10 tips to prepare for the next season during the summer

Before you get to work, prepare a  summary of everything you're doing and what you've already set up in the tool. Don't forget to look at the results of your emailing so far. All of this will help you evaluate what to prioritize over the summer. And if you've been planning to make a  change but haven't gotten around to it, now is the time to address it.

Here's what you should check out briefly:

• Are you using a  correctly verified domain in your mailings?

• Are you checking KPIs and campaign progress?

• Is your contact database of good quality? Are you using double opt‑in?

• Are your new contact collection paths working well?

• Do you know what part of your database is active?

• Are you sending a  consistent style of templates?

• What automations do you have active? Are they working correctly?

• Do you have active integrations on your account? Is the data transferring correctly?

• Are you tracking user behavior on your site?

If you answered "NO" to at least one question, read the following tips and you'll be clear on how to push your emailing

If you don't handle your database properly, over time your emailing performance will start to decline. Stick to a  few simple guidelines and you can be sure to keep your database in good shape. For example, sending to inactive or non‑existent email addresses, insufficient database recovery, or a  sending domain can compromise campaign results.

Read the specific steps in our guide 👇

First, examine the ways that contacts are entering your database ‑ purchase, static form, pop‑up form, and more. Then, check to make sure these paths are working properly. If you run into any errors or your forms aren't delivering enough results, now's the time to refresh them.

With well‑set-up forms, you'll collect enough quality leads to use during the peak buying season.

If you don't already use collection forms, we recommend running them directly in Ecomail

#TIP: Do an address collection campaign and pre‑stock yourself with brand‑new contacts before the season. For example, come up with a  contest or offer valuable content in exchange for an email 👇

Don't send it to your entire database on a  regular basis. For some campaigns, it is advisable to send only to a  selected segment. Not working with them yet? Don't know if you have them set up correctly? We recommend exploring your segments while you still have time.

The basic idea is to divide your database into active and inactive based on engagement with your campaigns—opens, clicks, or purchases on your e‑commerce site. Then, communicate with each audience differently. You can send to the active part of the database more often, omit the less active part of some campaigns, and try to reactivate the so‑called "dead contacts" with a  special offer. You can also follow the preferences of your subscribers.

If you already know the basics, use our help for advanced segmentation

Have your automated campaigns running before the season starts and fully commit to just your regular mailings in the fall. The benefits of automation are that it sends the emails for you, so it saves you time and brings in additional sales. Plus, they communicate regularly with your subscribers based on their exact needs.

Not sure how to set up your first automation? Start with simpler automation, like a  welcome campaign after you subscribe or a  holiday card. Ecomail already has 14 templates for the most commonly used automations. With these templates, you can start automation with just a  few clicks.

Overview of preset automation scenarios 👇

If you already have scenarios running, use the holiday season to check them or optimize them if necessary. Ensure their content is still relevant, the information is up‑to-date and all links are working. Don't forget to evaluate them on an ongoing basis.

Do your newsletters not match your corporate design? Don't have a  consistent style across all templates you use? Not sure what the right email structure should look like? Or have you been using your templates for a  long time and they are no longer delivering good results? Now is the time to improve your current templates so that they work better for your subscribers.

Creating new emails will be made easier with new features in Ecomail's template editor:

• ChatGPT ‑ create newsletters faster with artificial intelligence

• Carousel ‑ insert up to five images in your newsletter for your customers to scroll through

• Gif ‑ bring your emails to life with a  custom gif

• RSS feed ‑ simply insert articles from your website into your newsletter

Don't forget to test your emails. They should display correctly on desktop, mobile and in dark mode.

Before planning your mailings for the next six months, evaluate which ones have worked best for you in previous periods.

Start planning now, so you have enough time to think things through and have time to implement your campaigns in the fall. You'll stick to your established strategy, take advantage of sales promotions your competitors won't think of, and you won't overwhelm your audience unnecessarily.

Don't forget to prepare a  dashboard where you can track key metrics (CR, OR, bounce/return rates and conversions). That way, you'll be able to continually evaluate whether you're meeting your goals.

You can watch tutorial videos on our YouTube channel, find useful tips in our Ecomail Knowledge base, and contact our online support if you don't know how to set up features directly in Ecomail.

Be better in the industry and improve your business. Keep an eye on your competitors, whether it's their products, advertising, website, emailing, or social media communications. Definitely don't copy, but rather be inspired to create your own ideas. Often, you may even find a  gap in your communication.