It’s the Season to get…your Marketing Strategy Ready for the Holidays
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…”Maybe for the consumers, but for small business owners, the stress is just beginning! After all, according to the Wall Street Journal, holiday sales can
contribute up to 50% of a company’s annual profit.
As a small business proprietor, you should be mindful of three important facts:
Customers, especially as holiday season approaches, are looking for the most bang for their buck. You have to convince them that their buck gets the most bang with you.
Many customers do their holiday shopping early – yes, even online. That’s why you, too, should kick start your holiday marketing strategy early.
Thanks to the power of social media, you can gain a large buzz about your products without spending a fortune. Use it to your advantage.
Depending on what business you are or what service you offer, holiday marketing can go in several directions. However, there are several basic constant that relate to any type of holiday marketing:
It has to be holiday themed There has to be an appealing offer Your content must be mobile friendly: over 50% of online shoppers in
2014 did so from a mobile phone or table.
Think small and let it grow. Don’t write checks your business can’t afford (i.e., too large a discount, guarantee a holiday delivery when the chances for that are very slim, ditto for money back guarantees)
Harness the power of social media: promote, invite, pin, share. Create a sense of urgency: create time-limited offers to persuade
customers to buy, or place their order right now. This is especially critical during the period immediately preceding Black Friday up to Cyber Monday: 15% off entire stock – today only, buy one – get one free. Of course, your offer has to fit the overall strategy of your company.
ContentIf content is usually king, then during holiday times it is emperor.Decorate the landing page and homepage with holiday themes. Customize your content: gift buying guides; decision guides (if you sell shoes: which shoe is best for him/her/your child?), seasonal guides (prepare your home for the winter, indoor activity ideas for cold November nights). Encourage users to share the guides. Find your niche:Do you sell tires? Emphasize tires for winter (blog on “How Tires Can Impact Your Winter Driving”) and promote them with special discounts on social media or email.
Tips are always welcome: depending on your business, find your angle that can be beneficial to the customer and add to it a holiday touch.For example: if you were selling a car and advertise it as “roomy and spacious,” you could rephrase the text as “enough room for all your holiday shopping.”Add bonus content: For example, if your website sells cookware, you can add a blog with the title 5 foolproof holiday recipes.
Social MediaIn today’s social media world, trends can come and go in a flash, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the latest developments.Before you begin your holiday marketing campaign, ask yourself the following: What are the hottest trends and hashtags, related to your business or
service? How are people relating or engaging with your brand?
Create a holiday-related trending topic on Pinterest, such as: Gift ideas for her or original holiday decorations.
Give your Twitter account a decorative header Dress up your email marketing: send out your newsletters or emails
in holiday décor. It should, of course, proclaim special deals and holiday-related discounts. Add holiday related content such as “10 ways to survive the holiday mayhem” etc.
PromotionsThe problem: dozens and dozens of other companies are likely to do promotions. So how do you stand out? Play to your strength: Is your business local? Invite the locals via social
media to a “pre-holiday event.” If you have an email list, send out special holiday discounts and promotions. If you plan holiday sales, make sure your customers receive an informative
brochure, a month or two in advance. Can you deliver free shipping? Money back guarantee? Make sure your
customers know about it. If you have a new product or service in the pipeline, the holiday season is a
great time to promote: you have something new to offer, and the customers have something new to look forward to.
Catalogues/Brochures Make a unique holiday gift catalogue – or webpage. You can send out
an email with “Our Top Holiday” sellers, and a list of a few items, with links to the product pages. Add a special discount code to those emails.
Print coupons on the back of business cars and leave them where potential customers roam.
Most important of all: make sure any type of promotion you make is measurable, so you can track your ROI.
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