12 Holiday Email Promotion Ideas to Boost 4th Quarter Sales + Free Planner

The holiday season is a time for celebration and merrymaking, but it’s not all about eating turkey and exchanging gifts! For businesses, it’s the 4th quarter, and that means it’s the busiest sales period of the year. 

Running seasonal email promotions during this time is the most powerful and cost-effective way to drive sales and end the year strong.

In this blog post, we’re sharing 12 festive holiday themes to inspire your email campaigns during the 4th quarter season so you can enjoy a huge boost in revenue regardless of what you sell. 

There are lots of opportunities to offer seasonal discounts, limited-time promotions, and exclusive offers your subscribers will want to pull their wallets out for.

Before you go, be sure to grab our Email Promotion Planner & Tracker so you have everything you need to plan a stress-free promo, you’ll find it at the end of this post.

Ready? Let’s do this!

October 31

#1 Halloween

If you don’t sell Halloween-themed products, don’t let that scare you! You can still use Halloween as a great “excuse” to promote your offerings. It can be as simple as using Halloween-themed subject lines and graphics in your emails to get your subscribers “in the spirit.” 👻😉

Halloween email promotion ideas you can try:

Run a Halloween-themed “event”
This could be a “BOGO” (buy one get one free) sale or % off everything in your store.

Offer a “spooky discount”  until midnight on Halloween
Offer a steep discount on a single product, a curated group of products, or a specific product category. 

Give a Halloween-themed gift with purchase
Such as a sweet treat, sticker, greeting card, bookmark or other novelty item. 

Halloween subject lines to inspire you:

🎃 We’re creepin’ it real with scary-good deals 
🎃 This Halloween sale is so good, it’s scary! 
👻 BOO! Don’t miss these spooky savings! 
🎃 We’ve got a Halloween treat for you, [name]! 
🧛Open if you dare to see these bone-chilling discounts 

Sunday, November 5

#2 Daylight Saving Time ends

Daylight Saving Time is a fantastic opportunity to engage your audience and encourage them to make the most of their day. As the clocks fall back, it’s a reminder to seize the day and embrace extra daylight with enthusiasm. Let’s make this “time change” a positive event for your business too!

Daylight Saving Time email promotion ideas you can try: 

Time-Sensitive Discounts
Offer exclusive discounts or promotions that are time-sensitive, aligning with the theme of “falling back” in time.

Seize the Day Campaign
Encourage customers to make the most of the “extra” hour with a special promotion. It could be a flash sale, limited-time offer, or an early bird discount.

Free Gift with Purchase
Provide a complimentary gift with each purchase, reminding customers that an extra hour means an extra reason to celebrate!

Daylight Saving Time subject lines to inspire you: 

🌞 Fall Back, Save Big: Exclusive Deals Inside! 
⏰ Extra Savings with Daylight Savings!
🍂 Fall Back, Shop Now: Seize the Daylight Saving Deals!
🍁 Tick-Tock, Shop o’Clock: Dive into Daylight Saving Discounts!
🎁 Fall Into Savings: Free Gift With Purchase Today!

November 11, 2023

#3 Veterans Day 

Veterans Day is a solemn occasion to honor and appreciate the service and sacrifice of veterans, so it’s crucial to approach any promotions or campaigns you run on this day with sensitivity and respect.

When choosing Veterans day to run an email promotion, be sure it aligns with the spirit of honoring veterans rather than exploiting the occasion. 

Note: Outside of the US, Remembrance Day in Canada and Armistice Day in the United Kingdom are observed on the same day to commemorate the end of World War 1. 

Veterans Day email promotion ideas you can try: 

Offer a discount to veterans
You can offer a discount on a specific product or service that is popular with veterans, a free gift with purchase or “buy one get one free” deal.

Donate a portion of your proceeds to a veterans organization
This is a great way to show your support for veterans and to give back to the community.

Partner with a veterans organization
Choose a charity to partner with and donate a portion of sales on a specific product for the year and announce your partnership in a special Veterans Day promotion

Veteran’s Day Subject lines to inspire you: 

🇺🇸Thank You for Your Service: 50% Off for Our Veterans today!
🙏Gratitude in Action: Veterans Day Discounts for Our Heroes  
🎁A Gift for Our Veterans: Buy One, Get One Free Today! 
🤝Standing with Veterans: Together, We Can Make an Impact! 
❤️🤍💙 Purchase with Purpose: Every Sale Helps Veterans! 

