Back to School Email Newsletter Ideas and Examples for 2024

and • 21 minutes READ

As an email designer and marketing specialist, the back-to-school season is a particularly compelling time of year. It is an opportune moment to connect with audiences and clients, particularly for businesses that cater to the education sector, parents, or students. Summer is coming to an end. For email marketers, this can be a truly exciting time. So, how do you tailor your newsletter to capitalize on this seasonal event? Let’s delve into some insightful back-to-school email newsletter ideas and essential marketing tips.

In this article, we will delve into the practicality of crafting eye-catching, engaging, and effective back-to-school newsletters, providing examples and tips along the way. Additionally, we will uncover the value of using email templates to streamline your design process and ensure your newsletters are both professional and visually appealing. Here you’ll find back-to-school email newsletter templates perfect for your business or educational institution.

Fall brings many golden sales opportunities: new collections, mid-season sales, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. The harvest time has many aces in the hole, starting with the Back to School email campaign.

Back-to-school season is a high grossing retail holiday for businesses. Even though the crisis has changed this season, the National Retail Federation still predicts a strong sales period. With the popularization of homeschooling and online education, children will proceed with their studies. That means they will need school and college essentials.

The back-to-school period is a transitional phase for millions of families worldwide. It heralds a time of shopping for new academic supplies, adjusting to different schedules, and gearing up for a new educational cycle. As such, this season presents businesses with an opportunity to meet consumers’ specific needs during this period, and email newsletters are an effective way to achieve this. Here’s how to create engaging back-to-school email campaigns.

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Basics of Back to School Email Newsletters

Along with Black Friday and the beloved Winter holiday, Christmas, the back-to-school campaign is one of the most significant retail shopping events in the email marketing calendar.

All sorts of businesses capitalize on back-to-school emails, not only the traditional sector of retailers that offer school supplies and dorm room accessories. For example, electronic stores are one of those that use these newsletters to generate sales since the ne generation needs not only a pencil and notebook but also cool gadgets. Besides, clothing retailers, furniture shops, and even SaaS websites that provide digital products easily reap benefits from them.

Even if your business is outside of the education sector, you should still send back-to-school newsletters. This massive shopping event is an excellent opportunity to re-connect with the subscribers and enhance your relationships with them. Consider back-to-school newsletter example from Firefox.

Although it has nothing to do with education, it grasped this unique opportunity to bring value to the contacts, cultivate trust and build brand evangelists by providing six essential tips on how to protect yourself during online shopping. Brilliant.

Back to School Email Newsletter Examples and Marketing Tips

Keep your data secure with safe online shopping tips from Firefox

Back to School Email Newsletters

Going back to school, or know someone who is?

Back to School Newsletters

Munk Pack

Target Market

Segmentation is crucial for every marketing strategy; back-to-school newsletters are no exception. To define segments accurately, you need to understand the target audience. It includes several markets:

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  • School children
  • College-goers
  • Undergraduates
  • Parents
  • Grandparents
  • Classroom teachers and lectors

As you can see, the target market is quite diverse. Each cluster requires a unique approach.

Ideas for Back-To-School Emails

Back-to-school emails come into two categories: informational and promotional. Teachers and brands that are outside of the education sector use the first one, whereas entrepreneurs use the latter.

Much like other types of email newsletters (transactional emails, onboarding emails, welcome emails, and e-commerce emails), these types are not mutually exclusive. Quite often, back-to-school newsletters include informative copy and shopping incentives. This area is multifaceted.

There are some excellent ideas for back-to-school emails that combine the two to bring value, generate extra traffic, and raise conversions.

  • Welcome Back to School.
  • Classroom newsletter. It includes schedule, calendar, list of outside activities, book recommendations for autumn reading, etc.
  • A letter from the teacher. This friendly update encourages regular communication between teachers and parents.
  • School Supplies.
  • School Checklist.
  • School Guide.
  • School Survival Guide.
  • College Survival Guide.
  • Checklist on frequently forgotten items.
  • Recipes for lunch boxes.
  • Crafts for back to school.
  • Tips and Tricks for Entering the New Term.
  • Early bird Deals.
  • Preview Sale.
  • New Collection.
  • Fall Favorites.
  • Gift guides.
  • Recommendations for the Fall season.
  • Recommendations for Halloween.
  • The contest Email.
  • Inspirational Email.
  • Product Recommendations.
  • End of Summer Holidays.
  • Mom-centered Emails.
  • Dad-centered Emails.

