Holiday Marketing 101

None of us need any reminders that the holiday season is upon us – and that means increases in consumer spending. Experts expect consumer spending during the holiday season (roughly Halloween through New Year’s Day) to increase by nearly 5% in 2018 with e-commerce spending expected to increase about 14% over the holiday period in 2017. A survey conducted by the National Retail Federation indicates that consumers intend to spend an average of just over $1000 during the holiday season. Don’t leave all the profits to the “big box” stores and large retailers – small businesses and marketers can take advantage of these trends too.

The short story is that marketing strategies for the holiday season really aren’t that different from the usual, but tying in a seasonal twist, offering a holiday deal, or creating a special campaign can put you in a great position to start off the new year with success.

Here are a few specific strategies to consider:

Send limited-time offers. No one wants to miss out on a great deal, so add a sense of urgency to a special promotion. Highlight certain products or services with a limited-time offer and/or coupon that can only be used or claimed during one specific day of your sale. Use a simple promotional email or social media post to let customers know about the offer.

Send holiday cards. One of the best proven selling points for any – but especially small – business is to show appreciation for the customers or clients you already have. Thank them for their business, and they may be more likely to continue using your business or services next year. Consider a special holiday card through snail mail – and don’t forget a special video or e-card to your email distribution list.

Sponsor a local holiday event. This can be a great way to get exposure to more people in your target area. Consider holiday festivals, parades, or school events. If it’s too late to do that this year, sponsor your own event – toy and food drives get people in the community involved and support a worthy cause as well as promote your organization or business. To see a recent example of this, check out the Integrity Urgent Care – Bryan Holiday Toy Drive.

Exclusive downloadable bonuses. If you’re primarily B2B, you could offer exclusive downloads you would usually charge for as a bonus for signing up with you during the holiday season.

Crowd source content from your community. User-generated content is a powerful – and cheap! – way to generate a “buzz” around your business or organization. Create a challenge or contest on social media and encourage your followers to share! It doesn’t even need to be related directly to your business – ugly Christmas sweaters, holiday pets or children, and favorite holiday recipes are just a few ideas.

Utilize social media. At this very busy time of year when people are short on time, pay special attention to your social media ads and posts. Make the most of those tiny bits of information or a great photo to make an impression and lead current or potential customers to your website. And “dress up” your website and social media feed with holiday-inspired themes and colors.

Optimize for local searches. If you are a small business who relies on local foot traffic, it’s time to optimize your local search presence. Make sure that all that your business details (name, location, website, and business information) are listed on local search sites like Google My Business, Yelp, Better Business Bureau, Yellow Pages, and Company.com.

Hopefully these ideas will help motivate you to make sure your small business or organization is in the “holiday spirit!” And if you need help with designing special holiday materials or printing, Evolve Impact Group is here for you! Contact us today for a free quote or to see how we can help. If you find yourself just running out of time, pick a couple of quick and easy ideas and save the rest for next year. Happy Holidays!

Resources:

Blasberg M. How to end the year on a high note: 10 holiday marketing tips for small businesses. Leadpages [online]. 25 Sep 2018 [accessed 5 Dec 2018]. https://www.leadpages.net/blog/holiday-marketing-for-small-businesses/

Leonard K. Holiday marketing tips for small businesses. Innovative Global Vision [online]. 7 Nov 2018 [accessed 5 Dec 2018]. https://www.igvinc.com/2017-holiday-marketing-tips-small-businesses/