7 Labor Day Email Examples & Tips to Drive Conversions In 2025

As summer winds down, marketers are starting to think about how to re-engage customers and prospects. Apart from the popular back-to-school campaigns, many businesses send Labor Day emails to celebrate this meaningful holiday.

Labor Day honors the achievements and hard work of the labor force. In the U.S. and Canada, it’s celebrated on the first Monday of September, though the date varies in other countries. For example, in much of Europe it’s on May 1st.

In this guide, you’ll find successful Labor Day email campaigns, best practices, and ready-to-use resources to nail your holiday strategy.

Why You Should Create Labor Day Emails

Why should you add the Labor Day weekend to your email marketing calendar? While it’s common, especially in the US, it is not as popular as other holidays like Black Friday or Christmas. Which means that your email can stand out.

Here are some of the main benefits:

• Drive sales: Kick off the fall season strong with Labor Day sales—choose the best incentive based on your target audience and industry.
• Boost brand awareness: Leverage these emails to display your brand to prospects and show them what you value.
• Clear out summer stock: Promote your summer inventory to make space for next season’s products.
• Increase customer engagement: Reconnect with email subscribers after the summer break.
• Boost loyalty: Share appreciation messages or special offers to delight customers and stick around.

To reap all those benefits, you don’t need just another email. You need a standout campaign that rises above the noise in today’s crowded inboxes. The good news? You can still capture your customers’ attention with the right strategy and email content.

Tips For Compelling Labor Day Email Marketing Campaigns

Let’s explore some top Labor Day email marketing tips to optimize your strategy:

1. Set a clear goal

The foundation of a successful email marketing strategy is setting clear goals and aligning your team to achieve them. Start by brainstorming ideas that support your objective and help you build a solid, actionable plan.

Let’s say that you want to increase your Labor Day sales: How can you make that happen? If you’re aiming for a quick boost, consider offering discounts or special promotions. But if you focus on brand awareness, a thoughtful appreciation message and a guide with product recommendations for the holiday weekend can do the trick.

Also, make sure your Labor Day message and email theme don’t repeat your last campaign. Repetition can bore your audience. Give your email design a fresh look and check in with your teammates to see if your Labor Day concept feels fun and relevant before sending it to your subscribers.

2. Target different segments

Another strategic decision to make as you plan your campaign is whether to personalize your messaging to match diverse interests, preferences, or demographic criteria. For example, if you’re running a Labor Day sale email, you might want to deliver different incentives to first-time buyers versus loyal customers.

Through email list segmentation, you can easily target specific subscriber groups to increase click-throughs and conversions. All it takes is identifying the right segments to deliver the right content to each.

Since Labor Day overlaps with back-to-school and college initiatives, retailers and eCommerce businesses should decide if it’s worth targeting this audience with distinct messaging.

If it makes sense for your brand, you can also create a hybrid campaign that appeals to all subscribers. Even in this case, some level of segmentation can be effective. For example, you can highlight back-to-school items at the top of the email, followed by a Labor Day section to cover all needs.

As for groups that can benefit from both themes, such as parents and teachers, you can send two separate email campaigns at different times to maximize relevance and engagement.

3. Create a sense of urgency

If you’re offering Labor Day discounts and you want to maximize your conversion potential, consider using a tried-and-true tactic—the urgency element. Driven by fear of missing out or scarcity, subscribers are more likely to complete a purchase when they feel time is running out.

Incorporate time-sensitive phrases like “Shop now,” “A few days left,” or “Limited-time offer” in key placements such as subject lines, headlines, or calls to action. These can motivate shoppers to head to checkout faster. You can also add a countdown timer or an eye-catching GIF to help visualize when the offer expires.

Many email marketing services like Moosend make it easy to add this urgency element with just a few drags and drops.

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However, avoid overusing this tactic, especially when it doesn’t align with your content. Overdoing it can come across as misleading, pushy, or even spammy. Reserve this approach for last-chance emails or flash sales, when urgency truly matters.

4. Mind your email copy and design

What does a labor-day themed email look like in terms of design and copy? Many U.S. marketers incorporate national colors into their existing palette to honor the holiday.

Or, you can choose design styles that best suit your industry and campaign goals. To save time, consider using a premade email template that suits your needs from your email or design software.

What about the copy? Make sure that it reflects your email purpose, starting with the subject line. Plus, ensure that the call-to-action is clear and add urgency-induced language to drive quicker action if needed.

If you struggle to find the right tone to avoid sounding robotic or forceful, use an AI writer for suggestions. Just make sure to include the goal of your campaign, your industry, and your brand tone in the prompts to get the most relevant results.

5. Find the best timing

When is the best time to send your Labor emails? It depends on your goals. For example, if you want to equip subscribers with products for the holiday weekend, schedule your Labor Day email campaigns in mid-August.

On the other hand, if you want to clear out your inventory or send a celebratory, non-promotional message, you can send it closer to the actual date.

Generally, Tuesdays and Thursdays around 9am tend to perform best for email sends. You can also plan a follow-up for non-openers or run A/B tests to find the best time of the day to deliver your seasonal emails.

6. Build automated sequences

One email is usually not enough, especially during high-sales seasons. That’s where email automation comes in. With pre-built workflows, you can target subscribers at the right time with the right messages.

Let’s say you’re planning a Labor Day flash sale. You could kick off this campaign series with a teaser email a few days before the start of the sale. Then, send a launch email on the day of the sale with a fresh message, followed by a last-chance reminder one day before the offer expires.

Most email automation software makes this process simple. They offer automation recipes and user-friendly editors that follow a simple if/then logic. Just set your parameters and criteria and let automation nudge your customers—without wasting extra time or resources.