Back-to-school newsletters can be used as re-engagement emails that reactivate one-time shoppers. You can use a friendly reminder entitled “We Miss You,” which is the first newsletter in the win-back email series. Alternatively, you can adopt one of the retention emails entitled “Welcome Back Again.”

Prove to be successful, each of them should include such things as:

  • A pleasant greeting
  • Helpful information
  • A shopping incentive
Ideas for Back-To-School Emails

Back-to-school email from B+C Shop

The Best Time to Send Back-to-School Newsletters

As a rule, back-to-school email campaigns launch in mid-August since as students prepare to hit the schools, universities, and colleges. However, you should not wait until all brands start to bombard subscribers with sales pitches. If your business is in the education sector, then it is better to send the first email newsletter much earlier to get a head start and catch earlier buyers.

There are countries like the USA that do not have a regular school start date. If you aim at this market, then the back-to-school campaign can be long and diverse peaking as early as mid-July and ending in mid-September. Marketing campaign timing can be a bit tricky. To address this issue, segment your subscription list according to age and country.

The Best Time of the Day to Send out Back-to-School Newsletters

The best time of the day to send out back-to-school emails depends on the type of subscribers in your list. Remember you need to cover three major groups: children and students who check emails, parents who have only several free time slots throughout the workday, and school and university workers whose schedule can be pretty flexible in August but tight throughout the academic year.

According to surveys, the best day to send back-to-school newsletters to teachers and school workers is Thursday. Send it either in the morning around 8 a.m. or in the afternoon around 3 p.m.

If you are going to send out a newsletter to office workers (parents), then the best days to deliver your message to the inboxes are Tuesday and Thursday, and the best times of day are 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 4 p.m., and 8 p.m.

As for Generation Z, well, you need to conduct A/B tests to define the best day and time since many factors may influence children’s behavior during the day and week.

This year, the time slot for back-to-school email campaigns has shifted a bit. Due to uncertain times, it is highly recommended to start sending newsletters at the end of August or early in September and run it until the end of September or even the start of October.

Send Back-to-School Newsletters

Back-to-school Email Marketing Infographic by TheShelf

Back-to-School Email Newsletter Templates

At Designmodo, we provide free back-to-school email newsletter templates that are perfect for both businesses and educational institutions. These professionally designed back-to-school email templates are easy to customize, allowing you to create engaging and visually appealing newsletters that capture the attention of your audience. Whether you’re promoting back-to-school sales, sharing important updates, or communicating with students and parents, our templates offer the perfect starting point. With a user-friendly interface and flexible design options, you can tailor each template to fit your brand’s unique style and message. Explore our collection and start crafting impactful newsletters that resonate with your community today.

Pine Hills Email Template

Pine Hills – Back to School Email Template

Westwood - Back to School Email Template

Westwood – Back to School Email Template

Little Valley - Back to School Email Template

Little Valley – Back to School Email Template

Greenfield Academy - Back to School Email Template

Greenfield Academy – Back to School Email Template

Subject Lines for Back to School Newsletters

Although back-to-school emails are highly anticipated and warmly welcome by people, much like Christmas sales pitches, you still need to fight your way through the overcrowded inboxes. To stand the competition and catch the eye of the subscriber, you need a killing subject line.

Subject lines for Back-to-school newsletters obey the same rules as ones used for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

  • They should be attention-grabbing but short and sweet.
  • The preview text should extend the topic.
  • You can use such words as “sale,” “off,” “% ,” “free,” “save,” “don’t miss,” “the last chance.” If you want the subject line to support the event completely, you may use such school-themed phrases as “homework,” “class,” “beat the bell,” “your first assignment,” “A grade,” etc.
  • You may reel people in with emotions. Smiling faces always work when it comes to Gen Z and millennials. Use such emojis as pen, notebook, star, high-five, checkpoint to appeal to the market, and fit the mood.
  • They should have shopping incentives.

