13 Engaging Promo Newsletter Ideas for Fashion Brands (with Examples)

Let’s explore best practices when sending promo newsletters and look at some fashion newsletter examples your subscribers will love.

Feel free to jump to the part you’re most interested in:

• Reasons to send promo newsletters

• Newsletter best practices

• 13 Newsletter ideas for fashion brands

Why you need to start sending more newsletters

It’s no secret that email marketing is a pillar for fashion brands. Newsletters in particular are one of the best types of marketing emails you can use for online stores.

Before we move on to examples, let’s make one thing clear:

Newsletters refer to non-automated marketing emails.

For example, a welcome email isn’t a newsletter, and neither is a cart abandonment email. But that email you sent about your weekend flash sale? That’s an example of a newsletter. So is the announcement of your latest fall collection.

So why are newsletters so powerful to market fashion brands? Here are three good reasons:

1. Promo newsletters are an easy way to drive traffic to your website for free
2. Newsletters can help you convert email subscribers to first-time buyers
3. Newsletters are vital to build relationships and gain repeat customers

With that in mind, let’s jump to the best practices and promo newsletter examples.

7 Tips to create engaging fashion brand newsletters

You can send your subscribers a newsletter about virtually anything. But there are several practices to watch out for if you want the best results 👇

1. Send newsletters consistently

Consistency with email newsletters is better than quantity, and here’s why.

The more people on your email list open your emails, the better your sender reputation becomes. And the better your sender reputation? The less likely you’ll end up in the spam folder.

So imagine you stop sending emails for an entire month, and then send one to two emails per day over the next week. Your subscribers won’t have the habit of opening your emails because they don’t usually hear from you.

Others may even mark you as spam because they’ve forgotten who you are.

Aim for a couple of emails per week at least, but stay consistent. If your subscribers are in the habit of receiving and opening your emails every few days, it’ll be jarring if you suddenly switch to a twice-daily schedule!

2. Optimize your newsletters for mobile devices

Mobile commerce sales keep rising as time goes by.

Because of this, there’s a high likelihood your subscribers will read your emails on a mobile device. So if you want better click-through rates (and better mobile conversions), make sure your newsletters look good on all devices.

Are your fonts too small? Do users have to scroll from side to side to read your entire email? If so, switch your formatting to make your customers’ lives easier, no matter the device they use.

3. Spruce up your subject lines

You can create the most amazing fashion newsletter in the world. But it won’t matter if no one opens it.

While several factors influence your email open rates, your subject line plays an important role.

Too many fashion brands rely on the same generic subject lines to get people’s attention. I can’t count how many subject lines I’ve received with subject lines that look something like this:

• Last call!
• 20% off today only!
• Flash sale!

Straightforward subject lines have their place. But if you’re using the same subject lines as your competitors, you won’t stand out in your subscribers’ inboxes.

Instead, consider adding some intrigue to your subject lines.

If you’re not sure what to write about, how-tos and curiosity always work wonders with subject lines.

Of course, you can let subscribers know about your 30% off flash sale. But add something to the subject line to boost the benefits… or inject some of your brand’s personality into the mix.

4. Implement dynamic, personalized content

Did you know that most email marketing tools allow you to insert dynamic content into your newsletters?

Instead of showing the same email to everyone, you can insert dynamic content that will change for each receiver.

For example, you can add a personalized product recommendation based on what someone has browsed or purchased in the past. Or, you could remove an entire section of your newsletter if someone already purchased a specific product that has no repurchasing value.

Dynamic content makes your newsletters more relevant, which increases the likelihood of your subscribers enjoying your emails (and buying from them, too).

5. Segment your list

List segmentation is another important way to send more relevant content in your newsletters. Instead of sending the same newsletter to every subscriber, you can tag subscribers when they join your list and then group them into separate segments based on:

• Behavior
• Time zone or location
• Age
• Gender
• Opt-in source

If you have more than one ideal customer avatar, list segmentation will help you cater to each avatar with unique content.

6. Get creative with visuals

This may sound counterintuitive since you’re reading an article about getting inspiration for your newsletters…

… but you’ll create much better emails for your fashion brand if you let yourself and your team unleash your creativity instead of trying to replicate what someone else is doing.

Each brand has its unique visual style. Let your shine! Don’t be afraid to play around with the visuals in your newsletter.

For example, look at the way Patagonia attracts the gaze downward with their playful text and run-on sentence:

Brooks Running is another fabulous example of a fashion brand getting creative with their visual elements. Their use of bubble text, block shadows, and fun arrows make their emails memorable:

Look at your own brand and see what elements of its style you can bring to life in your newsletters.

