23 May Newsletter Ideas to Celebrate the Vibrancy of Spring

Believe it or not, the year is almost halfway over by the time May arrives. However, in many ways, it feels like it’s just beginning.

May is a month electric with anticipation. We all eagerly await the month to play out, as it means sunnier, warmer weather and beach days on the horizon. People are excitedly planning summer vacations and looking forward to much-deserved time away.

Marketers, you should approach your email campaigns with the same vigor. After all, this 31-day month has lots to look forward to, giving you ample opportunities to connect with your audience via email.

Here are my top May newsletter ideas for special occasions all month long!

Table of Contents

The Best of May Newsletter Ideas for 2024

Let’s go.

1. Promote Lupus Awareness Month and National Blood Pressure Month

Like many months, May has opportunities for spreading health awareness. All 31 days of this balmy month are National Blood Pressure Month, a great occasion for promoting facts about hypertension, a condition that’s far too common.

May is also Lupus Awareness Month, which more than 1.5 million people in the United States are diagnosed with.

Doctor’s offices, hospitals, and medical clinics can use this month to provide more information about what causes these conditions, the signs to look out for, and what kinds of treatment options are available.

A list of Lupus Awareness Month weekly themes — *Image courtesy of Lupus Foundation of America*

Other businesses can also share this valuable information.

2. Sell Those Wares for National Barbecue Month and National Bike Month

May is already an excellent month for selling grills and barbecue equipment because this is when most people dust off their grills after a long winter slumber. Those who don’t have grills won’t want to wait long to get one, especially when they smell their next-door neighbor cooking up burgers.

A simple sales email, like this one from Traeger, will be especially effective.

Products Picked For You — *Image courtesy of Dealtown*

While it’s National Barbecue Month all May long, the earlier in the month you launch your email marketing campaign, the better. By Memorial Day, anyone who wants to buy a grill will have already made up their mind.

May is also National Bike Month, which might remind a few of your customers to look into that bike they’ve been meaning to buy.

A sales email, such as this one from Vanmoof, sent early in the month, will finally motivate them to pull the trigger and buy.

3. Spring Sales on Your Audience for Mystery Month

Here’s another fun month-long theme, Mystery Month! You could make of this whatever you want, but what first comes to mind for me is a mystery sale, like this.

While you can launch your mystery sale any day throughout the month, if you wish, earlier in the month is better. This way, your epic sale doesn’t get overshadowed by your competitors’ Memorial Day offers.

Here’s another tip. A flash mystery sale for 12 or 24 hours will trigger FOMO in your audience.

4. Celebrate Professionals All Month Long

There are so many occasions to honor the professionals you work with, or just tip your hat and say thanks. Here’s a rundown:

Nurses Week the first two weeks of May
National Police Week the third week of May
Emergency Medical Services Week the fourth week of May
Cartoonist Day on May 5^th
National Nurses Day on May 6^th
National Teacher’s Day the first Tuesday in the first full week
School Nurses Day during Nurses Week
Daycare Provider Day or Child Care Provider Day the Friday before Mother’s Day
Military Spouses Day the Friday before Mother’s Day
International Nurses Day on May 12^th
Police Officer’s Memorial Day on May 15^th
Armed Forces Day the third Saturday of May
National Waiters and Waitresses Day on May 21^st
National Maritime Day on May 22^nd

Sending an email like the one seen above can go a long way toward making others feel appreciated, no matter which niche or industry your business belongs to.

5. Strengthen Customer Bonds on Loyalty Day

Loyalty Day falls on May 1st. Begin planning your monthly email marketing campaign in April so you can ensure you’re ready to send your newsletter out in time for this important occasion.

Use Loyalty Day to build better professional relationships with your customers. For example, if you haven’t contacted your audience through email in a while, open communications again.

You can also send a simple thank-you message for their loyalty or issue them an exclusive discount code for being a long-term customer.

6. Have a Photo Contest on Baby Day

Aren’t babies the cutest? Of course they are!

So, why not try to find the most adorable of them all on Baby Day on May 2^nd? A cutest baby photo contest will surely get lots of entries, as every parent thinks their bundle of joy has the roundest cheeks and the biggest eyes.

While I like the example above for formatting your email newsletter, I would not recommend charging your customers an entry fee like in this contest. That can limit participation, reducing your campaign engagement.

7. Let the Force be with You on Star Wars Day

May 4^th is Star Wars Day. Get it? Because the line in the movie is “May the force be with you?”

