4th of July Email Inspiration: Newsletter Ideas to Celebrate Independence Day

One of the biggest benefits of an engaged email list is the chance to build lasting relationships with your customers. 

And what better way to do that than with a 4th of July email campaign? Last year, 76 percent of consumers planned to celebrate the holiday with an average spend of $76.49 per person. 

As Americans gear up to celebrate Independence Day and brands go all-out to win their attention, it’s easy for your emails to get lost in a sea of noise. To stand out, your 4th of July email marketing needs to work extra hard. 

The good news is there are plenty of fun and interesting ways to grab and retain your reader’s attention and land those all-important sales. 

As well as a day of patriotism and celebration of cultural heritage, the 4th of July also marks the height of summer. A time when customers are focused on fun, family, and friends. If you can help them have the best holiday possible, they’ll come to associate your brand with the good times and you’ll have a customer for life. 

Come for ideas and inspiration for your 4th of July email campaigns. Stay for top tips from fellow small businesses on nailing effective holiday marketing. Leave feeling motivated and inspired to create your own 4th of July email marketing campaign. 

4th of July email design

Let’s start with the design of your 4th of July email template. As one of the most visually engaging holidays of the year, this is your chance to show your lighthearted side and have a bit of fun. 

Color

If there was ever a time to go all-out, it’s now. Nathan Sebastian, content marketer at GoodFirms says, “The color of your email creates that crucial first impression. At GoodFirms, we’re communicating with businesses. We usually use grey and blue to indicate trust, integrity, and professionalism. The only two exceptions to this rule are Christmas and the 4th of July.”

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Bryan Philips, head of marketing at In Motion Marketing agrees, “With this holiday, in particular, color is very important. You can change the color design of your logo, email banner, or signature, reinforcing the patriotic nature of the holiday.”

Tradegecko updated their signature mascot with a bit of red, white, and blue for the occasion in this simple Independence Day message. 

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Themes

Once you’ve nailed down the color palette, consider adopting a fun and seasonal theme for your Independence Day email newsletter. 

Maya Rotenberg at Stoke Talent says, “Choose a single topic and run with it. Think eagles, barbecue, fireworks. Don’t be afraid to go big. People will appreciate you getting into the spirit of the holiday and reward you with clicks.”

But before you get lost in a sea of stars and stripes, remember to stay true to your house style. “If your brand is more reserved try a more minimalist approach to your graphics,” says Bryan from In Motion Marketing. 

In this email example, atoms deliver a patriotic mask freebie without sacrificing their minimal branding and tone of voice. 

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4th of July email content

You’ve caught their eye with a bold and celebratory-themed email banner. Now you need to hold their attention with your content. 

Add value

To stand out from the crowd, put the work into preparing Independence Day emails that add value. 

“Incorporating a small and informative quiz about American history and using an appropriate subject line could speak to your reader’s competitive side, encouraging them to open your email and click through,” says Miranda Yan, co-Founder of VinPit.

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Think of ways you can add value in relation to your products to help your customers have a happy Independence day. If you sell cooking equipment, offer new recipes for them to try. If you sell home decor, give tips for setting a festive holiday table. 

Remember, it might have been a while since your customers hosted a big event or attended a big gathering. If you can help put them at ease they’ll feel loyal to your brand in the future. 

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Get creative

If your products don’t naturally lend themselves to 4th of July celebration-themed content, there are still options you can explore. 

Jeffrey Zhou, CEO at Fig Loans explains: “A fintech company like ours could do daily financial tips or feature everyday ways your business helps Americans. Embrace the theme and give your subscribers a series to continuously entice them to open your emails.” 

Seth Price, founding partner of Price Benowitz LLP agrees, “In the past, we’ve linked the celebratory nature of the day to something that might happen as a result; angling the message towards personal injury law.”

If your brand is selling to consumers rather than other businesses, you have more freedom to find a humorous or fun way to connect your product to the festivities. 

Derek Gleason, lead analyst at Workshop Digital suggests, “If you sell running socks, for example, you could share an article on the top US runners at the upcoming Olympics, or a visual listicle of the most patriotic socks ever. Finding an angle to provide informative or entertaining content gives you a much better chance of getting opens and clicks.”

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And if you’re still drawing a blank when it comes to tying your business to Independence Day? “Keep it simple,” says Maya from Stoke Talent. Send a short but sweet Happy 4th of July email with a link to your store. 

4th of July sales

At a quiet time of year for holidays and sales, the 4th of July is a great opportunity to reward your subscribers with special offers and discounts. 

Make it big

John Frigo, eCommerce Manager at BestPriceNutrition says, “Over the years of running holiday sales, I’ve discovered a sitewide discount is the way to go. Not only do customers prefer this but it’s much easier on you. You only need to make one banner and set up one deal in your system.”

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Make it relevant

If a sitewide sale isn’t an option, create an edit of holiday-relevant products to discount or promote. “I’ve regularly seen a 25 to 50 percent increase in open rates for a themed sale versus a one-off discount with no context,” says Danny Lewis, content strategist at CodeSigningStore. 

