29 of the Best Email Subject Lines for Holiday Sales

best email subject lines holiday sales small business owners

The busy holiday season is quickly approaching…and with it, some of the biggest shopping moments of the year. If you’re a retail business, or plan to offer a holiday sale at some point, getting the word out via email is an easy, effective way to drive sales.

And if email marketing and advertising isn’t your forte, you don’t have anything to worry about. We’ve got you covered with tips on email marketing best practices, and tips for writing catchy email subject lines. Keep reading to get inspired with these sample email subject lines—you’ll find something for every kind of holiday sale!

What Should You Put for Subject Line in Email?

There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re creating an email subject line, especially if it’s for promotional purposes. Here are some key email marketing best practices to follow:

Get to the Point: The best email subject lines keep it short! Long subject lines risk getting cut off, especially if customers open it on a mobile device. Shoot for a subject line character count around 9 words, or 60 characters.

Make It Personal: Personalized subject lines typically yield high open rates. Adding the customer’s first name to your email subject line is an easy way to make your campaign more personal.

Stay Out of the Spam Folder: There are certain trigger words in email subject lines that will land your message in the spam folder. Avoid overly pushy language, excessive emojis, and multiple words written in capital letters.

What Is a Good Open Rate for Email?

According to HubSpot, the average email open rate ranges from 25% to 41%. For retail and shopping businesses, this number falls around 35%. So, don’t get discouraged if only a third or a quarter of your email marketing list opens your emails. That’s actually the standard email open rate for most industries!

Catchy email subject lines, especially those with a high-value offer, are one of the easiest ways to boost mail engagement and increase open rates. So, during the holiday season, make sure that your subject lines are short, sweet, and sales-focused—we have a feeling these will be some of your most-opened emails of the whole year.

All-Purpose Holiday Sale Email Subject Line Ideas

Need some good subject lines for emails promoting a holiday sale? Get inspired with these, and feel free to add your own on-brand twist!

‘Tis the season for a SALE!

Celebrate the season with a special offer!

Inside: Festive fun & seasonal savings!

Unwrap the savings!

Very merry deals for everyone on your list!

Deck the halls with a special deal!

Personalized Holiday Sale Email Subject Line Ideas

Like we mentioned earlier, many of the best email subject lines add a personal touch—this is a great way to ensure high open rates.

[Customer Name], don’t miss our Holiday Sale!

Inside: A special offer, just for [Customer Name].

[Customer Name], save big this season!

[Customer Name], a holiday gift—just for you!

You had your eye on it—now it’s on sale!

[Customer Name], you’re on the Nice List!

Black Friday & Cyber Monday Email Subject Line Ideas

If your business is participating in Black Friday or Cyber Monday this year, get customers excited about limited time deals. When you add a sense of urgency, you create email subject lines that are sure to get opened.