If your business sells anything Star Wars-themed this is one of the best days of the year to sell it, especially if you offer a discount.

May the 4th newsletter example — *Image courtesy of Mailcharts*

What if you don’t have anything related to Luke Skywalker and Chewbacca in your product or service roster? A playful email wishing your customers the best on this day, full of Star Wars puns, is better than nothing.

8. Get Festive on Cinco de Mayo

Besides, you could always hold off and wait for Cinco de Mayo the next day on the 5^th. This is a great built-in holiday that businesses across any industry can get in on. You don’t need to have a Mexican heritage, although that helps.

All you need is to launch a sale with a Cinco de Mayo-related code at checkout. For example, Seamless used GUAC12.

9. Treat Yourself on No Diet Day and Eat What You Want Day

May has two occasions for ditching the diet and feasting as your heart desires. The first is No Diet Day on May 6^th, and the second is Eat What You Want Day on the 11^th.

Maybe it’s risky to have two days centered around gluttony when swimsuit season is nearly upon us, but hey, I don’t make up the holidays here.

Food brands–especially those specializing in decadent treats like pizza, ice cream, and chocolate–can have field days between these two occasions. You can launch a sale that runs from the 6^th to the 11^th, discounting your sweet or savory treats to increase sales.

10. Focus on Footwear on No Socks Day

Who needs socks? Now that May is getting into full swing, it’s time to celebrate going sockless, especially on the 8^th, No Socks Day.

Encourage your customers to ditch their closed-toe shoes and wear something like sandals, flats, or flip-flops today by offering discounts on your shoe stock.

Here’s a fun fact: Lost Sock Memorial Day is on May 9th. It’s maybe not much of a sales occasion, but it’s fun that it’s there.

11. Help Your Customers Organize on Clean Up Your Room Day

As we continue blitzing through May, we get to Clean Up Your Room Day on the 10^th. Is it a coincidence that this holiday is also on Child Care Provider Day? Maybe, or not.

Housecleaning services should avail themselves in the leadup to this day by offering a sale on services. If you sell cleaning/organizing products or supplies, you can also announce a sale to help your customers clean up their spaces.

12. Arrange Florals on Hanging Flower Baskets Day

Mother’s Day is about a week away by the time you reach Hanging Flower Baskets Day. In fact, this holiday is always the Saturday ahead of Mother’s Day, so it’s a great time to remind your audience to buy their mama gifts.

A bright, colorful, appealing sales email like the one shown above will surely get people clicking the links in your message and buying a big bundle of flowers in no time.

Alternatively, you can use Hanging Flower Baskets Day to provide tips or tutorials on how to make flowers look their best in a hanging basket.

13. Zoom Off on National Train Day

Wanderlust gets its strongest this time of year. We’re on the cusp of summer, a time so rife with possibilities.

That makes National Train Day, which is celebrated on a Saturday near May 10^th, worth considering as part of your monthly email newsletter if you’re in the travel industry.

You can share your favorite train travel itineraries for your customers to try this summer, recommending they book early before your trains fill up for the season.

If it’s been slow going for you throughout the spring, consider throwing in a discount code, perhaps limited only to the weekend of National Train Day, to inspire more bookings.

14. Show Mom You Care on Mother’s Day

The mother of all May holidays is finally here! Mother’s Day is an awesome opportunity to show Mom what she means to you, and it’s rich with email marketing opportunities.

A discount or sale around this time of the month is expected. You can sell almost anything and be eligible to reduce costs for a limited time, as you never know what kind of gift someone is searching for on Mother’s Day.

You can also practice activism on Mother’s Day, although it’s a less common way to celebrate. As the image above shows, donating to a worthy, women-supported cause lets your business put your money where your mouth is.

You can open donations among your audience if you wish to make the day more meaningful.

You should also consider a Mother’s Day contest that you would launch the prior week. You could announce the winner on Mother’s Day or the day before. Great prizes to consider include a stay at a B&B, home wellness kits, and a spa day.

15. Feel the Sunshine on National Bike to Work Day

All that indulging should have balance, which is why National Bike to Work Day is a good one to add to your email marketing calendar.

This is another five-star opportunity for bike shops. You can jump in with a sale before the 16^th, ensuring your customers have bikes so they can make the most of this day.

Businesses in other industries can send a reminder email, as shown below, or produce a quick tips list in their newsletter expounding on all the great reasons to cycle to and from work.

