11 Creative Marketing Ideas to Boost Your Valentine’s Day Sales
☕ The Growth Espresso Edition #102
🗓️ Tuesday, 4th Feb 2025
Hi, and welcome back to Growth Espresso - your one-stop destination for everything e-com.
Let’s be honest—January was rough. The holiday high is over, and the post-festive hangover hit hard. Sales slowed down, and you’ve been counting the days until things pick up again. Well, guess what? Your redemption arc starts now.
Enter: Valentine’s Day.
It’s not just a Hallmark holiday—it’s a goldmine. Last year, the average American spent $192.80 and that number jumped to a whopping $280 for the 35-44 age group. People are ready to open their wallets for love (or let’s be real, for guilt-induced gift-giving).
But here’s the best part: You don’t have to sell roses, chocolates, or diamond rings to cash in. Whether you’re peddling coffee, workout gear, or even backpacks, there’s a way to make Valentine’s Day work for your brand.
In today’s edition, we’re serving up 11 creative, actionable marketing ideas to help you crush it this February. Let’s dive in. ❤️
(P.S. Your “ex-customers” might just swipe right on your brand again. Just saying.)
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1. Get Personal with Data-Driven Communication
Nobody likes a date who only talks about themselves—and the same goes for your brand. Instead of blasting generic messages, ask your customers questions to personalize your marketing.
For example, jewelry brand Maison Miru uses website forms to find out if shoppers prefer gold or silver. Turns out, most customers stick to one metal. Boom—now they can segment their email campaigns accordingly.
Here’s what you can ask:
Are they shopping for themselves or someone else?
What’s their gift budget?
Are they in a relationship? (Hey, it’s Valentine’s Day—no shame in asking!)
Use this intel to create hyper-targeted campaigns.
Shopping for themselves? Hit them with a “treat yourself” email.
Just browsing? Send them a gift guide.
2. Sweeten the Deal with Smart Shipping Thresholds
Let’s face it: Shipping costs can be a romance killer. If your customers are hesitating at checkout, try offering free shipping to those with a low average order value (AOV).
And for last-minute shoppers?
Send an “It’s not too late!” email on February 12 with free two-day or overnight shipping. Just make sure you can actually deliver on time—no one wants a late Valentine’s Day gift.
3. Sweeten Valentine’s Day with an incentive
Free shipping is great, but why stop there? Coupons, giveaways, and free gifts can work wonders.
Take BEE & KIN, for example. They ran a Valentine’s Day email with the subject line: “GIVEAWAY + Valentine’s Day edit ❤️.” The result? A sky-high open rate and a chance to win a luxury backpack.
Pro tip: Announce your giveaway in the subject line to grab attention fast.
4. Help Customers Drop Hints to Their Partners
Some people are clueless when it comes to gift-giving. Make it easy for your customers to tell their partners exactly what they want.
How?
Suggest they forward your email to their significant other.
Encourage them to share a wishlist or registry on your site.
Ask for user-generated content (UGC) on social media—it’s free marketing for you and a gift idea for them.
5. Become the Ultimate Gift Guru
Not sure what to sell? Create a Valentine’s Day gift guide. It positions your brand as a trusted advisor while showcasing your products.
Trade Coffee nailed this with an email titled “Our Valentine’s Day Gift Guide.” They included staff picks, headshots, and quotes like, “This coffee is perfect for a cozy morning with your sweetheart.”
Bonus points if you add a shipping deadline to create urgency.
6. Reignite the Spark with Win-Back Emails
Your ex-customers might have ghosted you, but Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to rekindle the flame.
Send a win-back email to customers who bought from you last February but haven’t since. Include a countdown timer or a limited-time offer to create urgency.
7. Pamper Your VIPs with Early Access
When it comes to Valentine’s Day, shoppers have a tendency to wait until the last minute—but that doesn’t mean you should!
Set the stage early to capture attention by sending reminders about your Valentine’s offers at least three weeks in advance by:
Sending email reminders
Sending push notifications
Adding Valentine’s Day banners to the landing page
Including a timer regarding Valentine’s Day promotions and products
These notifications can include information on the products regarding:
Valentine’s Day products
Coupon codes to use for Valentine’s Day products
Last year’s most-sold Valentine’s Day products, etc.
Because when it comes to positioning your brand, you want your customers thinking about love, not last-minute panic!
8. Adapt Valentine’s Day to Your Brand
Not selling traditional Valentine’s Day items? No problem. Get creative with your messaging and imagery.
Booty By Brabants, for example, paired their leggings with a bottle of rosé for a “Bootys > Bouquets” campaign. Genius, right?
9. Celebrate Galentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day isn’t just for couples. Friends, family, and even pets deserve love too.
Jewelry brand La Kaiser leaned into Galentine’s Day with a “Buy one, get one 50% off” sale. Their playful copy and high-quality product images earned them a high click-through rate.
10. Use SMS for Last-Minute Urgency
When time is of the essence, SMS is your best friend.
Sustainable brand Earth Hero sent a text the day before Valentine’s Day with a cute message: “Trees don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day, but they’re still pretty sappy ;) Need a last-minute gift? Snag a sustainable gift card.”
11. Celebrate Self-Love
Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romantic love—it’s about self-love too.
Buti Yoga ran a “Love Yourself Now Challenge” email, offering four days of free workouts, recipes, and prompts. The result? A high click-through rate and a reminder that self-care sells.
Ready to Make February Your Month?
Valentine’s Day is more than just a holiday—it’s your chance to recover from the January slump and start the year strong. With these 11 ideas, you’ll not only boost sales but also build deeper connections with your customers.