7. Let your fashion items speak for themselves

Fashion brands have an advantage over other ecommerce companies — they sell a visually appealing product.

Think of the popularity of fashion shows and fashion week. Your items are works of art that tell a story just by existing!

While you can send wordy newsletters, you should also take advantage of your product’s aesthetics. Sometimes opening your email with a model wearing your product is a powerful enough statement.

13 Promo newsletter ideas for fashion brands

Running out of fashion newsletter ideas to send your subscribers? Inspire yourself with these 13 promo newsletter examples that work wonders for clothing, jewelry, and accessory brands.

1. The lookbook

An effective way to get your subscribers to click through to your website via your newsletter is to help them imagine what it’d be like for them to have your products in their lives.

And this is regardless of what you sell.

Luckily for you, it’s easy to let subscribers imagine themselves with your products when you sell fashion items. You can guide their inspiration and help them make purchasing decisions by showcasing a lookbook in your newsletters.

Lookbooks can come in many shapes. For example, you can share images of various ways to style your latest collection.

Alternatively, you can share several ways to wear one item.

The best lookbooks at least have one connecting thread with each image. Below, you can see how Reitmans created a cohesive mood with their lookbook newsletter:

From the Montreal street details to the pink elements across the entire email, Reitmans displays how their clothing items keep their customers trendy.

2. Announcing a sale

Are you discounting a popular item? Or maybe you’re hosting a Black Friday sale? No matter the occasion, your subscribers should be the first to know.

You can take a visual approach to showcase what’s on sale. Or, you can send a text-based email to describe everything your subscribers can look forward to!

Here’s a text-based newsletter example from Knix’s yearly Warehouse Sale event:

This newsletter works well for two reasons. First, it announces how the sale will work and when it’s going to happen. Then, it shares value with subscribers via helpful tips to make the most of the sale.

It doesn’t hurt that Knix uses language to amp up the exclusivity of this newsletter. Subscribers can feel like they’re part of a special group. And because it’s text-based, it feels like receiving an email from a friend instead of from a company.

3. Back-in-stock emails

It’s so frustrating as a customer when you’re ready and willing to spend money on a brand, only for you to find out the product you absolutely wanted is out of stock!

Don’t let those sales slip away for too long.

As soon as you’ve got new stock for your popular items, let your subscribers know with a back-in-stock newsletter.

Generate some hype around your restock by adding some flair. For example, look how Offhours puts their Homecoat at the forefront of their newsletter:

The black and white image followed by the large, bold heading stating “It’s back” is all that’s needed to get people excited about this product. But they also follow it up with a personality-infused paragraph that’s sure to make at least a few people laugh.

Plus, the brand amps up the scarcity factor by warning people about limited quantities.

💡 If you’ve got other newsletters planned and you don’t want to notify your entire list, you can also send your back-in-stock email to a segment of your list that’s interested in that type of product.

4. The product bundle

Offering product bundles in an email can boost your average order value by enticing customers to purchase more items than they would have without the bundle. It’s up to you whether you create evergreen or expiring bundles.

Use your newsletter to break down the benefits of purchasing the bundle. Everlane does this elegantly in their newsletter below:

They describe their recurring summer bundle in just six words:

“High-comfort styles. High-value packs.”

Plus, they kick off the newsletter by letting subscribers know how popular the bundles were in previous years. This lets customers know other people have enjoyed these bundles.

5. The blog feature

Your newsletters can feature more than just products or promotions. You can also use it to generate traffic to your blog if you have one.

Blog posts don’t immediately give fashion brands a return on their investment. But when leveraged correctly, they can attract fresh traffic and generate more interest in your brand, especially for people who aren’t ready to purchase from you yet.

So what can you blog about — and how do you share these blog posts in your newsletter? That’ll depend on your niche in the fashion industry. For example, Knix has a blog called The Lift in which they publish posts about:

• Wellness and confidence
• Parenthood
• Community stories
• Art and culture

They’ll periodically send a newsletter with blog post roundups, which look like this:

💡 Keep in mind that you can achieve a similar outcome, even if you don’t have a blog. For example, you can share expert advice from stylists you’ve worked with or feature influencers who wear your products on social media.

6. Free shipping announcement

Customers love free shipping. If you’ve got a chance to offer free shipping for a limited time, make sure to let your subscribers know in your newsletter.

Free shipping doesn’t have the be the only topic in your email. For example, Surge Fabric uses its newsletter to explain everything its subscribers can expect during its upcoming Black Friday sale — and it happens to include free shipping, too.

