In the Philippines, Halloween and Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated by most. There’s no such thing as Cyber Monday, and Black Friday isn’t what we would say the best retail day of the year. Looking at the subject lines in my inbox, I see that most US retailers (those that survived) showing no signs of the economic storm it had to go through more than a year ago. Spending was down. Jobs were lost. Americans cut corners any way they could.

On our own shores, we experienced our own storm more than a month ago.  As rains filled up our streets, washed away cars, houses, and lives, we saw how natural it was for Filipinos to share whatever they could for their countrymen. And then we saw those same people be first in line at one of our local malls’ 3-day sales. It’s funny how people from opposite sides of the globe react to almost similar situations. Most of this is rooted on the belief that Christmas season begins as soon as the “ber months” arrive.

Using consumer behavior in the Philippines as a starting point, here’s a general guideline (or an idea) on how you can become the first mover online in your own market this Holiday season.

1. Have your Christmas gift pages up and ready - Go look at your numbers and find out which items were fast moving the previous year. Chances are, they’ll get the same attention this year.
2. Release an early Christmas email. - You might say, well it’s not even Christmas yet. Think about it, while others are gearing up for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Cyber Monday, you’ve already gained a distinct advantage in getting your customer’s attention. Sometimes, being different is the best way to get your market’s attention.
3. Bump up em’ discounts as soon as December rolls in. - You’ve already started promoting the items on your site, now convince your customers they should follow through with their purchase by giving them better discount options.

You've got to find a way to stand out.

When coming up with an email campaign calendar, always remember the inevitable rise in volume of emails being sent.  In most cases, some of your competitors may even have better deals than you do. The most important thing to remember is that there will always be a way to gain more opens, clicks, and purchases (while protecting your company’s profitability margins). All you have to do is be prepared.