November 13th

#4 World Kindness Day

World Kindness Day is a global holiday that celebrates the importance of being kind to others. It is a day to remind ourselves that kindness can make a big difference in the world, no matter how small it may seem.

World Kindness Day email promotion ideas you can try:

Donate a portion of your proceeds to a charity
Show your commitment to making a difference in the world.

Offer a gift card to customers who purchase a gift card for someone else Encourage people to spread kindness and to shop at your business with this twist on a “buy one get one free” sale. 

Offer a free gift with purchase
Give something back to customers who meet a certain spending threshold to show them your appreciation for their support.

World Kindness Day subject lines to inspire you:

🌼 Kindness Matters: Join us in Giving Back this World Kindness Day!
💖 World Kindness Day: Your Purchase Makes an Impact!
🎁 Buy a Gift Card, Get a Gift Card Free on World Kindness Day!
💌 Double the Kindness: Give a gift, get a gift for World Kindness Day!
🌸 Free Gift with Your Purchase to Celebrate World Kindness Day!
☀️ Spreading Kindness on World Kindness Day!

November 20-22, 2023

#5 (Pre) Thanksgiving 

The days leading up to Thanksgiving are a great time to start your Black Friday marketing campaign. By sending out email promotions on the Tuesday or Wednesday before the holiday, you can get a jump on the competition in your customers’ inboxes.

(Pre) Thanksgiving email promotion ideas you can try: 

Black Friday Gift Guide + “Early Bird Coupon”
Create a holiday gift guide with helpful tips and tricks to help your audience choose what to give friends, family, and colleagues during Black Friday. Include a coupon for them to use when they purchase from your guide on Black Friday. 

Early Black Friday sale
Offer your subscribers an extra 10% discount when they shop your Black Friday Sale early. This is a great way to generate sales before they max out their budget during their Black Friday shopping sprees. 

Sneak peek of Black Friday deals
Give your subscribers a sneak peek of the deals you’ll be offering on Black Friday to help build anticipation and get people excited to shop with you and make sure they keep an eye out for your Friday email. You might even offer goodies for the first 50 Black Friday shoppers!

(Pre) Thanksgiving subject lines to inspire you: 

🎁Exclusive Black Friday Gift Guide + Early Bird Coupon: Start Shopping Now! 
💌 Black Friday Sneak Peek + Exclusive Coupon! 
⏰ Shop Early, Save More: Additional 10% Off Black Friday Deals Today Only!✨
🎁 Unwrap Early Savings: 10% Off for Our Loyal Customers – Shop Now! 🛒
🏃‍♂️💨Beat the Rush! Grab Your Early Black Friday Discount Today Only!
✨ Be First in Line: Exclusive Black Friday Sneak Peek Just for You!

Friday, November 24, 2023

#6 Black Friday

It goes without saying that Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year so your email marketing needs to be on point!

Black Friday email promotion ideas you can try: 

Run a deep-discount flash sale
This is a limited-time sale that offers a deep discount on a select product or category of products.

Create a Black Friday landing page
This landing page should feature your best Black Friday deals and make it easy for customers to shop.

Offer a limited time bundle
Bundle your products or services together to create a “Black Friday Only” package at a steeply discounted price.

Black Friday subject lines to inspire you:

🤯 No, we’re not kidding – get 90% off today only!
⚡ Unbeatable Black Friday Deals Inside!
🎉Black Friday is here! Save up to 75% on all orders!
🙌The Black Friday Sale Has Arrived ~ Don’t 👏 Miss 👏These 👏Deals 👏
🎈 We Put Together This Exclusive Black Friday Bundle for You, [Name]!

Saturday, November 25, 2023

#7 Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday is a day to celebrate and support small businesses. It is important to let your customers know that you are a small business and that they can support you by shopping with you on Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday email promotion ideas you can try: 

Offer a double discount or “apply additional discount” coupon
This could be a double percentage-off discount, a double free shipping discount, or an additional coupon code (e.g. “additional 10% off”) they can apply to your already-discounted Black Friday deals. 

Partner with other small businesses in your niche to offer a joint promotion  For example, you could offer a 20% discount to customers who show proof of purchase from another small business in your community. You could also partner with other small businesses to offer a joint bundle of products or services from both businesses.