Best Labor Day Email Examples & Why They Work

Ready to draw inspiration from real Labor Day email examples by popular brands? We also share why we chose them to get a better grasp:

1. MVMT Labor Day sale email

Subject line: 20% off Labor Day sale is on

MVMT shared a holiday discount on best-selling items to delight subscribers and drive sales.

Why it works:

• The subject line is clear, highlighting the email intent and the discount to immediately grab attention.
• Products are organized into main categories, making it easy for subscribers to browse.
• High-quality visuals showcase the products and make the email appealing.

2. HelloFresh Labor Day exclusive offer

Subject line: Labor Day Savings Start Now!

HelloFresh stayed true to its brand color palette and created an exclusive offer with different incentives.

Why it works:

• The word “now” in the subject line creates a sense of urgency.
• The brand offered different incentives to new and active subscribers to target different engagement types.
• By framing the deals as exclusive, HelloFresh added a personal touch that made subscribers feel valued and special.

3. Tommie Copper BOGO Labor Day campaign

Subject line: Last Day: Labor Day BOGO!

Tommie Copper promoted a BOGO (Buy One, Get One Free) campaign to help customers save on their valuable products.

Why it works:

• The brand sent a last-chance email to motivate last-minute shoppers to claim the offer, followed by “Shop now” CTAs.
• The BOGO offer applied to best-selling products, making the promotion feel more valuable and exclusive.
• The “Did you know?” sections addressed common customer concerns to build trust.

4. MeUndies flash sale email

Subject line: 🚨FLASH SALE: 60% off Lounge Bottoms 🚨

MeUndies offered a limited-time sitewide discount for subscribers, with an even higher incentive specifically for lounge bottoms.

Why it works:

• The emojis on the subject line add a splash of color and urgency.
• Including both the original and discounted prices helps readers quickly visualize their savings.
• The social media buttons on the email footer invite subscribers to explore other channels, nurturing engagement across multiple touchpoints.

5. Walmart last-minute email

Subject line: Same-day delivery 🍔🍺

Walmart targeted last-minute shoppers with an irresistible incentive: same day delivery.

Why it works:

• The email subject line revealed the special offer to attract last-minute buyers.
• Urgency was built into the copy and call-to-action (CTA), emphasizing that the offer was only available for a limited time.
• The email featured a variety of product categories tailored for Labor Day celebrations, making it easy for customers to find what they needed quickly

6. Burts’ Bees end-of-summer sale

Subject line: Our Labor Day Sale is here!

Burt’s Bees combined Labor Day with end-of summer sales to help subscribers save on products they can use next year.

Why it works:

• They highlighted important sale information at the top to make it readily visible.
• They added personalized recommendations for subscribers, probably based on previous purchases.
• The CTA button stands out from the rest of the text in brown.

7. HotelTonight holiday planning email

Subject line: Labor Day staycay ⛱️

HotelTonight sent a promotional email to invite subscribers searching for travel ideas and last-minute deals.

Why it works:

• The subject line is playful and timely, appealing to subscribers looking for a relaxing way to spend their long weekend.
• The campaign is visually simple, featuring a central image of a dreamy hotel to spark wanderlust.
• Instead of listing specific deals, the email invites users to explore the website—driving traffic and encouraging discovery.

Labor Day Email Subject Lines to Boost Open Rates

First impressions matter. Create attention-grabbing subject lines to stand out in crowded inboxes and get the open rates your emails deserve.

Here are some examples from notable brands:

• Cheers to a long weekend ahead! 😉
• Major Labor Day savings 💰💯
• 🔥Labor Day Deals: LIMITED STOCK! 🔥
• Create a Labor Day feast
• Labor Day sale: BOGO best sellers!
• Labor Day Sale now on 🌟
• What to Pack: Labor Day weekend
• Ends tomorrow: Get 50% off for Labor Day
• Exclusive offers for Labor Day weekend
• Happy Labor Day✊🏽
• 🎉Labor Day savings worth celebrating!

Need more inspiration? Use an AI writer or A/B testing to find the best subject line version for your audience. And remember, your preview text plays a key role, too. Add complementary details or clarifications to boost engagement.

Premade Labor Day Email Templates to Save Time

Here are two ready-made promotional email templates for Labor Day: a sale announcement and a last chance reminder. Tailor them based on your needs:

Labor Day sale announcement template

Subject line: 🔥Labor Day Deals Just Dropped

Header: Celebrate Labor Day with Huge Savings!

We’re kicking off the long weekend with 50% off your favorite items. Whether you’re upgrading your home, refreshing your wardrobe, or grabbing gifts early, now’s the time to shop.

To claim your discount, use the code LD50 at checkout until [Date].

CTA: Get your deal

Footer: Sale ends [insert date]. While supplies last. Terms apply.

Labor Day last chance template

Subject line: ⏳ Last Chance! Labor Day 50% Off Ends Soon

Header: Final Hours to Save!

Time’s almost up! Claim your 50% off by the end of [Day] and start the fall season strong.

Just add the code LD50 at checkout and enjoy big savings!

CTA: Shop Now

Footer: Sale ends [insert date]. While supplies last. Terms apply.

Celebrate Labor Day Your Way

Which of the strategies and marketing ideas will you try this Labor Day? Think about your audience’s preferences and your business goals to craft messaging that truly resonates.

And don’t forget to cross-promote your Labor Day campaign across multiple touchpoints like social media, SMS, and your website to maximize visibility and engagement.

After all, you know what works best for your business better than anyone. Happy Labor Day!