Holiday marketing tip #3: Sales-boosting with a newsletter (and avoiding algorithms)
Get my tips for starting or growing your newsletter to make it a key sales channel by the time the holiday season hits.
Hi! 👋
This week, I’ll help with your newsletter (even if it doesn’t exist yet). This is Holiday Marketing Tips for Creators #3.
Welcome (back)! 🤗
This is Petra from The Creators' Diary. If this is your first TC’D newsletter, welcome! We’re happy you’ve subscribed!
Share what you think about this issue or the questions you struggle with as a creator by simply replying to this email. A real human (Petra) reads it.
Holiday marketing tip of the week 🎄
The holiday period is full of ad noise. It’s when brands compete the most intensely for people’s attention (and money). However, it’s a two-way street: customers are also ready to spend, constantly scrolling and looking at gift options as the holidays approach.
What can a small creative business do in this clutter of messages? One thing I heavily recommend is investing in your newsletter.
At any time of the year, really, but taking advantage of this channel now is really going to boost your possibilities and results over the holidays.
Why is a newsletter a good idea?
- Social media can help with visibility, but algorithms can bury your posts. A newsletter puts you directly in your customer’s inbox, right when they’re shopping for gifts.
- People are three times more likely to make purchases from email marketing than from social media.
If you don’t have a newsletter yet:
Use a simple platform like MailerLite, Kit, or Substack. Then:
- Create a reason to join—like a holiday gift guide, exclusive discounts, or first access to new drops.
- Share the sign-up link everywhere: your bio, stories, captions, packaging.
- Instead of saying "Join my newsletter,’ pitch the value: "Get VIP holiday access" or "Unlock limited-edition deals".
Already have subscribers?
- Run a giveaway where entry requires signing up. For example: a holiday bundle of your bestsellers.
- Partner with another maker for a joint promo—both of you cross-promote each other’s newsletters.
- Tease that your limited holiday items drop to subscribers first. People love exclusivity and getting access to something before others.
Extra tip ✨: Send a warm-up email now. A behind-the-scenes look, a fall update, or a product sneak peek will get people excited before your holiday offers roll out.
If you found the above useful and have creator, artist & maker friends in need of good holiday marketing tips, have them subscribe to this newsletter here. 💌
Creator snippet of the week 📌
Pippa, the artist behind Studio Maeflower, launched her newsletter in August and will surely take advantage of this marketing channel over the holiday period.
She wants to cut through the noise with her newsletter, offer early access to products, plus some freebies, among others.
When launching the newsletter, she offered a 10% discount as an incentive to subscribe. Well done, Pippa! 🎉
See you next week,
Petra
Petra Gönczi