Host a virtual Small Business Saturday event
This could include a live shopping event where customers can watch and interact with you in real time as you showcase your products, a live webinar on a holiday gift guide and then offer a special discount to customers who attend the webinar, or a Q&A session where you give away a free product or service to one lucky attendee.

Small Business Saturday subject lines to inspire you:  

💸 Stack Up Savings: Additional Discounts for Small Biz Saturday!
🌈 Small Business. Huge Bargains. This Saturday Only.
🛒 Support Small, Save Big: Small Biz Saturday Savings inside!
🤝 We’re Teaming Up With [Business] to Bring You the Best Small Business Saturday Deals!
🎈Small Biz Saturday Virtual Shopping Party! Enter to Win a $100 Gift Card!

Monday, November 27, 2023 

#8 Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday is an annual online shopping event occurring on the Monday following Thanksgiving, featuring widespread discounts and promotions offered by retailers to kick off the holiday shopping season.

The origins of Cyber Monday can be traced back to the early 2000s when retailers noticed a trend of increased online sales on the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Cyber Monday email promotion ideas you can try: 

“Buy More, Save More” deal
Offer tiered discounts based on the purchase amount (e.g., 10% off for $50, 20% off for $100), motivating customers to spend more to save more.

Cyber Monday Mystery Deals
Promote mystery discounts or surprise offers that customers can unveil at checkout, adding an element of excitement to their shopping experience.

“Last Chance” Deal
Highlight products or collections as “last chance” offerings from your Black Friday sale, creating a sense of scarcity and encouraging immediate purchases.

Cyber Monday subject lines to inspire you: 

🌟 The More You Shop, The More You Save: Cyber Monday Special Inside!
⚡ Cyber Monday Alert: Buy More, Save More on Your Favorite Picks!
🎁Unwrap Your Cyber Monday Mystery Discount Today!
⏳ Hurry, Last Chance for Black Friday Deals! Cyber Monday Encore 🌟
⏰Final Countdown: Cyber Monday’s Last Chance Deals Going Fast!

Tuesday, November 28, 2023 

#9 Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving that takes place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It is a day to encourage people to give back to their communities and to the causes they care about.

It’s an excellent opportunity for online businesses to raise funds for their favorite charity, give back to their communities, and even (optionally) make sales: 

Giving Tuesday email promotion ideas you can try: 

Donate all or a portion of your proceeds to a charity on Giving Tuesday
Show your commitment to giving back and to encourage your customers to do the same. 

Pro-tip: This is an opportunity to put your best selling products or products you normally don’t discount on sale. When positioned as a fundraiser, you retain the perceived value of these offerings.   

Discounts for Donations
Offer a special discount to customers who make a donation to a designated charity on Giving Tuesday, providing an incentive to purchase and support a cause simultaneously.

Volunteer Hour Pledge
Promise to donate an hour of volunteer work to a local community organization for every purchase made on Giving Tuesday, showcasing your commitment to giving back beyond monetary contributions.

Giving Tuesday subject lines to inspire you:

🤝Shop with Purpose: Every Purchase Supports a Cause on Giving Tuesday!
💌 Give back on Giving Tuesday! Donating a portion of proceeds to [charity]
🛍️Shop for Good: Get a Special Giving Tuesday Discount with Your Donation!
🤲 We’re Pledging Volunteer Hours to [charity] with Your Purchase Today!
🌈 Every Purchase Matters: Pledging Volunteer Hours for Giving Tuesday!

The first Monday in December (December 11, 2023)

#10 Free Shipping Day

Free Shipping Day is a day when many online retailers offer free shipping on all orders. It is a great day to encourage customers to shop online and to save money on shipping costs.

Free Shipping Day email promotion ideas you can try: 

Send a personalized Free Shipping Day email to your customers
This email should remind your customers about Free Shipping Day and encourage them to shop with you on that day to save on shipping costs

Offer an additional incentive to customers who order on Free Shipping Day
In addition to saving on shipping costs, offer a gift with purchase or special discount to customers who buy on on Free Shipping Day

Host a Free Shipping Day virtual event
In addition to free shipping, you can include a giveaway or “enter to win” prize for customers who shop on Free Shipping Day

Free Shipping Day subject lines to inspire you: 

🚚✨ Don’t Miss Out! Free Shipping Day is Here!
🎉 Ready, Set, Ship for Free ~ Today is Free Shipping Day!
🛍️ Score Big on Free Shipping Day + Extra 10% Off – Double Win!
💸 Shop Smart on Free Shipping Day: Extra 10% Off Your Favorites!
🎁 Join Our Free Shipping Day Event & Enter to Win a $100 Gift Card

The second Monday in December (December 18, 2023)

#11 Green Monday

Green Monday is an online retail industry term similar to Cyber Monday and happens on the second Monday in December. It’s the last day shoppers are able to place an online order for it to arrive in time for the holidays. 

