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Keep planning your 2021 email marketing campaign calendar

Dalila Bonomi
Dalila Bonomi
May 11, 2021
Keep planning your 2021 email marketing campaign calendar
Keep planning your 2021 email marketing campaign calendar

Believe it or not, we’re almost halfway through the year, making this the perfect time to plan out your email marketing calendar for the remainder of 2021. You might be tempted to rush through this part, but don’t! You’ll save yourself a lot of time and headaches later by figuring out your email marketing calendar now. Here’s your guide of what to do and when to do it for email marketing during the second half of 2021.We've also created a holiday marketing calendar to make your job even easier. From large global holidays (think Christmas and Easter) to smaller, more niche holidays that are a marketer's dream (Waffle Day or Singles Awareness Day), everything is included on this helpful marketing calendar. Click the plus sign by the "Google Calendar" text in the bottom right-hand corner so you'll never miss a holiday!

June

LGBTQ Pride Month (all month)

LGBTQ Pride Month will be celebrated around the world throughout the month of June, with LGBTQ+ communities and their allies flooding the streets — and our inboxes — with an infusion of color, pride and love. With exuberant rainbows as the defining symbol of the festivities, the design possibilities are endless! Draw on our LGBTQ Pride Month email templates to create your own rainbow-filled email!

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

Father’s Day (June 20)

In the U.S., Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June every year. Get creative with your copy, colors and CTAs as you design a Father's Day email to promote your Father’s Day sales. A simple, sleek Father’s Day message like this Joe’s Jeans email can promote your products or event as the holiday approaches.Subject line: Last chance for Father’s Day

email marketing calendar

Other June Holidays

  • Republic Day, June 2
  • World Environment Day, June 5
  • Dragon Boat Festival, June 14
  • Juneteenth, June 19 (If you choose to send a Juneteenth email, make sure to be sensitive and thoughtful of the BLM conversation — and to share how you’re taking action.)
  • First Day of Summer / Summer Solstice, June 21
  • Social Media Day, June 30

July

Independence Day (July 4)

A patriotic email for Independence Day (July 4 in the United States) can help boost your engagement and sales this summer. Make a splash and increase your conversions like Unsun Cosmetics did with this creative, patriotic email.Subject line: Happy Independence Day!! ?? ?? ??

fourth of july email example

World Emoji Day (July 17)

World Emoji Day might not be on your customers’ calendar. But for email marketing purposes, this holiday presents a wide range of fun opportunities! Using emojis in email adds personality to your brand. Emojis also grab attention and help get your point across. Celebrate the power of the emoji with Navid Nosrati’s template Emoji World Day or with our other World Emoji Day email templates.

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

Other July Holidays

  • Amazon Prime Day, July 12 - 13
  • Bastille Day, July 14
  • Olympic Games begin, July 23
  • International Day of Friendship, July 30

Get to Know Your Customers Day (July 15 and October 21)

Get to Know Your Customers Day takes place every quarter — the third Thursday of January, April, July and October. It’s the perfect time to focus on creating strong customer relationships, so it's a must-add for your email marketing calendar. Get to know your customers by sending out a survey that asks for their opinion. We love this survey email from Alpyn Beauty. Check out our other Get to Know Your Customers Day email templates for more inspiring examples.Subject line: Complete our survey. $25 gift ?

survey email

August

Back to School Month (all month)

It’s that time of year again: Back to School Month (in the U.S.). Advertise your school supplies for sale and connect with parents through a smartly-designed back to school email. We love this Back to School Discount Code email from Instacart: It combines a cute infographic with convincing copy to create the perfect email advertising Instacart’s sales.Subject line: Back-to-school made easy with $10 off and Staples

back to school email

Other August Holidays

September

Labor Day (September 6)

Next up on the email marketing calendar: Labor Day, a U.S. holiday that marks the end of summer. In other words, it’s the perfect time for brands to squeeze in one last summer sale. Dropps got the job done with user-generated content, a funny GIF (keep scrolling to see) and cool blue tones.Subject line: Labor Day just got even easier…

labor day email
gif in email example

First Day of Fall (September 21)

Usher in a new season by creating a special sale or promotion for the First Day of Fall on September 21. First Day of Fall emails are a lot of fun to design — think pumpkins, GIFs and warm tones of orange and brown. If you’re launching a new collection of products, check out our New Fall Collection It’s Here template by Yorbi Barriento.