Consider some rocking examples of subject lines for back-to-school emails campaign taken from big brands to ace this task:

  • BACK TO SCHOOL! Come join the FUN! 20% OFF
  • Best First Day Ever!
  • Back to School never looked so good!
  • 30% OFF BACK TO SCHOOL SALE
  • Exclusive! Back to School Sale
  • Hold the door! Check out this back to school sale.
  • Free Shipping + 20% Off Back-To-School Must-Haves!
  • They’re here! Back-to-school styles
  • Back-to-school ✔list – ❺ must-haves
  • Back to School? End Soon.
  • A sale so big you’ll wish you had homework.
  • Get an A+ (but only if you hurry)
  • ✔ A+ savings! 20-60% off ALL GEAR!
  • Back(pack) at it again
  • Back to school cool?
  • Favorite looks for school are here!
  • Prep for School: New Year, New Look
  • School Time. Play Time.
  • New Style to Rule the School
  • Fall into a fresh start
  • Be the Best in Class
  • Back to School Survival Guide
  • Refresher for a Fresher!
  • Make the Grade: Back-to-School Favorites Up to 65% Off
  • We won’t tell if you cheat — 90% (off) is too good to pass up
Subject Lines for Back to School Newsletters

Back-to-school by Bando

Best Practices to Target the Most Popular Market Segments During Back-to-School Period

Back-to-school is considered the year’s second most important sale event, losing only to the year-end Christmas sale. According to the National Retail Federation, consumers expect to spend over 40 billion dollars during this time. Many marketers believe it to be the silent revenue and engagement booster in mid-Q3.

Creating highly targeted email campaigns is essential to grab a slice of this million-dollar pie and make Q3 successful. Why targeting? The surveys show that the back-to-school period is increasingly diverse regarding the market’s preferences, needs, and behaviors. Some customers start gearing up in the middle of July, while others do last-minute shopping with the academic year on their doorstep.

The good news is that the back-to-school season spans several months. So, companies have plenty of opportunities to cater to the different needs of their target audience and nurture and convert their subscribers more effectively. Consider the best practices for creating high-converting newsletters for four general buyer groups: parents and caregivers, K-12 and college students, teachers and educators, and schools.

Best Practices for Creating Targeted Newsletters for Parents

Back-to-school season may be all about K-12 children, students, and teachers preparing for the academic year, but nobody can beat parents regarding the largest buying group that does the most shopping during this period. According to studies, 40% of U.S. households have children, making moms and dads the biggest buying category during this sale event. They generate the most revenue and are touted as one of the most-prized audience segments. So, if you want to maximize your email marketing efforts, they should be your top choice and first focus.

Marketing to parents comes with certain difficulties, as they are an incredibly diverse bunch spread across generations. However, statistically speaking, when you are targeting parents with schoolchildren or students, there is a good chance they are millennial parents. Born between the early 1980s and the late 1990s, today, this generation is reaching peak parenting age and accounts for more than half of the world’s children.

Here are the best practices to find responses with this unique demographic cohort to create high-converting emails.

First, companies should understand that approaching millennial parents differs from others. Today’s parents have overturned traditional gender roles. That means businesses must gear their email newsletters toward mothers and fathers equally. Therefore, when segmenting, make sure you target both parents.

Second, millennials rely on social media to make purchase decisions. They tend to read reviews and stories from real-life parents. That means companies should incorporate social proof in their email campaigns to build trust. It would also help to include testimonials and customer feedback in email body copy to promote and cross-sell products more efficiently.

Third, as a generation who grew up on YouTube, millennial parents naturally fall for promotions presented in video or interactive format. Therefore, companies are advised to prioritize dynamic elements, gifs, links to videos, and wholesome images in the body copy. Use Postcards to add these units to your digital newsletter without much effort.

Fourth, millennial parents appreciate professional guidance. Besides promoting essentials like general school supplies, companies may advertise other products crucial for a successful academic year, such as electronics, clothing, shoes, and household items for accommodating dormitory rooms. If your company does not fall into these categories, you may create helpful guides and listicles based on customers’ recommendations or share inside tips to eliminate stress during this period.

Last but not least, millennial parents are heavily price-conscious. Inflation and the current economic climate have made price a significant factor in their seasonal purchases. That means your email campaigns should have discounts, special offers, or coupons to boost conversions. Make sure the deals are heavily advertised. Alternatively, you may benefit from flash promotions or advocate cost-effective bundles.