Green Monday email promotion ideas you can try: 

Send a personalized Green Monday email to your customers
This email should remind your customers about Green Monday and encourage them to shop with you on that day so their gifts arrive in time for Christmas.

Create a last-minute gift guide
Give the last-minute shoppers on your email list ideas for what to purchase for their friends, family, and loved ones for the holidays with a reminder to buy today for their orders to arrive in time for Christmas. 

Run a Green Monday Flash Sale
Since this is the last opportunity to get orders in so they arrive in time for the holidays, offering a discount or gift/bonus with purchase is a great way to generate revenue with last-minute shoppers.

Green Monday subject lines to inspire you: 

🎄 Don’t Wait! Shop Now for Christmas Delivery!
🎁 Hurry, Green Monday Is Here: Get Your Gifts in Time for Christmas!
🎅 Last Chance Gift Ideas Inside! Order Today for Christmas Arrival!
⛄ Still Shopping? Last-Minute Gift Guide for Your Holiday Rush!
✨ Hurry, It’s On! Green Monday Flash Sale for Last-Minute Shopping!

December 26th, 2023 (day after Christmas)

#12 Boxing Day 

Celebrated on December 26th, Boxing Day is a widely-recognized holiday primarily observed in Commonwealth countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It originated as a day for giving gifts to the less fortunate, but today it’s considered part of Christmas celebrations, with many people choosing to take advantage of Boxing Day sales. 

While Boxing Day is not an official holiday in the United States, the spirit of incredible post-holiday deals and discounts has transcended borders. Nowadays, people in the USA can partake in Boxing Day shopping online, enjoying the excitement and savings from the comfort of their homes.

Boxing Day email promotion ideas for you to try: 

Boxing Day Blowout Sale
Offer jaw-dropping discounts on post-Christmas inventory or select items before they’re gone forever. 

Donation with Purchase
Donate a % of proceeds from every sale to a charity for the less fortunate to honor the spirit of the holiday. 

BOGO – Buy One Get One
Offer a buy-one-get-one free sale to clear out your holiday inventory and offer an incentive for your customers to shop with you on Boxing day. 

Boxing Day subject lines to inspire you:

🥊💥 Unleash Savings: Boxing Day Blowout Sale is Here!
⏳ Last Chance Alert: Boxing Day Blowout – Grab ’em before they’re gone!
🤲 Spread Joy this Boxing Day: Shop & Support a Good Cause!
🌟 Every Purchase Counts: Make a Difference on Boxing Day!
🎁 Buy One, Get One FREE: Double the Joy, Double the Gifts!

BONUS: (Get Ready for the) New Year 

The last week of the year is a great time to start your New Year’s email marketing campaigns. Many people are looking to make a fresh start in the new year, and you can use your email marketing to help them achieve their goals.

Your audience is thinking about New Year’s resolutions so think about  discounts on products or services that’ll help them achieve their dreams and aspirations for the new year such as fitness, wellness, career advancement, skill-building, self-improvement, goal-setting and planning.

Download the Free Email Promotion Planner, Tracker, & Checklist for Google Sheets

We hope you found inspiration for email promotions you can run in the 4th quarter to boost sales and end the year strong! 

Be sure to plan ahead and pull everything you need together including your offer, the landing pages you’ll need, and of course the emails. Having everything ready in advance will save you tons of stress in the long run and help make your promotions go smoothly.

After running dozens of email promotions over the years, we’ve got this process down to a science and have put together an Email Promotion Planner and Checklist to help you make the most out of your email promotions. Be sure to grab it below, it’s free! 

Further Reading:
If you need a deeper dive into the ins and outs of running a successful email promotion, be sure to check out and bookmark our epic Beginner’s Guide to Email Promotions!