5 Dos and Don’ts for Weather-Related Emails

Were you prepared for the recent arctic blast? For West Coasters, what about those above-average temps? I'm not talking about whether you were ready to shovel your driveway or if you had a fully stocked beach bag waiting by the door, I'm talking about your ability to leverage these newsworthy weather events in the inbox.

Unfortunately, many breaking news events that could boost email engagement are unpredictable. However, there's a 100 percent chance that crazy weather will hit at some point during the year. Rather than take a reactive, last-minute approach, do a little work ahead of time to have these wacky-weather emails ready to go.

This isn't just a way to lighten up the inbox or to introduce some variation into your messaging, though there are certainly benefits to occasionally changing things up. No, there are actual measurable benefits to tackling the topic of headline-worthy weather. Open rates usually see the biggest boost, though clicks and conversions can also soar if these messages are done right.

Here are five dos and don'ts for having your emails ready before the storm hits:

DO: Build Segments
Wild weather patterns rarely impact the entire U.S. at the same time, and nothing is worse than receiving an email that's totally off the mark. I often receive blizzard-related emails even though I live in a much warmer part of the country that rarely sees snow. When building your segments, target regions that share similar weather patterns. Go beyond basic regions, such as the Northeast or the West, to include coastal areas or states that are similarly impacted by the Gulf Stream.

You can still modify these segments to include or exclude certain states before a send, but preparing the segments in advance will save you from the headaches and errors of rushing to create them at the last minute. Once the segments are built, you'll also have a better idea of how many subscribers you'll reach with each one, which can help you determine if the effort is even worth the work when the weather change hits.