For email marketers, the holiday season can be either a blessing or a curse. Consumers, for once, are actually on their computers looking for deals. And if you’re marketing something that ends up on a lot of gift lists, you’re in luck. But it also means that you’re competing with a large amount of other companies for the attention of those consumers.

No matter what they’re offering, a promotional email that lands in the same inbox as yours is your competitor.

Normally, I preach that your goal is to land in an empty inbox, thereby getting all of your subscriber’s attention. But this time of year, that’s nearly impossible.

So now is when you have to take risks. Dare to be different. Stand out from the crowd(ed inbox that you know your email will end up in).

What does this mean? Well, it could mean that you…

1. Offer the biggest discount ever
2. Use a more provoking subject line
3. Email late at night
4. Email more often
5. Use more personalization

Whatever you decide to do, the end goal should be more opens, more clicks, and more sales…same as it always is. But this time of year makes each one of those harder. So good luck.