> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.recart.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.recart.com/holiday-playbooks/fathers-day.md).
# Father's Day
Covers Father's Day campaign ideas, popup designs and offers, from the early-access weeks to the day itself.
Father's Day shoppers buy for dads, step-dads, grandads and the other father figures in their lives. Clear gift ideas, a firm order-by date and an easy last-minute option do most of the work.
This playbook covers what to send, how to theme your popups, and which offers work best for Father's Day.
{% hint style="info" %}
Father's Day falls on different dates around the world. In the US, UK, Canada and Ireland it's the third Sunday in June. In Australia and New Zealand it's the first Sunday in September. Check the date for where most of your customers live.
{% endhint %}
### Key dates and lead time
* **4-6 weeks before:** launch your Father's Day popups, early access and offer
* **2-3 weeks before:** gift guides and gift sets
* **Your order-by date:** the last day to order for delivery before Father's Day. Work it out from your carriers' deadlines and your own packing time, and put it on your popups and messages
* **The last few days:** gift cards, and local pickup or delivery if you offer it
* **Father's Day itself:** a short, warm message - no hard sell
### Campaign send plan
Five to six sends are enough. Use these messages as a starting point and customize them to suit your brand. Recart adds your site name to the start of every message automatically (shown here as \[Site Name]), and you can personalize further with [variables](/sms/writing-messages/use-variables-in-sms-flows.md) like the subscriber's first name or your support email (shown here as \[Support Email]).
| Send | When | Goal |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------ |
| 1. Early access | 3-4 weeks before | Give subscribers first pick |
| 2. Gift guide | About 2 weeks before | Make choosing easy |
| 3. Gift sets | About 10 days before | Ready-made gifts, higher order value |
| 4. Order-by reminder | A few days before your order-by date | Get orders in on time |
| 5. Last call | Your order-by date | Create urgency |
| 6. Gift cards | The last 1-2 days | Catch last-minute shoppers |
#### Sample messages
**1. Early access**
"\[Site Name]: Our Father's Day edit is here - and you get first pick. Enjoy \[offer] until \[date]: \[link]"
**2. Gift guide**
"\[Site Name]: Gifts for every dad, step-dad and grandad in your life. Our Father's Day gift guide: \[link]"
**3. Gift sets**
"\[Site Name]: Ready to give, no wrapping skills needed. Shop our Father's Day gift sets: \[link]"
**4. Order-by reminder**
"\[Site Name]: Order by \[date] to get your gift there in time for Father's Day. Adding initials? Email us at \[Support Email]. \[link]"
**5. Last call**
"\[Site Name]: Last day to order for Father's Day delivery! Don't miss it: \[link]"
**6. Gift cards**
"\[Site Name]: Left it late? Our gift cards arrive instantly - no shipping needed. \[link]"
#### Send tips
* Speak to everyone - "for the dad who has almost everything" works for dads, grandads and father figures
* Father's Day can be hard for some people. Many brands send a short message a few weeks before, offering to skip Father's Day messages - if you do, leave anyone who opts out out of these sends
* Add a product image to your early access and gift guide sends
* Put your order-by date in every send from the gift guide onwards
[How to schedule SMS campaigns in Recart](/sms/campaigns/run-successful-sms-campaigns-with-recart.md)
[Add images to SMS messages](/sms/writing-messages/add-images-to-sms-messages.md)
[Create SMS segments and lists](/sms/subscribers-and-lists/create-sms-segments-and-lists.md)
### Popup ideas
Keep your popup on-brand, with a simple Father's Day touch - a small label, a clear offer and a gift-worthy product photo. Four directions to try:
#### 1. Father's Day early access
**Design:** A product photo on one side and the offer on a plain, warm background. Add your order-by date in small text at the bottom.
**Headlines to try:**
* Gifts he'll actually use
* First pick of our Father's Day edit
* Early access starts here
**Button text to try:** Unlock \[20%] off · Get early access
#### 2. Gift with purchase
**Design:** A product photo on one side and the offer on a card with a thin border. A free gift feels thoughtful and protects your margins.