Back-to-School Email Ideas

Email from Fitbit

Best Practices for Creating Targeted Newsletters for K-12 Children and Students

Although parents are the purchasing authority for most school suppliers and household units, kids and students still significantly influence these purchases. According to YouGov, children strongly influence their parents’ purchases of school supplies, technology, electronics, and clothing.

Apart from those who financially depend on their parents, millions of students provide for themselves. It is crucial to target them as well. After all, 18 million children enroll in college yearly, creating a huge market segment to cover.

Here are professional pieces of advice for creating an email campaign and design that appeals to K-12 children and college students during back-to-school season.

First, get a thorough understanding of your young audience. You need to find out their aspirations, pain points, and needs. It is important to remember that age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, and geographic location play huge roles in purchasing habits and mindsets. Therefore, do thorough research and segment your subscription list accordingly.

Second, position your brand as authentic and relatable through a compelling storytelling experience. Familiarize yourself with the current student language, follow trends and mainstreams, and use appropriate slang and trending memes. Capitalize on your sense of humor and add pop-culture references carefully. Do A/B tests to see how your text, images, and design resonate with the school and college children.

Third, use interactive elements and favor bright and dynamic email designs. Use images of good-looking school supplies, stylish clothes, trendy electronics, etc.

Fourth, create email campaigns with contests or challenges with valuable prizes. You may also offer a special discount on basic school supplies, an exclusive item, or give away a “welcome pack” for new campus students.

Fifth, create listicles of school supplies, equipment, or clothing from “cool” brands. High school and college students are wrapped up in popular culture. Social pressure is on, so many keep up with current fashions and choose branded or popular items. Therefore, do not hesitate to play a card of popularity and exclusivity in an email campaign to tap into these mindsets.

Sixth, although children and students are not as price-conscious as their parents, they also like special offers and deals. You may add student-friendly initiatives that align with their needs and interests, like an exclusive discount for students, student pricing, or free shipping. Use the principle of the inverted pyramid to highlight your offer right away.

Finally, make your email design mobile-friendly, as college students “live” on their cell phones. Use Postcards to ensure your digital newsletter looks, works, and feels coherent across all devices.

Back-to-School Email Newsletter Ideas

Email from Grammarly

Best Practices for Creating Targeted Newsletters for Teachers

Do you know that there are around 7 million teachers in the U.S.? They comprise a large consumer group and not-to-miss market segment during the back-to-school period with billions of dollars in spending power. On top of that, they have a vast network of educator friends with whom they share not only educational material but also discounts and offers. Therefore, creating email campaigns for teachers is a smart way to increase revenue during the dog days of summer and grow your business.

Teachers as consumers are a bit hard crowd. As many of them use their money to purchase classroom supplies, they are true bargain hunters. Discounts are extremely important for them. They adore free perks, such as free shipping, and easily try a new brand if it provides value for them. According to studies, these promotions get the most attention:

  • gift with purchase,
  • free shipping,
  • a small discount yet for the whole purchase or bundle,
  • and BOGO.

Based on this knowledge, your back-to-school email campaigns should center around good value and deals. You may create special sale events for teachers, run one-day flash promotions, give away discounts, offer periodic opportunities to receive discounts on future purchases, and try different shopping incentives like Buy One and Get One Free.

Marketing teachers is not only for companies that provide school supplies. Studies show that educators spend their money during the back-to-school period for different purposes. They upgrade their skills, acquire new knowledge, gear up with new electronics and devices, stock up on clothing, buy useful subscriptions, etc.

Even if your company does not belong to these categories, you may still benefit from a back-to-school period. Use it to cherish teachers in your subscription list. You may run a Teacher Appreciation campaign or initiate a loyalty program so they can use your special offers later.

Last but not least, when marketing to teachers through email channels, follow these tips:

  • Stay neutral with the email design.
  • Make email design responsive, mobile-friendly, accessible, and inclusive.
  • Create hyper-personalized email body copies.
  • Use professional language.
  • Add sharing capabilities to email design to encourage word-of-mouth.
Email from DonorsChoose

Email from DonorsChoose

 

Best Practices for Creating Targeted Newsletters for Schools

Schools are the last market segment that may generate huge revenue during the back-to-school period. This includes K-12 schools, colleges and universities. Scattered across the country, they provide ample opportunities for businesses to sell their goods.

