Is email marketing during the holiday season to local businesses a good idea?

What industries are you targeting? Most retail businesses see an influx of customers during the holiday season, but with some proper research a marketer could pinpoint some industries that see a decline.

There are a ton of different websites offering insight on consumer data, specifically around this time of year. The first that comes to my head is www.npd.com for market research.

I don't do ANY email marketing to business owners. IMO....the best way to reach business owners and close deals are....

1. Attend Business Mixers in your community, meet decision makers that way.
2. Position yourself online, where business owners are spending their time. This way, you get ones that are searching for your services.
3. Consider a Direct Mail Postcard program. Make sure you have an amazing Call To Action and drive them to a Lead Capture website and follow up system.

I was running the same thoughts around my head and the conclusion was much the same it all depends on who the target is. At this point I have sent out over 600 emails and not 1 response to chiropractors maybe that NICHE sucks but I think its more do to the #s game in cold emails.
several threads I read later here in WF point out that you really need a series of at least 5-7 email prepared to go to the same list so they get the feeling of familiarity with you and also need of course to give them a reason to open the emails rather than PUSH things like hey I have a great offer....enter boring same text they see 100 or more times a day. Get in their with them in their mind and come up with an issue you can help with and open with that.


I found when it comes to Restaurants honestly and bars its best to just go to the business because most the owners of bars and Restaurants and catering businesses I have had as friends or co workers their rarely the type to be reading emails from people they don't know. I found most of them are too busy and spend like 12 hours or more per day working in the location. Its a brutal business really and most of them don't make much money. Many business owners are no different than average Joe 1 or 2 slow weeks away from closing their doors. That would be my other advice learn to target the ones that make good profits.
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Its been years ago and she seems to have disappeared from the Forums but Maria Gudelis often said the best Niches to partner with or go after this time of year is Accountants all the end of year business they get is pretty good from what I have heard but I didn't try that Niche.