28 percent of consumers buy new patriotic items for the 4th of July, so a deal on hats, banners, and t-shirts will land well with your customers. Meanwhile, 56 percent of consumers plan a cookout or barbecue for the 4th of July. A special offer on barbecue equipment, outdoor furniture, or festive outdoor accessories will attract attention. 

“You could also offer some festive items for free. For example, a free barbecue apron with the purchase of a new grill cleaning set,” suggests Bryan at In Motion Marketing. 

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Perhaps, like Limor Dekel, the link between the holiday and your products is less direct. “Last year, on the 4th of July, I ran a flash sale on portraits of Bruce Springsteen. It has been my biggest seller to date.”

If your products don’t feel relevant to the holiday, you can still theme your sale. Tim from Coffee Geek TV suggests a 40 percent sale to tie in with the date of the holiday. Or a special discount on red, white and blue items. 

4th of July video and gifs

Enhancing your content with video and gifs is a great way to make your emails more fun and engaging. 

Video 

At this time of year more than any other, video is a great way to interest your reader and get them clicking on your products. Why? It’s short, fun, and full of the spirit of the season. 

Sendinblue lets you insert an image or still into your email with a link to view the video. This ensures maximum deliverability and guarantees your readers can check out your content no matter their email client. Don’t forget to link to your products from the video. 

Gifs

Similarly, an eye-catching gif in the holiday theme can set off your message and make it memorable. Think exploding fireworks, dancing hot dogs, or waving American flags. 

“Last year we wanted to go for something that truly symbolizes the holiday,” says Bishal Biswas, CEO at Word Finder. “Our email marketers came up with the idea of using gif fireworks around our company logo design. It gained the attention of various clients and proved to be a huge success.” 

Uber makes nice use of a firework gif to enhance their message in this email. (See the moving email here.)

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4th of July email subject lines

The best way to pin down clicks and sales is to make sure your Independence Day email subject lines contain two of these three characteristics, according to Marina Vaamonda, commercial real estate investor and founder of PropertyCashin. 

Relevancy

Your subject line needs to feel relevant to your customer. If your audience is hosting a party, they’ll be interested in your email about delicious party snacks or awesome 4th of July celebration playlists. 

Everybody loves a saving. Mehvish Patel, content writer at Zen Media advises putting your discount code in your subject line for this reason. 

Use code 4JULY for 25% off garden furniture today only

Urgency 

“Great email subject lines create a sense of urgency which encourages your target audience to open the email right away,” says Marina

Maya from Stoke Talent agrees. “The subject line should include the date. This adds a sense of urgency like they’re running against time to get the best deals.”

2 for 1 on all BBQ equipment ends Tuesday

Curiosity 

“Pique the interest of your subscribers with your subject line to boost open rates,” advises Marina. You could do this with emojis, asking a question, or starting your subject line with phrases like “Find out” or “Discover”. 

Discover which pantry ingredient will make your 4th of July BBQ the best on the block

How to time your 4th of July emails

When it comes to planning your 4th of July marketing campaign, timing is everything. Schedule the whole email series in advance to get prepared and save time. 

If you’re planning a sale, between three and five emails is the optimum amount to inform and persuade your target audience to get involved. There are two important stages in your 4th of July email marketing campaign:

The buildup

Plan your marketing strategy in advance and beat the rush of emails landing in your customer’s inbox on the 4th of July itself. Ronald Dsouza, digital marketing manager at FJackets suggests, “Go for the weekend before so customers have enough time to take action but not too much time that they don’t feel the sense of urgency. Send a follow-up on the day.”

The final hours

Recognize your customer’s 4th of July might be too busy for shopping. Derek at Workshop Digital suggests, “Send your email the day after, with a subject line like, ‘We were off yesterday. Happy 5th of July.’” 

Make sure to capitalize on those final hours of your sale. Ronald says, “Our last email is highly effective. We send it two hours before the sale ends. After days of build-up, it creates fear of missing out. It always works.”

Segmenting your 4th of July emails 

Make use of email segmentation to ensure your email marketing lands on target every time. 

Filter out customers who don’t live in the USA, those who have purchased in the last few days, and anyone else to whom your offer may not be relevant. Then segment by age, purchase history, and location. 

If your customer recently purchased a new couch, maybe they’d like some new cushions for the holiday. Check the weather forecast. Depending on their location, they might be more interested in a deal on sunblock or some stars and stripes umbrellas. 

Final tips on 4th of July emails

As a lowkey and fun holiday, the 4th of July is a great opportunity to help your target audience make the most of summer whilst building a relationship with your brand. Follow these key strategies to keep your email marketing on point this 4th of July. 

• Go all-out with your design 
• Deliver content that adds value to your customer’s lives
• Plan relevant sales and special offers
• Use video and gifs to boost engagement
• Write email subject lines to create FOMO
• Think about timing and segmentation when planning your emails

Now you’ve nailed your 4th of July campaign, check out our guide to summer newsletter ideas to keep your email marketing on point all summer long.