However, unlike parents, teachers, and students, who are the initial decision-makers, school stakeholders like administrators or principals usually make the last decision. This raises a problem since end-users of your products, like teachers, are disconnected from those who buy stuff. Therefore, it is crucial to create email campaigns that speak directly to administrators, show the value of the proposition, and remain beneficial for teachers and students. Here are some ideas:

  • Create bundles of classroom supplies and promote their values.
  • Build trust by combining quantitative data with personal feedback and reviews from teachers and students who bought your goods.
  • Highlight the benefits and advantages of choosing your company over others.
  • Offer personalized discounts for schools in certain regions, cities, or districts.
  • Win some positive sentiment with helpful listicles, guides, and insider tips.
  • Encourage all school administrators and staff to start the new term with a heartfelt message to put your company at the top of customer’s minds when they decide to resupply.
  • Share relevant research and case studies to help school stakeholders stay informed about industry trends.
  • Conduct a poll or survey at the beginning of the back-to-school season to gather relevant insights for upcoming flash sales.

Finally, like teachers and educators, school administrators are money-conscious buyers who seek good deals and bargains. Therefore, prioritize time-proven incentives like discounts for volume purchases, free trials, pilot programs, and special offers for early adopters.

Email from Greenlight

Email from Greenlight

How to Create a High-Converting Back-to-School Email

To create a high-converting back-to-school email, first and foremost bear in mind such vital things as:

  • Segmentation is everything. You should send different emails to school children, undergraduates, parents, and teachers. Make sure your subject line and copy speak directly to the group and meet their current needs.
  • Customer personas are obligatory. Personalized user experience always appeals to contacts, especially when it comes to youngsters who are craving to be singled out. Use a name in the subject line, create a special offer, and center the copy around the contact’s preferences and buying history.
  • Evoke urgency because back-to-school is a one-time shopping event.
  • Make the most of stereotypes. Focus on the school theme. As banal as it may sound, it works. People fall for conventions use it to your advantage.
  • Start by touting classroom essentials. Choose products that are of the most help. Make the center of attention.
  • Show how your products fit into people’s school lives, benefit youngsters, and make life more comfortable in the classroom and at home.
  • Include a coupon, promo code, discount, or free shipping.
  • Give away useful stuff. It can be a printable checklist, calendar for the next academic year, or lesson plan template.
  • Create an entire sequence of email newsletters since the shopping window for the back-to-school event is quite wide.

Also, follow these recommendations:

  • Create a sense of exclusivity. Schoolchildren and undergraduates are up to sporting the latest fashions. Children want to look cool. Therefore, top-selling goods always draw attention.
  • Establish a youthful atmosphere. Use urban slang and friendly language. Capitalize on humor and witty puns.
  • Capitalize on new beginnings and a fresh start. After all, much like New Year, September is all about the new you.
  • Think like a teenager or a student. Children always influence parents’ decisions when it comes to school supplies, clothes, accessories. Therefore, focus on their preferences and stay up-to-date.
How to Create a High-Converting Back to School Email

Back-to-school Email from PrinterPix

How to Design Rock Star Back-To-School Email

As we have already mentioned, your target market is mostly Gen Z and millennials. To create a high-converting newsletter design for a back-to-school email campaign, you should adopt modern and stylish approaches.

Culture has a considerable impact on young people. If there is a popular game or TV series, make the most out of it.

Use the school theme to the full extent since it instantly appeals to the young crowd.

Here are some other good recommendations that will help to design high-converting back-to-school newsletters:

  • Stick to bright coloring.
  • Use captivating typography. It can be handwritten, never-dying varsity-style of graduate, graffiti-inspired, or merely fun or whimsical font face.
  • Use animated gifs and videos.
  • Add interactive details like hotspots to create an engaging experience.
  • Maximize on chalkboard textures, brush strokes, stationery-inspired patterns, hand-drawn details, and school-related artworks.
  • Employ kid-friendly and school-themed imagery throughout the entire layout. It can be stocks featuring children and youngsters, playgrounds, chalkboards, desks, school supplies, and uniforms. Opt for images rather than illustrations since they help to build an emotional connection.
  • Use seasonal decorations. Since back-to-school email campaigns take place in summer and autumn, you may capitalize on these two seasons.

On top of that, always remember to make the back-to-school newsletter responsive, mobile-friendly, accessible to all, and compatible through all the popular browsers and email readers. For more hints, check out our guide for beginners to create a fantastic email newsletter design.

