAC, grooming, landscapers, etc.) should leverage the holidays to remind customers of upcoming needs: “Before the holidays, get your home ready”, “Holiday pet grooming appointments run out fast”. Also link to online booking for convenience.
7. Promote an event.
The holidays are an excellent time to host an event, like a party or a trade show with other businesses. You can leverage email to invite more people to your events by sending them tickets and updates leading up to it. Even if it’s free, sending people complimentary tickets makes them feel like they’re part of an exclusive group, and they’ll be more likely to attend your event if your company directly invites them.
Holiday Inside Tip: Holiday events still draw traffic. Consider hybrid in-store + online (e.g., virtual tasting, live demo). Use the email to send the invitation, RSVP link, and then follow-up reminders. Use personalisation (“we reserved a spot for you”).
8. Follow up with customers after the holidays.
The holidays are busy for everyone, and some customers might not have as much time to read emails until after the holiday season. If you work in a B2B setting, some of your customers might not be online because they’re using the season to take time off and unplug from email, phone, and other work distractions. Sending these customers an email during the holidays is ineffective because they aren’t looking for advertisements from your company. Instead, it’s better to wait until the holiday season ends so you can engage these customers when you have their full attention.
Holiday Inside Tip: The period immediately after the holidays is undervalued. Consider sending “thank you” packages, surveys (“how did we do this season?”), or “New Year reset” offers. Also use it to ask for referrals or reviews now when goodwill is high.
9. Promote your newest products.
Many businesses launch new products during the holiday season to excite customers and increase sales. The holidays are all about buying the latest and greatest gifts, and releasing a new version of your product is an effective way to generate revenue. Distribution channels like email can promote these products and increase interest in your brand. Email is a great platform for showcasing new products because you can include images, videos, and testimonials from customers who are happy with your business.
WATCH NOW: Reach More Customers this Holiday Season
Holiday Inside Tip: Launching new products/services during the holidays can capture the gift-buying mindset. But standing out means telling a fresh story — use short video, GIF in email, or user.
10. Spread some holiday cheer.
When it comes to the holidays, it’s easy to get lost in deals, coupons, and exclusive offers. But, sometimes, just some good old-fashioned content marketing is an excellent way to engage your customer base. You could write blog posts, shoot videos, or record personalized messages and send them to your customers to spread a little cheer. Not only does this increase brand awareness, but it makes you appear more personable and easier to work with on contracts and projects.
Holiday Inside Tip: Beyond sales, stories matter. Share behind-the-scenes moments (“how our team is preparing”), philanthropic acts (“we’re donating X meals”), or interactive content (“vote for our holiday design”). These build emotional connection and brand loyalty.
11. Update your schedule.
Updating your holiday schedule is important because most businesses take time off or use special holiday hours. Even if you plan on leaving for the holidays, you should still communicate that to your customers. Let them know your new hours and days you won’t be available. That will encourage customers to buy from you before you go on vacation and give them an alternative way to contact you while you’re away.
Holiday Inside Tip: Customers expect clarity. If you have holiday hours, shipping cut-offs, lead times, or altered availability, put this front and center. Also consider “last ordering day for holiday delivery” and “we’ll be closed” notices. In 2025, many buyers will plan earlier, so sending a “Prepare now” email in late November can pay off.
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Creating a Holiday Email Marketing Campaign
If you want to promote your business this holiday season, then email is one of the best ways to do it. Email lets you control when and where your messages are sent, and most people check their inboxes daily. Use these tips to craft a click-worthy marketing campaign and generate more revenue for your business during the holidays.