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

Other September Holidays

  • Video Games Day, September 12 (Some people also celebrate this holiday on July 8; check out our Video Games Day email templates.)
  • Oktoberfest, September 18 - October 3
  • International Day of Peace, September 21
  • World Tourism Day, September 27

October

Breast Cancer Awareness Month (all month)

Kick off the month of October by recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Chances are, this disease has personally touched many of your customers. Sharing a Breast Cancer Awareness Month email helps raise awareness about the disease and connect with people who have been there. Get your inspiration from MANGO to take action for a good cause.Subject line: Together we’re stronger | Breast cancer awareness monthThe image of the email is no longer available.

Halloween (October 31)

For email marketers, Halloween is a can’t-miss holiday. Combine spooky stock images, creative CTA buttons and vibrant HTML colors to share a special fall promotion or some Halloween-oriented content. Take a look at this adorable Halloween email from Carter’s to kickstart your email design:Subject line: First Halloween’s deserve spooky cute costumes! ?

Other October Holidays

  • International Coffee Day, October 1 (Check out our International Coffee Day email templates.)
  • World Vegetarian Day, October 1
  • Cinnamon Bun Day, October 4
  • Dia de los Muertos / Day of the Dead, October 3 - November 2

November

Thanksgiving (November 25)

Is your target audience based in the U.S.? Don’t forget to send a Thanksgiving email on or before November 25. When it comes to Thanksgiving email marketing, authenticity is key: Show genuine appreciation for your customers and make them feel like part of the family. Check out this Thanksgiving Day email by Andrea Dall’Ara to send a heartfelt thanks to your email subscribers.

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

Black Friday (November 26)

Black Friday is a major retail holiday brands can’t afford to miss. And since your customers’ inboxes will be flooded with emails, it’s your job to do everything you can to grab their attention. Black Friday email templates make your email design job easy. This sparkly Lord & Taylor email is a great way to promote products and sales.Subject line: A Black Friday deal SO good, we brought it BACK!

email marketing calendar

Other November Holidays

December

Hanukkah / Chanukah (November 28 - December 6)

We’ve made it all the way to December and it’s time for some holiday celebrations! Start with a Hanukkah email to mark the Jewish festival of lights that in 2021 runs from November 28 to December 6. Naja’s colorful and attractive Hanukkah email is the perfect way to kick off the season.Subject line: Happy HanukkahThe email template is no longer available

Christmas (December 25)

When December rolls around, it’s time to get your Christmas marketing emails out the door! Come up with a creative campaign, such as sending a holiday gift guide or offering 12 days of deals, to get your subscribers engaged. Milligram chose a wintry blue-and-silver color scheme in this Christmas email example.Subject line: Give a Milligram gift card this Christmas

christmas email campaign

Kwanzaa (December 26 - January 1) 

Kwanzaa celebrates African-American culture and heritage. Each day in this week-long festival is centered around one of the seven principles: Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. The holiday is inspired by African tradition, although individual families celebrate in different ways. It typically culminates in a feast called Karamu, which takes place on New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Eve (December 31)

Close out your 2021 email marketing calendar by ushering in the New Year with style. Sending a New Year’s Eve email to wish your customers a Happy New Year can help ensure your brand is top of mind as your readers move into the new year. Michael Kors created a helpful lookbook for subscribers who want to ring in the New Year looking their best.Subject line: Level up your New Year’s Eve look

new year's eve email

Other December Holidays

  • Saint Lucy’s Day, December 13
  • First Day of Winter / Winter Solstice, December 21
  • Boxing Day, December 26

Looking ahead to 2022

Email marketers know better than anyone that the holiday grind never stops. Before you even put up your Christmas tree, it’s time to start thinking about New Year’s, and then Valentine’s, and everything starts all over again. Use these email design ideas to prep for 2022 and start off your New Year marketing on the right foot.