*Image courtesy of Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments*

16. Start an Initiative on National Endangered Species Day

May 16^th is one of the most important occasions on the calendar, National Endangered Species Day.

More animals are joining the endangered species list every year, and while many species recoveries have happened (and thank goodness for that!), there is still so much more we could be doing.

Use this day to raise awareness and even solicit donations. Select an animal conservation charity that’s near and dear to your company’s heart and work with them to do your part in saving the planet’s amazing animals.

17. Show Your Royal Colors on Wear Purple for Peace Day

Who needs an excuse to wear purple? If your customers are looking for one, it’s Wear Purple for Peace Day on the 16^th.

Send an email reminder on the 15^th telling people to pick out the royal hue for their next day’s attire. You can engage with your audience further by asking them to send photos of their best purple looks with a hashtag you create for the occasion.

18. Use Your Green Thumb on World Plant a Vegetable Garden Day

Don’t miss World Plant a Vegetable Garden Day on the 19^th! This global occasion presents a golden opportunity to improve the world by adding more greenery. Vegetable gardening is self-sustaining, allowing you to eat healthier and save money.

From gloves to hoes, nursery and gardening supply stores can discount seeds and gardening supplies. If you’re not in the gardening business, use this email newsletter opportunity to share your favorite veggie gardening tips and tricks.

19. Help Your Customers Save on Be a Millionaire Day

Be a Millionaire Day on the 20^th is one sure to pique your audience’s curiosity. We all want to be millionaires or billionaires, but we aren’t sure where to start. That’s what the spirit of this occasion is all about.

Although you can’t put a million dollars in your customers’ pockets, you can offer a flash sale, which is almost as good. Discount your items more steeply than usual – maybe 50 percent off? It’s in the true spirit of this day!

20. Don’t Miss Buy a Musical Instrument Day

Here’s another blatant sales opportunity to take advantage of: Buy a Musical Instrument Day on May 22^nd.

This occasion is about as straightforward as it gets. This is your 24-hour period to inspire those on-the-fence customers to buy that guitar, oboe, or xylophone finally.

How? You know what I’m going to say – with a sale!

If cost is holding your prospective customers back, reducing the price will finally enable them to buy confidently.

21. Launch a Sale for Memorial Day

Although Memorial Day is technically a military holiday, we all acknowledge it more as the unofficial start of summer.

A sale will have your customers grinning from ear to ear as they retire for the long weekend. Use plenty of patriotic imagery and red, white, and blue colors to highlight your sale, as seen here.

Here’s another pointer. Send your sales emails early! Since people will be traveling and hitting the beach this weekend, they might miss your discount if you don’t land it in their inbox at the right time.

22. Promote Healthy Hearing Habits on Save Your Hearing Day

We only have two ears; once your hearing is gone, it may never return to the same degree. That’s why Save Your Hearing Day on the 31^st is a good occasion to acknowledge.

Granted, I only recommend adding this one to your email marketing plans, depending on how Memorial Day falls. Remember, people will check their emails less on the long weekend.

However, the tips provided in your newsletter to preserve hearing are applicable all throughout the year, so this isn’t a bad email to come back to the Tuesday after Memorial Day.

23. Celebrate May’s Foodie Holidays

The Memorial Day holiday, as well as the diet-free May occasions, are all about eating, eating, and more eating. There are also plenty more food holidays spread throughout May for offering discounts.

Let’s go over them!

National Salad Month all May long
National Hamburger Month all May long
Herb Day on the first Saturday of the month
National Candied Orange Peel Day on May 4^th
National Hoagie Day on May 5^th
Oyster Day on May 5^th
Beverage Day on May 6^th
No Diet Day on May 6^th
Eat What You Want Day on May 11^th
International Hummus Day on May 13^th
National Apple Pie Day on May 13^th
National Chocolate Chip Day on May 15^th
National Slider Day on May 15^th
National Mimosa Day on May 16^th
Pick Strawberries Day on May 20^th
National Escargot Day on May 24^th
National Wine Day on May 25^th
National Hamburger Day on May 28^th
Mint Julep Day on May 30^th
National Macaroon Day on May 31st

Wrapping Up

May is a month abundant with email marketing opportunities. While Mother’s Day and Memorial Day will always elicit a reaction, don’t be afraid to go beyond those occasions, targeting specific and fun days to engage with your audience through email all May long!