Happy Mother’s Day? Well, not for some, and brands offering real preference control are doing the right thing.

 
Events such as Mother’s Day can be very difficult for people who have lost loved ones. Since the pandemic, it’s become even harder for many of us.
 
However, it’s not only grieving for a loved one that needs to be considered. People who have grown up without a mother, suffered abuse, have a strained family relationship, or even someone struggling with infertility are all reasons your customers might prefer not to receive your campaign.
 
In years gone by you’d see many brand setting off a ‘batch ‘n blast’ email to their entire database selling products related (or not) to Mother’s Day without consideration of the impact this can have on the recipient. In fact, the raw emotion involved can be triggered by receiving such an email.
 
Then a few years ago it all changed. A couple of brands trailblazed with the first Mother’s Day opt-out emails. Seen as good practice many brands jumped on the bandwagon and started sending their own opt-out emails too.
 
And here at RedEye, we gave that advice out too. But as the practice became widespread, what started as one or two Mother’s Day emails turned into a tsunami that flooded inboxes, doing the exact opposite of what was intended, unintentionally causing more harm than good.
 
Marketers, in their attempt to show empathy, ended up overwhelming customers with repeated reminders of an occasion they were trying to avoid, unintentionally causing more harm than good.
 
Brands are starting to understand that empathy and customer control are key. Instead of sending opt-out emails that still highlight the event, brands are shifting towards giving customers control over what they receive year-round.
 
The best way to do this? A well-designed preference centre that allows subscribers to proactively manage their communication preferences.
 

How do you let customers opt-out of Mother’s Day emails?

 
With modern marketing automation, managing customer preferences has never been easier. The effort involved is now minimal as segmentation and automation rules do all the work for you.
 
The best approach is to integrate a preference centre within your email marketing strategy. Within the preference centre should be a section dedicated to opting out, allowing customers to opt-out of certain occassions messaging at any time. This avoids the need for separate opt-out emails, reducing inbox clutter and minimising distress.
 
Instead of a last-minute Mother’s Day opt-out email campaign, brands should encourage customers to set their preferences when they first subscribe.
 
Once a customer has set their preferences a simple flag (e.g., Y/N or 0/1) will be set next to their profile within your database to ensure they never receive content they don’t want. This smart segmentation ensures they are automatically excluded from Mother’s Day campaigns without a disruptive opt-out email.
 
So, for example, if you have created your flag as Mother’s Day email opt-out is Y then create the segment looking for that value. Once the segment is live it can then be added as an exclusion rule to any campaign that mentions Mother’s Day.

Empathetic marketing front-of-mind for the team at Hobbycraft

 
Katherine Smith, Email Manager, said “At Hobbycraft we strive to always put our customers first, so we wanted to give customers the chance to opt-out of content they may not be comfortable seeing.”
 
“We worked together with RedEye to produce a preference centre microsite to give our customers a quick and easy way to opt-out of receiving emails about Mother’s Day.”
 
“We made this change because we believe it is the right thing to do. We also expect this move to reduce our unsubscribes and protect lifetime value and engagement with the brand.”
 

It doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing

 
If your marketing automation platform includes dynamic content ability, then you can still include these customers in your campaigns. Obviously, for campaigns which are promoting products such as flowers or personalised gifts which are highly relevant to Mother’s Day then, of course, leave them out altogether.
 
But if the product your promoting is relevant to the customer and has a fantastic deal because of this occassion period, you could easily use dynamic content within your creative to switch all the imagery over to a product-led design rather than a Mother’s Day-led creative.
 
This way, customers don’t miss out on great deals while avoiding unwanted messaging.

When is the best time to send the Mother’s Day out opt email request?

 
The best time is when the customer first signs up and engages with your welcome journey workflow. At some point, direct them to the preference centre to personalise their communication preferences, including opting out of specific occassions.
 
The opt-out section should be in this preference centre for a range of occassions – not just Mother’s Day.
 
However, not all customers will go and complete their preference centre. To contact these customers directly about this sensitive topic, don’t do it too close to the event. At this point, emotions will be running too high, especially if they have already received countless other Mother’s Day opt-out emails from other brands.
 
Instead, periodically send out a reminder automation regarding updating out-out preferences for all occassions, not one specific event like Mother’s Day. Time it so it’s not close to any major event like Mother’s or Father’s Day. This avoids emotionally charged moments closer to the date.
 
A simple copy-led service message template design is recommended, without any focus on mothers or fathers. Being considerate, humble and attentive in your sentences is all that’s required with a clear CTA to take them to the preference centre.

It helps your customer, and it helps you through higher retention rates

 
While the primary aim is to support your customers, this approach also benefits brands. If you don’t offer preference control, you risk losing valuable customers who might unsubscribe from all communications instead of just a single campaign.
 
And these could be customers who have a potentially high customer lifetime value (CLV).
 
Offering a well-structured preference centre reinforces trust and customer-centricity, ensuring your marketing remains personalised and relevant. And that means your multi channel marketing campaigns are highly personalised and relevant; both of which are essential for success.
 

Recap: tips for opt-out campaigns

While opt-out campaigns are designed with good intentions, they can sometimes exacerbate the issues they aim to mitigate. By implementing thoughtful preference management and writing sensitive, inclusive content, brands can demonstrate genuine empathy and enhance the customer experience.
 

1. Develop a comprehensive email preference centre

Create a user-friendly site where subscribers can manage their preferences, including opting out of specific occassions communications, adjusting email frequency, and selecting topics of interest. This proactive approach respects individual sensitivities and enhances user experience.
 

2. Incorporate subtle opt-out options

For those who may not engage with preference centre update emails, integrate discreet opt-out links within regular campaign emails. This allows subscribers to make real-time choices without feeling singled out or overwhelmed by separate opt-out campaigns.
 

3. Write with a mindset of inclusivity and sensitivity

When addressing occasions that may be challenging for some, use thoughtful language that acknowledges diverse experiences. By not focussing in on on one occassion and talking about them all will make your messages come across inclusive and considerate.