12 Days of Mobile Messaging: A Holiday Playbook for Marketers

These next few weeks leading up to Christmas offer a final opportunity to captivate shoppers and drive revenue, and as such, mobile-focused brands must be strategic in their engagement efforts. To help you maximize this critical window, we’ve compiled a quick 12-day playbook with unique strategies to implement across your most important messaging channels.

Each strategy is designed to ensure you capture attention and turn engagement into measurable success. Let’s unwrap the game plan!

Day 1: Countdown Kickoff with Personalized Push Notifications

Why: Shoppers are overwhelmed with generic holiday messages. Personalized notifications break through the noise, giving senders 344% higher engagement rates than non-personalized notifications.

Strategy: Leverage user data like browsing and purchase history to send tailored push notifications. For example, if a user recently viewed winter coats, send a notification highlighting a “12 Days of Deals” coat sale with a countdown timer.

For non-e-commerce apps, promote holiday-themed features or special content, such as “Unlock Your Holiday Playlist!” for a music app or “Track Your Fitness Goals Before the New Year” for a health app. Utilize dynamic content to customize notifications by user name, preferences, or geographic region for maximum relevance.

Success Metrics: Increased click-through rates (CTR) and higher daily active users (DAU) during the campaign period.

What’s at Stake: Fail to grab their attention early, and you’ll risk losing customers to more proactive competitors.

Day 2: Exclusive SMS Offers

Why: SMS marketing has historically high open rates, making it the perfect channel for delivering time-sensitive or critical information to your customers. In fact, 97% of texts are read within 15 minutes.

Strategy: SMS is typically reserved for critical or sensitive information, but during the holiday season, the urgency and competitive nature of time-sensitive promotions make it an exception worth leveraging. Make sure your SMS includes a direct link for immediate action, and always provide a clear opt-out option to ensure compliance.

Send an exclusive discount code valid for 24 hours to SMS subscribers. Create urgency with phrases like “Surprise: 20% Off Your Wishlist – Today Only!” Include a direct link to their wishlist for seamless shopping.

Non-e-commerce apps can use SMS to promote special limited-time experiences, such as “Exclusive: Try Premium Features Free for 24 Hours!”

Success Metrics: Boost in same-day conversions and increased opt-in rates for future SMS campaigns.

What’s at Stake: Without exclusivity, your SMS campaigns may feel redundant compared to email and other channels.

Day 3: Interactive Holiday Poll via In-App Messaging

Why: Engagement breeds loyalty and interactive content keeps your app top-of-mind.

Strategy: Launch an in-app poll, such as “What’s Your Favorite Holiday Movie?” or “Vote for Your Ultimate Holiday Gift.” You may also poll users on app-specific topics, such as “What’s Your Top 2024 Fitness Goal?” for a wellness app or “Which Stock Are You Keeping an Eye on Most Next Year?” for a fintech app.

After voting, users receive a small incentive like free shipping, a digital badge, or bonus points in a rewards system. Keep the interaction short and visually engaging, using holiday-themed graphics to make the experience festive.

Success Metric: Increased session length and app retention rate.

What’s at Stake: Without stimulating users with interactive features, you miss opportunities to engage dormant users who may churn after the holidays.

Day 4: Curated Gift Guides via Email

Why: Holiday shopping is stressful, and curated recommendations simplify decision-making.

Strategy: Segment your email list by demographics or past behavior. Send personalized gift guides, e.g., “Top 10 Gifts for Dad” or “Perfect Stocking Stuffers Under $50.”

For non-e-commerce apps, craft guides that highlight app features, such as “Top 5 Productivity Hacks for the Holidays” for a task management app or “5 Ways to Stay Relaxed During Holiday Madness” for a meditation app. Ensure the guide is easy to navigate with bold headings and direct “Buy Now” or “Try This Feature” CTAs to reduce friction.

Success Metric: Higher open and conversion rates, along with increased email list growth via referral links included in the guide.

What’s at Stake: A missed email personalization opportunity means losing out on engaged, ready-to-buy shoppers!

Day 5: Gamified Mobile Push

Why: Gamification enhances user experience and builds brand affinity.

Strategy: Send a mobile push inviting users to a holiday scratch card or spin-the-wheel game. For non-e-commerce apps, the game could unlock app-specific perks, such as a week of free premium access or bonus points for completing tasks. Ensure the experience is mobile-optimized and doesn’t require extensive onboarding. Create a sense of competition by letting users share their results or wins on social media, driving organic growth.

Success Metric: Increased app sessions and first-time purchases, not to mention growth in social media mentions or shares tied to the campaign.

What’s at Stake: If your app lacks excitement, it will struggle to compete for screen time against others.

Day 6: Flash Sales with Dynamic Web Push

Why: Web push notifications drive immediate action without requiring an app.

Strategy: Announce hourly flash sales via web push, e.g., “Flash Sale: 30% Off Electronics Until 2 PM!” Include deep links to specific product categories. Non-e-commerce apps can use dynamic web push to highlight exclusive seasonal features, such as “Try Our Holiday Playlist Generator” or “Free Credits for Your Next Ride Today Only!” Ensure users can act with one click and that the landing pages are mobile-responsive.

Success Metric: Higher traffic and conversions during off-peak hours. Increased re-engagement for users who haven’t visited your site recently.