Tip: To create a back-to-school newsletter design that looks stylish, use the free HTML email template builder, Postcards email builder. It includes field-tested components that are made with current trends in mind. On top of that, it works coherently across all devices, so that your message will be delivered to the mobile-addicted crowd in style.

Postcards Email Builder

Postcards Email Builder

Examples of Back to School Newsletters

Examples of Back to School Emails

Back-to-School Email Example from Boden

Boden is a clothes retailer that cannot afford to miss this golden opportunity. Their back-to-school email example includes all the classic tricks in design. You will find:

  • Chalkboard-style embedded image in email background
  • Fancy handwritten typography
  • Hand-drawn graphics
  • School-themed inscriptions
  • An arrangement solution inspired by the hopscotch board that ties everything together

There is also a shopping incentive right at the top and small eye-catching motivator for buying right near each image.

The team has undoubtedly nailed the school theme, spiced it up with some marketing tricks.

Back-to-School Email Example from Gap

Back-to-School Email Example from Gap

If you are not a fan of skeuomorphic solutions, then the back-to-school email example from Gap made in a clean flat style will undoubtedly please you. It garners attention with a neat and sophisticated design. Every detail of this newsletter aims to drive traffic to the landing page and generate conversions.

The main highlights of this email are:

  • A skillfully established sense of urgency right from the get-go.
  • A strong shopping incentive. The 40% discount is an absolute head turner.
  • The headline that announces the theme of the email sets everyone in the right mood.
  • The image of the schoolgirl with a big smile on her face appeals to all categories, from youngsters to grandparents.

Note, there is no intricate layout nor extravagant details. Everything is simple, well-organized, and properly-structured. Simple and smart.

Back-to-School Email from Hansen

Back-to-School Email from Hansen

How about combining the two previous approaches? A back-to-school email example from Hansen shows how it should be done to generate leads. They were managed to appeal to various sectors in the market and create a design with a long-lasting impression.

The key takeaways:

  • Gorgeous imagery used as background sets the tone and makes the atmosphere unforgettable. The design oozes California appeal on all fronts.
  • Beautiful typography makes the content fit the school theme. It echoes the background and throws a natural spotlight on the offer.
  • The offer is highlighted and placed right in the heart of the most viewed area.

Note, even though Hansen has nothing to do with school supplies – they are famous for producing high-quality skiing, sailing, and outdoor apparel – still, they have taken advantage of this event and made it work for their brand. Nicely done.

Back-to-school Email Example from Bluemercury

Back-to-school Email Example from Bluemercury

This is another good back-to-school email example sent by the brand that is outside of the education area. Bluemercury is a leading luxury beauty retailer. Nevertheless, they have seized this opportunity quite effectively.

The team has centered the newsletter around the beauty checklist. Although it is a little bit short, yet it is a good try to provide real value to the contacts and get a piece from the million-dollar pie.

Note the team uses a clean layout, school-themed graphics, and fancy handwritten typeface that altogether makes the design appropriate for the event.

Back-to-school Email Example from Bark Shop

Back-to-school Email Example from Bark Shop

Bark Shop is another brand in our collection that is far away from the education sector. The company sells dog toys, treats, and gifts. Again, that does not stop them from capitalizing on the biggest shopping event of summer.

Their back-to-school email example from Bark Shop looks fantastic. It employs the school theme to present the products under the proper light. It has bright coloring, fancy typography, notebook-styled background. The products are arranged in a sequence that naturally guides the users from top to bottom.

Although there are no shopping incentives, still the design compels you not just to scan but read the entire content since it sparks curiosity from the first seconds.

Back-to-school Email Example from Paperchase

Back-to-school Email Example from Paperchase

Paperchase specializes in stationery; therefore, their back-to-school email example is all about school supplies. Although the newsletter is long, and at first sight, it seems that you will not make it till the end, however, it is increasingly absorbing.

The deal is the team uses the alphabet to present their products. The solution is simply ingenious. Each letter presents the product. You just start to read and cannot stop since it kindles interest and sparks curiosity on every step.

Note several things.

  • The team used bright coloring to create a cheerful mood.
  • There are paper textures that establish a school theme.
  • The hero area is incredible.
  • There are small shopping incentives right at the top.