**Headlines to try:**
* For the dad who has almost everything
* A little something extra for him
* A free gift with every order over \[amount]
**Button text to try:** Claim my free \[soap] · Get my gift
#### 3. First Father's Day order
**Design:** Product photo on one side, offer on the other. Tell shoppers what they'll get by text, for example a heads-up when new products drop.
**Headlines to try:**
* \[15%] off your first Father's Day gift
* Gifts he'll love, for less
* Be first to know before gift sets sell out
**Button text to try:** Get my \[15%] off · Count me in
#### 4. Free personalization and an order-by date
**Design:** Put your offer in a bright label above the headline - here, free initials on every gift - and add your order-by date to the text. Personalization makes a gift feel made for him, and gives shoppers a reason to order early.
**Headlines to try:**
* Make it his
* Add his initials, on us
* Order by \[date] - we'll personalize it for free
**Button text to try:** Claim free initials · Personalize my gift
{% hint style="info" %}
Personalized items usually take longer to make and ship. If you offer personalization, set an earlier order-by date for those items.
{% endhint %}
{% hint style="info" %}
A soft decline link like "Maybe later" or "No thanks" keeps the popup friendly. Make sure your Welcome Flow's first message matches the offer on the popup.
{% endhint %}
[Create a welcome popup](/list-growth/popups/welcome-popup.md)
[Schedule your opt-in tools](/list-growth/testing-and-scheduling/scheduling-opt-ins.md)
[Customize your CTA button](/list-growth/popups/customizing-your-cta-button-in-popups.md)
### Discount ideas
Father's Day shoppers want a gift that's easy to choose. Gift sets, free extras and gift cards often work better than a bigger discount.
* **Early access:** let subscribers shop your Father's Day edit first, with a small discount
* **Gift with purchase:** a free mini, accessory or extra item over a set order value
* **First-order discount:** a percentage or fixed amount off for new subscribers
* **Free personalization:** initials or engraving at no extra cost, if your products allow it
* **Gift sets and bundles:** ready-made gifts at a set price
* **Free gift wrap or shipping before your order-by date:** removes one more reason to wait
* **Gift cards:** for shoppers who missed your order-by date
#### Discount code ideas
Keep codes short - one word or a word and a number - so they're easy to remember and type on a phone.
| Offer | Code ideas |
| -------------------------- | -------------- |
| Early access | DAD20 · EARLY |
| Gift with purchase | GIFT · BONUS |
| First-order discount | DAD15 · HERO15 |
| Free personalization | NAME · MONO |
| Gift sets and bundles | SET · BUNDLE |
| Free gift wrap or shipping | WRAP · SHIP |
| Gift cards | CARD10 · EGIFT |
{% hint style="info" %}
For unique and expiring codes, Recart adds six random characters to your prefix (for example, DAD15ABC123). A short prefix keeps the full code easy to read.
{% endhint %}
[Create and manage discount codes](/discounts/create-discount-codes-in-recart.md)
[Expiring discount codes](/discounts/expiring-discount-codes.md)
### Recart setup checklist
1. Check the Father's Day date for where your customers live, and set your order-by date
2. Create your Father's Day discount (and any gift card offer), with start and end dates
3. Build your Father's Day popup and schedule it to start 4-6 weeks before
4. Update your Welcome Flow's first message to match the popup offer
5. Add your order-by date to your abandoned cart and checkout messages, and set a reminder to remove it afterwards
6. Schedule your campaigns and send yourself test messages before anything goes live
[Abandoned cart flow](/sms/automated-flows/automated-flows-abandoned-cart.md)
[Test Recart SMS messages](/sms/getting-started/test-recart-sms-messages.md)
If you need help planning your Father's Day sends, [contact the Recart Support team](/contact-recart-support.md). We'd be happy to help!
---
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