What’s at Stake: Flash sales without real-time visibility can result in lower participation and sales volume.

Day 7: Holiday-Themed Content Series on Social Channels

Why: Consistency across channels ensures you stay top-of-mind and helps you to secure “first touch” when it comes to your competition.

Strategy: Use mobile messaging to promote a holiday content series, such as “7 Days of Gifting Tips” on Instagram or TikTok. For non-e-commerce apps, promote content that’s tied to app features, like “7 Days of Mindfulness for the Holidays” or “Daily Challenges to Stay Active.” Include a CTA like “Tap to Subscribe for Daily Tips” in push or SMS campaigns. Use tracking links to measure campaign impact directly on your social channels.

Success Metric: Cross-channel engagement, new followers, and improved push-to-follow conversion rates.

What’s at Stake: Neglecting social integration may lead to fragmented campaigns with missed opportunities for brand storytelling.

Day 8: Abandoned Cart Revival Email

Why: Shoppers often abandon carts during the frenzy of holiday shopping. A timely nudge can win them back.

Strategy: Send an email message featuring images of abandoned items and an offer to sweeten the deal, such as “Your Perfect Gift Awaits — Get 10% Off If You Checkout Today!”

Non-e-commerce apps can use this strategy to re-engage users who didn’t complete an in-app action. For instance, a fitness app might send a message like, “Your Training Plan Awaits! Get 20% Off Premium for the Holidays.” Include a dynamic link that takes users directly to their cart or action screen for a frictionless experience.

Success Metric: Conversion rate revival and increased session recovery rates for users who dropped off mid-activity.

What’s at Stake: Without proactive recovery, you’re leaving revenue on the table during the busiest time of year!

Day 9: Loyalty Rewards Spotlight via In-App Messaging

Why: Loyal customers drive a significant share of holiday revenue.

Strategy: Use in-app messages to highlight exclusive perks for loyalty members, such as early access to sales or double reward points on purchases. For non-e-commerce apps, tailor the rewards to match app functionality.

For example, a language-learning app might offer “Earn Double Points on Holiday Challenges” or “Unlock Festive Bonus Lessons!” Ensure the messaging emphasizes exclusivity and provides a direct link to redeem the reward.

Success Metric: Increased repeat purchases and higher average order value (AOV).

What’s at Stake: Overlooking loyalty program engagement risks alienating your most valuable customers.

Day 10: Shipping Deadlines Push

Why: Shoppers need clarity on when to buy to ensure on-time delivery.

Strategy: Timing is everything during the holidays, especially when it comes to your customers receiving their orders on time. Send a push notification reminding users of key shipping deadlines. Use FOMO-driven language like “Last Chance for Guaranteed Christmas Delivery – Order By Midnight!”

For non-e-commerce apps, reframe this strategy to focus on timing-related features. A ride-share app could push “Book Now to Beat Holiday Traffic!” or a food delivery app might highlight “Order By 5 PM for Dinner on Christmas Eve.” Include countdown timers to enhance urgency!

Success Metric: Increased urgency-driven purchases.

What’s at Stake: Missed deadlines mean frustrated customers and lost sales.

Day 11: Early Access SMS for Last-Minute Deals

Why: Procrastinators often shop in the final days before Christmas, presenting a lucrative opportunity.

Strategy: Reward SMS subscribers with early access to your final holiday deals. Promote same-day delivery or e-gift cards as last-minute solutions. Non-e-commerce apps can spotlight holiday promotions or trials. For example, a meditation app could send, “Calm the Holiday Rush – Get 3 Days of Premium Free, Starting Now!” Be sure to include a simple, clickable link that minimizes the time between receiving the SMS and taking action.

Success Metric: Surge in SMS-driven conversions and higher trial-to-subscriber conversion rates.

What’s at Stake: Without catering to procrastinators, you’ll miss a critical segment of holiday shoppers.

Day 12: Thank You and New Year’s Teaser via Email

Why: Engagement shouldn’t stop just because Santa went home. Building goodwill ensures you’re top-of-mind long after the holidays.

Strategy: Send a heartfelt thank-you email to customers, highlighting their role in your successful year. For non-e-commerce apps, include an engaging recap of user activity, such as “You Completed 150 Workouts This Year – Cheers to a Strong 2024!” or “Your 2023 in Music: Top 10 Songs You Loved.” Add a teaser for upcoming New Year’s promotions or app updates to encourage continued engagement.

Success Metric: Increased email open rates and customer lifetime value (LTV).

What’s at Stake: Ending the season without gratitude risks losing the loyalty you’ve worked hard to build.

Ready to Elevate Your Holiday Campaigns?

The 12 days before Christmas are your golden window to connect with your audience, drive sales, and build lasting loyalty. To make these strategies a reality, you need a platform that’s powerful, easy to use, and built to deliver results.

With OneSignal, you can:

• Orchestrate Multichannel Campaigns: Seamlessly execute push notifications, SMS, in-app messages, and emails all from one intuitive dashboard, ensuring your audience stays engaged no matter where they are.
• Personalize at Scale: Leverage user data to send highly targeted, relevant messages that cut through the holiday noise and drive action.
• Analyze and Optimize on the Fly: Track campaign performance with detailed analytics and make adjustments to maximize your ROI.

Try OneSignal for free today and see how easy it can be to create engagement that converts.