Who would have thought that such a long-long email newsletter would make you stop and read it from top to bottom? Ingenious.

This approach is tailored to schoolchildren, parents, and grandparents that love to treat their beloved grandchildren with everything bright and cute. This back-to-school email drives conversions and generates sales, without doubt, to say nothing about winning over some loyal brand fans.

Back to School Email Example from Nordstrom

Back to School Email Example from Nordstrom

The back-to-school email example from Nordstrom looks juvenile. However, the quality makes it stand out from the crowd because it appeals to the youngsters effortlessly. It feels incredibly trendy and stylish.

The team has combined the scrapbook approach and skeuomorphism. As a result, we can enjoy a pure masterpiece that promotes the company, reinforces the connection with the market, and of course, builds brand evangelists.

Note you will not see any shopping incentives or marketing tricks. The newsletter is purely informative. However, the skillfully placed call-to-actions supported by stylish photos do the job perfectly. They drive traffic to the website and increase conversions by igniting interest with valuable information skillfully intertwined with a sense of exclusivity.

Marketing Tips for Back-to-School Email Newsletters

Timeliness is Key

Start sending your back-to-school emails a few weeks before the school year begins. This gives parents and students ample time to act on your content, whether it’s making a purchase, reading a blog post, or engaging with your brand in another way.

Back To School Essentials

Use Strong Visuals

A good picture speaks a thousand words. Use high-quality photos, infographics, or illustrations to catch your reader’s attention. This is especially important for product highlight and promotional newsletters.

Make Your CTAs Clear

Every email should have a purpose, and your CTA is the bridge between your email and that purpose. Make sure your CTAs are clear and easy to locate. They should be action-oriented, using phrases like “Shop Now,” “Read More,” or “Find Out More.”

Segment Your Audience

Not all students, parents, or educators have the same needs. Segment your email list based on factors like grade level, past purchase behavior, or location. This allows you to send more personalized, relevant content, increasing the chances of engagement.

Monitor and Adjust

Keep an eye on your email marketing analytics to see what’s working and what isn’t. Monitor open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Adjust your strategy based on these insights.

Back-to-school email newsletters are a powerful tool to connect with and serve your audience during a crucial time of year. With careful planning, strong design, and strategic thinking, your back-to-school email marketing campaign can be a success. Remember, email is about providing value to your customers – do this right, and you’ll see the results in your engagement and conversion rates.

Conclusion

Back-to-school email newsletters require unique treatment since they deal with the young generation. This crowd is tough and unpredictable. Therefore, be ready to face some challenges. To see through follow these last-minute recommendations

  • Follow 7 principles of successful email campaigns and tips on how to generate more sales that give you useful hints on what can improve any email.
  • Check and double-check your emails. We have an excellent pre-launch checklist and checklist for verifying the email newsletter not to miss any error.
  • Focus on your design. It should be bright and energetic and certainly, speak volumes.
  • Stay on top of things. Follow the mainstream and cultural trends to make the copy tailored to Gen Z.
  • Use popular emojis as well as urban slang. Younger generations will appreciate it.
  • Offer competitive pricing and deals like BOGOF. When it comes to widely acknowledged shopping events like this one people become deal-hunters. You need a sweet deal to lure them in.
  • Reach your audience through social media channels. After all, we are talking about youngsters and millennials who manage three or five channels simultaneously. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube are some of the most influential. Therefore, use them not only as a source for inspiration and guidance but also as an alternative tool to reach your audience and reinforce overall email marketing strategy.
  • Finally, in this year you cannot overlook the current crisis. To curtail the impact of the pandemic on your sales and revenue, keep abreast of the things, and continuously do A/B tests to adjust your back-to-school email campaign to meet the market’s current needs quickly.

Nataly Birch

Nataly is an exceptional web designer and developer with a master's degree in computer science. She is highly skilled in helping clients establish a strong online presence and achieve their digital marketing goals across various sectors, including email design, email marketing, and web development. Nataly remains at the forefront of the industry by staying updated with the latest trends through continuous learning.

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Andrian Valeanu

Andrian is a skilled web designer, email marketer, and SEO expert with over 20 years of experience. He founded Designmodo, a reputable company specializing in website and email building. Andrian shares his knowledge through guest lectures, interviews, and online publications, and is a respected voice in the industry.

Posts by Andrian Valeanu