January

New Year’s Day (January 1)

Start the new year off strong by celebrating with a fun New Year’s Day email. Don't be afraid to pull out the glitter and fireworks for this fun holiday! Consider creating a special discount code or offering a sale for email subscribers. You could also share a year-in-review email, hitting the highlights your brand experienced over the last 12 months — like this email ClassTag sent at the end of 2019.Subject line: 2019: Year in review!

year in review email

Other January Holidays

February

Black History Month (all month)

Black History Month is celebrated in the U.S. during the entire month of February. This monthlong observance is a time to honor Black Americans and everything they’ve contributed to the world. Use your email newsletters to support Black communities and share how your company supports racial justice initiatives. This free Honoring Black Stories email template, created by Derek Brumby, is a great way to highlight influential Black voices and encourage your readers to support Black creatives. You can draw inspiration from our other Black History Month email templates, too — and from real-life email examples like this Cratejoy message.Subject line: Support Black-owned business | This & every month

Valentine’s Day (February 14)

Consumers are ready to spend some serious money for Valentine’s Day. A little strategic email marketing can position your brand as the best option for the reader's gift-giving needs. Hearts, colorful pink backgrounds and elegant typography can be the best way to go if you’re designing a Valentine’s Day email. For example, this Cute Root email uses a pink background color and the code “LOVELETTER” to create a seasonal promotion for subscribers to enjoy.Subject line: Eco-friendly Valentine’s Day ideas for you and your valentine

valentine's day email example

Other February Holidays

March

St. Patrick’s Day (March 17)

This traditional Irish religious holiday is celebrated today with parades, music and lots of food and beer. No matter what industry you’re in, it’s a great time to get on top of some email marketing! Send a festive green and gold St. Patrick’s Day email offering a deal that will help your customers feel the luck of the Irish. If you have products to showcase, this Sur La Table email demonstrates a few great ways to highlight those items. Our other St. Patrick's Day email templates will provide you with some lucky design inspiration as well!Subject line: Get ready for St. Patrick’s Day

st. patrick's day email

International Women’s Day (March 8)

International Women’s Day is a holiday designed to bring awareness to the ongoing struggle of gender equality and to celebrate the powerful women in our communities. Our Happy International Women’s Day template, created by Martin Nikolchev, is highly versatile: Use it to announce a sale, launch a fundraising campaign or simply design a thoughtful email that will resonate with readers. Or check out our other International Women's Day templates.

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

Other March Holidays

  • Maslenitsa, March 8 - 14
  • Mother’s Day, March 14 (Check out our Mother's Day email templates.)
  • Father’s Day, March 19 (Some countries celebrate this holiday in March; check out our Father's Day email templates.)
  • First Day of Spring, March 20
  • World Water Day, March 22
  • Waffle Day, March 25
  • SDG Global Festival of Action, March 25 - 26
  • Earth Hour Day, March 27
  • Holi Festival, March 29

April

Easter (April 4)

Pull out your fuzzy bunnies, chocolate eggs and pastel email backgrounds to create a springtime Easter email for your clients. This year, Easter is on April 4, which means you’ll need to get started early with your Easter email design. We recommend using one of our Easter email templates to shorten the design process — like this Special Easter email designed by Martin Nikolchev. We’re also loving the design of this Too Faced email that popped up in our inbox this spring.Subject line: Peep this: 30% OFF Easter sale starts now!

email marketing calendar

Earth Day (April 22)

Encourage people to make the world a better place by sending a well-designed Earth Day email. Your customers care about climate change and the world they live in. Sharing an Earth Day email that outlines how you’re taking action can inspire them to do the same. Levoit uses a creative product photo, strong fonts and earthy colors to create an email sharing info about the company’s Earth Day initiative.Subject line: Happy Earth Day! ?

earth day email

Other April Holidays

  • April Fool’s Day, April 1 (Check out our April Fool's Day templates.)
  • Tulip Festival, April 1 - 30
  • Carbonara Day, April 6
  • World Art Day, April 15
  • Shakespeare Day, April 23

Wrap-up: Holiday email templates

We don’t know about you, but this email marketing planning template is making us excited to start designing! Check out our full catalog of HTML email templates to find the best option for every holiday — it’s simple to edit these responsive templates using the BEE Pro email editor. Take your email marketing to new heights in 2021 by using an email marketing calendar so you don't miss a beat!

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Email strategies you’ve likely heard of but haven’t implemented yet

While email marketing has come a long way and is changing faster than ever, there’s only so much you can do within 600x1,500 pixels. However, there are no limits to where your creativity can take you. 
Kruti Shah
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2025

Now, let's be honest—you’ve likely heard about all of these rotating for the last few years. While email marketing has come a long way and is changing faster than ever, there’s only so much you can do within 600x1,500 pixels. However, there are no limits to where your creativity can take you. 

Let’s get into it.  

#1. Unique, tailored experiences 

Damian Grabarczyk, the co-founder and growth marketer of PetLab Co., says, “We faced the challenge of connecting meaningfully with an audience that expects more than one-size-fits-all communication.” 

When we speak about crafting tailored emails we mean going beyond the recipient's first name in the subject line. We’re talking about optimizing your entire email strategy to design multi-stage touchpoints to nurture leads across the customer lifecycle. As well as, leveraging data to send hyper-personalized, relevant, and engaging emails that feel less like a broadcast message and more like a conversation. 

Many are using AI machine learning algorithms and AI automation to analyze customer interactions, past purchases, browsing habits, website visits, and even social media behavior to curate engaging email content that resonates deeply with the real-time needs of recipients.

For PetLab Co this looked like including content such as an individual’s pet health history or product usage timelines. Damian Grabarzyk expands, “This approach transformed the conversion rate and strengthened customer loyalty. As we look ahead, I see brands in 2025 moving beyond generic personalization to adopt strategies that make customers feel truly understood and valued.”

On the other hand, many are leaning into user-generated content (UGC) for crafting tailored experiences. Customers today are more likely to trust the opinions of peers over branded messages. UGC like customer reviews, testimonials, videos, and photos are the best form of social proof depicting real people using and benefitting from your products or services. 

We see the benefits of using both AI and UGC to get the most out of your email conversions ;). 

#2. AI tools as an addition, not a substitution

Experts at NordPass state, "AI-powered content generation tools are not here to replace email copywriters and marketers. These tools make us more efficient. The smarter the tool is, the better equipped we are to create high-performing email content that drives results." 

AI tools can support us by significantly enhancing the speed, precision, and effectiveness of your emails. For instance while traditionally A/B testing has required a lot of time to analyze small variations with AI you quickly implement and test multiple email elements and make adjustments based on real-time engagement data. There are AI algorithms that can even predict which variations are most likely to resonate with different audience segments, leading to more accurate targeting and faster optimization.

In short, AI tools are revolutionizing the way we craft and optimize our email’s deliverability. There are many different types of AI solutions so we suggest finding the right one for your needs. 

#3. Even more transparency around data

With AI continuing to rise, folks are more and more concerned about where their data is going. That’s where zero-party data collection becomes a key strategy in email marketing, allowing you to gather data directly from customers rather than relying on third-party sources. 

Zero-party data includes information that consumers willingly share, such as preferences, interests, and purchase intentions. This data is often collected through surveys, preference centers, quizzes, or interactive content and is highly valuable because it is shared explicitly, ensuring accuracy and deeper personalization without privacy concerns associated with third-party tracking.

As privacy regulations tighten, zero-party data will empower you to deliver hyper-personalized email experiences while respecting user privacy. This approach will help you build trust, as customers feel more in control of their data, and you gain insights that lead to more relevant and engaging email content.

#4. The death of static emails

With attention span getting shorter day after day, digest-format emails are expected to rise in popularity in 2025. Presenting email content in an easy-to-scan, organized, and minimalistic layout will surely help deliver the most relevant information in a fraction of the time. 

Additionally, interactive emails will allow recipients to directly engage within the email without having to visit a landing page or website. Interactive elements like product carousels, polls, and quizzes create a dynamic experience that keeps subscribers engaged, especially in visually driven industries like fashion brands

So what now? 

You’ve heard these strategies before, but now it’s time to actually put them into action. The brands that win at email marketing in 2025 won’t just be sending emails—they’ll be creating experiences. Whether it’s hyper-personalized content, AI-driven efficiency, zero-party data collection, or interactive emails that break the mold, the key is to stay ahead of the curve.

So, what’s the first strategy you’ll finally implement? Your inbox (and your audience) are waiting.

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