Throughout every year, there are many events and days where causes are recognised or celebrated that offer opportunities for brands to engage with their customers. 

Klaviyo – an intelligent marketing automation platform – has created the ultimate calendar with more than 150 key e-commerce dates to consider when planning and executing your year-long marketing strategy. Earlier this month, we shared how brands can integrate these events into their annual marketing plan, using email, SMS and mobile push functions in Klaviyo’s platform. 

This time, we have selected five great opportunities during the first half of the year with insider tips on how brands can build communications and promotions around them to enhance customer engagement and drive conversions. 

1. Valentine’s Day – February 14

Valentine’s Day is one day a year when couples celebrate their love – across all genders and age demographics. Last year, Australian consumers spent nearly $500 million on Valentine’s Day gifts with a significant share of that transacted online.

Further to the above, Klaviyo data reflects high click rates and revenue per recipient for both Valentine’s Day-themed email campaigns and SMS campaigns, the latter reflecting click rates as high as 20 per cent.

Whether your business sells jewellery, apparel, accessories, confectionery, cakes, flowers – or something completely different – Valentine’s Day marks a great opportunity to get your products in front of your customers and contacts. 

Insider tip: You can boost your email open rates by highlighting a seasonal bonus in your email subject line. Make sure the offer is clear and eye-catching to your customers, such as a free tote bag with a minimum purchase of confectionery, or specially packaged cookies, for example. Klaviyo customers have reported a significantly higher open rate from deploying this strategy. 

2. International Women’s Day – March 8

International Women’s Day is growing to become one of the biggest events on the global gender equality calendar – and increasingly extending beyond one single day to a month-long theme. There are growing calls for “less talk and more action” surrounding women’s rights, especially in the workforce, so it is important to be on the right side of the conversation whatever promotional strategies you adopt. 

Besides income equality issues, the day is also about recognising the contributions and achievements of women throughout society. When you reach out to the women on your list, make sure your message leaves them feeling valued and important.  

Insider tip: Don’t make this important date only about boosting sales. This communication is about positioning your brand as embracing equality, recognising equal opportunities and empowering women. By positioning yourself in the right light, loyalty, engagement and empathy towards your brand will naturally grow, helping to build long-term customer relationships and optimising customer lifetime value. 

3. April Fool’s Day – April 1

April Fool’s Day is a time to have fun – when you can shed the usual restraints of truth in marketing (with caution) and engage with customers in a wholly different way. Look to connect with playful humour. Consider ‘launching’ a new collaboration or perhaps a product colourway no one might be expecting. 

The cheekier your brand voice is, the more it might make sense to do something really over the top – but a jokey email that pulls an April Fools’ Day prank on your audience may not be right for every brand. 

Many consumers eagerly await April 1 every year to see what brands – and media – are going to “announce”. Fast-food giants might reveal improbable flavours and consumer product companies link to websites designed to promote a product that never existed – with suitable exclaimers for the gullible. Consumers are in the mood for a tease. 

Insider tip: Consider playing on the theme of April Fool’s Day by promoting a great deal with a theme like “this is no joke” or “not a prank”. Make sure your email stands out for its declaration of honesty and “no tricks” – reinforcing the message in the topline email heading, subheading and body copy so everyone gets the point that the sale promotion is authentic. 

4. Mother’s Day – May 12

Mother’s Day is about toasting all of the incredible women in our lives: from partners to sisters and even grandmothers. Klaviyo advises that while this marks an opportune time for relevant marketing promotions and offers, it is important to approach this date with sensitivity and give your audience a chance to opt out if they’re not ready to celebrate the day for a valid reason.

Insider tip: Consider an email campaign three days out from the date with the theme “it’s not too late” to shop online to engage customers who may have overlooked the date or not yet made a purchase. If you are confident in your shipping timelines, offer them free two-day or overnight shipping. If you cannot be sure of on-time delivery, consider items that don’t need to be shipped, like a digital gift card, for example, or an invitation to an in-store or online event. 

5. End of Financial Year (EOFY) – June 30

June 30 marks the last day of the tax year and for many self-employed people or small business owners, it can be a time of stress or anxiety. But equally, it marks the last day of the year when these people can purchase items within the tax year and potentially get a tax break. 

EOFY marketing campaigns can be used both to highlight ‘last-minute’ opportunities to purchase and optimise savings and to offer a dose of retail therapy as an antidote to the EOFY blues. 

Insider tip: Why not run a flash sale that makes your customers feel like their tax refund has arrived early? Use Klaviyo’s customisable in-built campaign flows to build a campaign starting a week or more out from June 30, and follow up with additional offers right up to the date itself. This is a great time to incorporate a countdown flow, reminding customers how long they have left to make those final purchases for the year – and achieve those valuable cost savings. 

Ready to deeply engage with your customers all year long? Download Klaviyo’s free e-commerce marketing calendar with 150+ key dates today.