7 Email Campaigns & Promotions to Boost Your Summer Sales!
Summer’s here. The sun’s out, people are on vacation, and it’s easy to think your sales might slow down. But what if I told you this is the perfect time to skyrocket your revenue and outperform last year’s summer numbers?
You don’t need to rely on the standard “summer sale” to get customers engaged. Instead, use these 7 high-converting methods that leverage your email, SMS, and retention strategies to turn a slow season into a hot one.
Let’s dive into how you can use tiered offers, branded sales, rewards reminders, and more to crush it this summer.
1. Tiered Offers to Boost Average Order Value (AOV)
One of the fastest ways to increase your summer revenue is by boosting your AOV—the average amount spent per order. You do this by offering tiered promotions that encourage customers to spend more.
How does this work? Well, instead of just offering a 10% off sale, you implement a tiered discount structure. Here’s what that looks like:
Spend $50, Get 10% Off
Spend $100, Get 15% Off
Spend $150, Get 20% Off + Free Shipping
The key here is to strategically make it easier for your customers to move up to a higher tier. You want them thinking, “I’m already at $95, might as well add a $5 item to get 15% off!” Not only does this make them spend more, but it also gives them the feeling they’re getting a better deal by spending just a little more.
How to execute:
Segment your email list to target customers who are close to reaching the next tier.
Use SMS to send an instant nudge that encourages customers to hit the next tier and unlock more savings.
Leverage urgency with limited-time promotions to push your customers to act faster.
2. Branded Sales: Create Your Version of Amazon’s Prime Day or Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale
Let’s be real. Prime Day is the Super Bowl of ecommerce. But why should Amazon have all the fun? You can create your own branded sales event with all the hype and urgency of Prime Day, without the need to compete with Amazon directly.
Take the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale as an example. This sale isn’t just a “discount event”; it’s a brand experience. People plan for it. They get excited about it. It’s marketed as a once-a-year event that delivers exclusive deals on popular products.
You can do the same by creating a summer sales event that gets your audience talking.
How to execute:
Start marketing your event weeks ahead of time using both email and SMS to build anticipation.
Give early access to loyal customers or VIPs on your email list.
Use countdowns in your emails, on your website, and through SMS to drive urgency.
Offer deep discounts, exclusive bundles, or free gifts during the event to make customers feel like they’re part of an exclusive club.
This isn’t just about “discounting for the sake of it.” This is about creating an annual tradition that people look forward to every year. And when they do, they spend more.
3. Reward Reminders + Double Points Days
If you have a loyalty program, you’ve got a goldmine sitting right in front of you. But most brands fail to leverage this correctly. Instead of just sending out a monthly email to remind customers about their points, why not get more creative with it?
Try implementing double points days. These are promotional days where customers earn twice the reward points for every purchase. Not only does this get people excited about earning points, but it also increases the likelihood of repeat purchases.
Additionally, send out reminder emails about points expiring soon, or highlight the benefits they’ll get by redeeming those points for exclusive rewards.
How to execute:
In your email campaigns, clearly communicate when customers can earn double points and how they can redeem them for exclusive rewards.
Use SMS to send a quick, time-sensitive reminder about double points days—this will get your audience to act fast.
Follow up with a personalized reminder email that tells customers how close they are to a reward and how they can unlock more benefits.
When customers feel like they’re getting something extra, they’re more likely to purchase. Double points days give you a unique opportunity to boost sales while rewarding loyal customers at the same time.
4. Free Gift Cards with Purchase – Building Future Revenue
Here’s a smart strategy that lets you boost sales today while creating an incentive for repeat purchases down the road: Offer gift cards with a purchase.
Here’s how this works: Let’s say a customer spends $100 with you. You then give them a $20 gift card to use in the future.
What’s the catch? Well, it’s a win-win for both sides. The customer gets a $20 gift card, which entices them to come back. You’ve created an incentive for them to come back later, and more likely, they’ll spend more than the gift card’s value the next time.
How to execute:
Use email marketing to notify customers that they’ll receive a gift card with any purchase over a certain amount. Highlight that the gift card can be used towards their next purchase.
Follow up with a reminder email to encourage repeat purchases using that gift card, offering more compelling discounts.
Use SMS for a quick reminder about the gift card. Short and sweet, just enough to trigger that “I need to use this gift card” feeling.
This strategy works like a charm because it builds customer retention while also increasing the chances of future revenue. People don’t want to leave money on the table, and a gift card gives them a reason to come back to your store.
5. SMS Exclusive Offers: Get Your Email List to Join SMS
You probably already have a solid email list. But what if you could double your chances of reaching them with exclusive SMS offers?
SMS marketing is arguably the most direct way to reach your customers. Open rates for SMS are through the roof—90% of SMS messages are read within the first 3 minutes. The time to act is NOW.
Offer an SMS-only exclusive deal to your email list to entice them to sign up. For example: “Sign up for SMS and get 15% off your next order, plus exclusive access to limited-time sales.”
How to execute:
Use email to promote an SMS-only offer. Make it feel exclusive by emphasizing that these deals are available only to those who sign up for SMS.
In your SMS messages, keep the tone concise and actionable. Let them know exactly what they’re getting (exclusive offers, faster updates, etc.) and the benefits of opting in.
Offer time-sensitive deals through SMS that encourage urgency, making your customers want to act fast.
When you combine the power of email with the speed of SMS, your customers will feel more engaged—and they’ll spend more. It’s a win-win.
6. Black Friday in July Sales: Beat the Summer Slump
Summer sales don’t have to be a snooze-fest. Black Friday in July has become a thing, and for good reason. People are looking for big deals, but they don’t want to wait until November. You can grab the attention of your customers during a typically slow period with major discounts that feel like a once-a-year event.
How to execute:
Build the hype weeks in advance with email and SMS campaigns.
Create exclusive offers and bundle deals that make your “Black Friday in July” event feel like the real deal.
Use countdown timers in your emails and SMS to generate excitement.
Leverage urgency by emphasizing limited stock, time constraints, or special bundle options.
This tactic works because it taps into the psychology of scarcity and exclusivity. If you present your event as the summer sale of the year, you’ll get customers lined up and ready to purchase.
7. Flash Sales & Time-Limited Offers: Create Urgency
There’s one more thing you can do to boost your summer sales: Flash sales and time-limited offers. These are short, high-impact sales events that last anywhere from 24 hours to 72 hours. The beauty of this strategy is the urgency it creates. When people see a sale ending soon, they’re much more likely to act fast.
How to execute:
Use email and SMS to inform customers about the limited-time sale. Make it clear that this deal won’t last long.
Set up countdown timers on your website and in your emails to further build urgency.
Use SMS to deliver quick, time-sensitive messages that cut through the noise of their inbox.
Flash sales can lead to quick revenue spikes and also increase engagement. Customers love a good deal, and when they know they need to act fast, they’ll pull the trigger on purchases they might’ve hesitated on.
Conclusion
There’s no excuse to let your summer sales go cold. With the right email, SMS, and retention strategies, you can supercharge your revenue even when the temperatures rise. By implementing tiered offers, creating branded sales, and using creative strategies like SMS-exclusive offers and flash sales, you’ll keep customers coming back—and spending more.
Now go ahead and start planning your summer sales takeover. Because if you don’t, your competitors will.
Need a free email & SMS audit that shows you exactly how to win like this?
Take action now:
Book a Free Email & SMS Audit & Discover The True Revenue Potential of Your List >
Loved this blog post? Take one of these next steps: