When there's a crisis going on, you can't stick with email marketing as usual.
In this case, we're not talking about the global coronavirus pandemic, but about climate change — and how you should approach planning and designing Earth Day emails. April 22 is around the corner, and Americans are becoming more and more worried about climate change. Four in 10 U.S. residents now describe climate change as a “crisis.”
Earth Day is the perfect time to connect with your audience about this issue — but only if you do it the right way. Your customers care about environmental issues. They want to see companies striving for real change, not just making a profit off of this holiday. In preparation for April 22, craft a thoughtful Earth Day email campaign with a goal of creating action, not making money. Here are a few Earth Day emails to inspire your own!
#1. Gather stories.
Vogue News put out an Earth Day email newsletter that’s successful because it rounds up stories. Remember, people are passionate about this holiday, and stories are powerful tools. Tales of activists and sustainability can inspire your readers to get involved — whether they decide to learn more about the campaigns listed or go out and create their own initiatives.
Subject line: The 9 best Earth Day stories on Vogue Runway
#2. Take action.
In celebration of Earth Day, Moosejaw chose to donate a portion of its proceeds to a nonprofit its customers care about. This strategy is a win for everyone — the company, its customers and the nonprofit that’s on the ground doing the work. If you want to choose a nonprofit to support but aren’t sure what topics your customers feel strongly about, ask them! Send out a survey email a week or two before the holiday to get your subscribers’ input, asking how they want to partner with you to make a difference.
Subject line: You get extra reward dollars. We donate to charity. Happy Earth Day ?
#3. Highlight your commitment.
How does your company focus on going green in its day-to-day operations? Highlight those efforts in an Earth Day email campaign. Mattress company Leesa plants a tree every time somebody purchases a mattress. The company also uses recycled materials and runs its headquarters on renewable energy. Consumers want to patronize companies that are truly committed to the environment. Plus, explaining how your company goes green might spark some ideas as your customers work on being kinder to the environment in their own day-to-day lives.
Subject line: ? Every day is Earth Day ?
#4. Incite activism.
There’s zero promotion here. Instead, this company is focusing on an important cause, giving its customers the opportunity to make their voices heard and create some real change. What industry is your company in and where are you based? Think about local initiatives that your target audience cares about. Then use your Earth Day emails to spread the word about those causes.
Subject line: Celebrate Earth Day by helping to stop Pebble Mine.
#5. Go green ... and floral.
This beautiful Earth Day email uses images of plants and flowers to accentuate its message: We should celebrate Earth Day every day. Consider adopting a similar design scheme. And even as April 22 draws to a close, you can let your customers know you care about the world they live in — and that you’re committed to focusing on activism throughout the entire year.
Subject line: Every day is Earth Day: 30% off sale extended
Wrap-up: Earth Day email templates
In the spirit of partnering up to create change, we've put out some new Earth Day email templates that you can send your customers. For a simple email template, try this Be the Change email designed by Galina Grahovska.
To showcase your products, use this Earth Day email template by Martin Nikolchev.
Finally, our Green Sale seasonal promotion email template (also created by Martin Nikolchev) is a great choice for eco-friendly brands.
Use these Earth Day emails to engage your customers and take the first steps toward changing our world.
