Consumers Buy Products, Not Promotions

What do you purchase during the holidays?

When you shop during the holiday shopping season are you looking for gifts or for deals?

It’s not a trick question, but it’s something often lost in the shuffle of the holiday promotional madness. It drives me a little nuts each year seeing all the crazy promotions happening. In the end, does it really matter who has the biggest promotion of the holiday season?

Consumers Buy Products, Not Promotions

Every year in November, companies start price and shipping promotions on their websites. They bring out the holiday planning guide from the latest marketing expert and give away margin in an effort to attract attention. It can be frustrating because no marketer really wants to focus on promotions. Marketers want to focus on products.

Money comes from selling quality products that nobody else can offer. Products have value. Products make consumers happy. Products become the source of a company’s profit.

So why do companies focus on promotions during the holiday season?

Sure, promotions gain attention, but in the long-run it’s the companies that focus on products that perform best. All the promotions in the world won’t do you any good this season or any season if you don’t have the products consumers want.

And you have to promote your products. You have to sell your products. You have to be passionate about your products and really make them sound irresistible. There is an art to selling products in emails. Marketing isn’t about running a percentage off sale, it’s about convincing consumers why your product is better than the other company’s.

Product Email Examples

Here are a few recent product-focused emails. These companies put aside the promotions and focused on selling a product to the consumer. They focused on the value each of these products can provide for the customer. Selling products is difficult, but it’s a better and more profitable long-term strategy than selling promotions.

LL Bean Signature

I love these LL Bean Signature emails. They have personality. They have style. When you open up these emails you become attached to the culture of LL Bean Signature. You are attracted to the brand. You become awed by the product. It’s not that the product is that much greater or even better than the competition’s product. These coats are probably pretty similar, but it’s the perception. It’s the focus on the details and the passion. These are great images that show off the detail of the items. A lot can be said in emails with great imagery and photography. Use it to your advantage and don’t be afraid to sell the products that are available on your website. Be passionate about the product. People will respond.

Under Armour

Under Armour is another email program I really like. They always seem to come out with great product emails. It starts with the fact that Under Armour took over the sporting world with their unique products. They entered one of the most competitive markets a couple years ago and become one of the big players. Now they are selling winter hats, gloves, and scarves. Under Armour knows they have a great brand. They know people love their products and they know they don’t always have to give away all their margin. People will pay for great products. Focus on the value the product offers and really sell your customers on why they can’t live without your products.

Fossil

Fossil used to be just a watch company. They made trendy watches that were available for reasonable prices. Now, Fossil is sending great emails featuring a variety of product offerings. Here we have the timely product – sweaters. The photography is great. The text really sells the items and all of their comfort and coziness. What girl could resist?

Further down in the email there is even more product. Fossil is really confident in their products. They know they don’t have to offer everything with a 20% off discount. They can sell consumers on their great products and those consumers will pay full price (and full margin).

Discussion

What is your holiday email marketing plan?

Do you have big promotions coming up on the calendar?

Make sure you test your promotions. Set up two segments. The first segment will receive every one of your promotions through the holidays. The other segment will receive product-based emails. Stream this into 2012. Follow the groups into March or so. Look at the profitability of each segment and determine if your customers buy products or promotions.

Tagged in: Fossil, Holiday 2011, LL Bean Signature, Under Armour