The subject line: “Would you like to receive Mother’s Day emails?”
I open the email to find a simply worded opt-out letter:
But what Ink Cards, ShopRunner, Pineapple Collaborative, and a handful of other retailers have recognized is that Mother’s Day isn’t a feel-good holiday for everyone. There are people with estranged relationships with their mothers. People with deceased mothers. People who are struggling to become mothers. People who are mothers to children who have died. People who have never met their mothers. People who have two fathers. For many, Mother’s Day emails and promotions can be triggering.
As online marketers, what should we do?
Giving customers the ability to opt-out of specific marketing emails is the online marketing equivalent of saying, “Hey, I know Mother’s Day may be a little challenging for you.” It’s personal and inclusive, allowing individuals to choose how they interact with your brand on that topic. For customers in this group, this little acknowledgment can go a long way.
Take the example of Bloom and Wild, a UK-based online flower delivery service that received accolades from customers for creating a Mother’s Day email opt-out option.
Keep it Social
- Just say it. On social media, we always encourage your business or nonprofit to have an authentic or genuine voice. So say what you mean, and mean what you say. If you want to say something to recognize that Mother’s Day can be a loaded holiday, post an image with some text that says that. Your followers who are struggling with the holiday will certainly appreciate it.
- Skip posting on Mother’s Day. If it’s not relevant to your brand messaging, maybe post about something else that day. Did you know May 9, 2021 is also National Lost Sock Memorial Day?
- Pay attention to your international followers. Mother’s Day is celebrated around the world on different dates. Posting something about Mother’s Day in May may be confusing for your UK followers that celebrate Mother’s Day in March.
- Post something that addresses the different experiences people have on Mother’s Day. This image from shelemah.com brings attention to some of the groups that experience Mother’s Day differently than a “hallmark holiday.”
We know that email marketing, social media management, and SEO are some of the low-cost tools nonprofits and small businesses can use to promote their products and services. But in all things marketing-related, you want to be sensitive to the needs of your customer base. Although Mother’s Day may not be a holiday that we traditionally think of as inclusive/exclusive like Christmas or Easter, with so many nuanced relationships to the holiday, maybe it’s time to rethink how we market Mother’s Day.