The brand dedicated an entire block of its newsletter to notify subscribers about the free shipping special. Like many other examples on this list, they use specific copy to give a feeling of exclusivity to their subscribers by letting them know they’re the first people to hear about the event.

7. The tease

If you’ve got a new collection coming out soon or plan to host a special sale, you can start generating some hype around the launch using your newsletter.

Subscribers will get an inside look at what they can expect, which will get them excited about purchasing from you!

As an added bonus, you can create a waitlist for your products or sale events, as Everlane does in this email newsletter:

Each product showcased in this email has a waitlist link to give early access to those who are interested. And for those who can’t wait, there’s a button at the bottom of the email to shop for new arrivals.

8. Behind the scenes

Remind your subscribers that real people are behind your brand by sharing some behind-the-scenes content in your newsletters.

Some examples of behind-the-scenes content fashion brands can use include (but aren’t limited to):

• Step-by-step process of how your items are manufactured
• The story behind the design of your latest collection
• What your workplace looks like
• What members of your team do for fun

One brand that uses behind-the-scenes consistently well in their emails is Imogene + Willie. In this first example, their newsletter explains how their team has been sampling pairs of their new denim pants to understand their unique character:

Can’t you just picture these people wearing these pants as you read this email? I know I can.

In this next example, they humanize their fashion model by introducing her to subscribers and telling them about their latest shoot with her:

It’s a fun change of pace that can make subscribers feel like they, too, are a friend.

9. Laying on the benefits

Your fashion items are much more than something people can wear. They represent something else.

That “something else” changes with each brand. For Danner, their Trail 2650 Campo GTX shoes allow customers to “outsmart the weather”:

You don’t have to sell performance attire to showcase the benefits of your fashion products in an email. Think of what makes your products unique and why people should choose them above someone else’s products.

For example, your products could be:

• More durable
• More comfortable
• Unbelievably stylish and chic
• Affordable yet high-quality
• Handmade
• Functional

You and your team understand those benefits. But customers need to be reminded of those benefits to be convinced to pull their credit cards out.

10. Buttering up your subscribers

People enjoy wearing apparel that makes them feel good. Why not use your newsletters to boost their self-esteem and uplift their day?

You don’t have to overdo it, either. Below, you can see how Cotton On makes their customers feel seen and appreciated in under 10 words:

“We see you. Out there getting it done.” Cotton On ties this simple line in with an offer to shop for the right dresses to get it all done. It’s simple but subtle.

The brand continues with this tone throughout the newsletter, with callouts such as “You’re unstoppable (!!)” and “The always-ready social butterfly”.

11. Breakdown of the details

If you’ve ever asked yourself:

“What else can I write about my fashion product? It’s just a shirt/sweater/whatever!”

Then you’ll enjoy this newsletter example from American Giant:

On the surface, their hoodie looks dead simple. Unremarkable, even. But scroll through their newsletter and you’ll see a minute breakdown of every detail in this hoodie’s design.

This type of breakdown lets your subscribers see your products from a different angle. Maybe these details are obvious to you because it’s your brand. But it’s not obvious to everyone else.

Consider sending a survey to your previous buyers or looking through your reviews to see what details your customers appreciate from your products.

12. Educational content

Help your customers make the most of their purchases by sharing educational content with them.

For example, you can display creative ways to style an item. Or you can remind people about the proper way to care for their products, just like Baggu did below:

This type of educational content changes the pace from promo newsletters and shares value with your subscribers, which can help you generate sales indirectly.

13. Sharing a contest

Who doesn’t love free stuff? Increase your email open rates by running a contest!

You can even use your contest as an incentive for your subscribers to share your newsletter with their friends and family. It’s a cost-effective way to grow your email list while also getting people excited about your products.

Make sure the contest instructions are clear, like in the Frank and Oak newsletter above. Notice Frank and Oak uses their contest to grow their social media following instead of their email list — that’s another option if social media is a higher priority for your brand.

Create outstanding promo newsletters for your fashion brand

Automated emails are great for short-term sales — but newsletters help you stay in touch with your fashion customers and generate long-term revenue. By now you should have enough promo newsletter ideas to get started with your first few months of emails.

If you’re just getting started and looking for a way to grow your email list, consider Getsitecontrol – an easy-to-use app that helps you create email opt-in forms for your website.

Getsitecontrol makes it simple to convert your website visitors into email subscribers. Try it for free to get more people to read your fashion brand newsletter.