The long-awaited holiday season is almost upon us! For shoppers, this means that you’re on the lookout for the best promotions in-store and online to purchase gifts for loved ones in celebration of the holidays.
For marketers, it is a crucial time of the year for businesses to bring out their holiday marketing strategies to ensure a strong and successful holiday sales season. This time of the year brings fierce competition among businesses to have strong holiday sales and an abundance of opportunities to attract new customers to your business.
That’s why marketers need to come up with an effective holiday marketing campaign to maximize the growth potential for their brand and build connections with customers. Here are a few dos and don’ts you should consider to have a successful holiday marketing campaign.
360 Business Local is an online marketing company based in Markham, dedicated to helping you ace your holiday campaigns this year! We provide up-to-the-minute news and cover the most viral trends so that your business can get the traction it deserves.
Without further ado, let’s delve right in!
DO Put Customers First
It’s a great opportunity to capture new customers this holiday season, however, it’s crucial to take your loyal and already established customers into consideration when planning your holiday marketing campaign. Making sales should not be the only priority for your business.
Your campaign should focus on customer appreciation; consider spreading holiday cheer to let your loyal customers know they are valued. You can do this by finding ways to include your customers and their families into your campaigns such as offering small complimentary gifts, holding giveaways and raffles.
Small businesses have the option to send handwritten cards to customers and their families to wish them well for the holidays and new year. Larger businesses can offer valuable discounts or small gifts as a token of appreciation for their customer’s support. This is all done to help distinguish your business from competitors by establishing personal connections with loyal and new customers. Create connections with your customers so that they will return in the off-season.
DON’T Change Your Branding
There’s obvious excitement in the air with the holidays coming soon. For some they show this through putting up decorations and displays, however, it’s wise for businesses to stay on brand. There will be an increase in customer traffic and interest during the two busiest months in the year, thus changing your branding will confuse new customers. It muddles the identity of the brand and does little for your business. Instead incorporate your logo, colours, and brand into your holiday marketing campaign whilst also providing light-hearted content relevant to the holidays.
DO Cater To Emotions
A successful marketing strategy to use for this holiday season is to evoke nostalgic feelings out of the intended target market. The holidays are centred around spending time with loved ones, sharing laughter and joyful moments. Nostalgic emotions evoked from an advertisement inspires customers to purchase the product and/or service in pursuit of the same emotional experience they felt in the advertisement.
DON’T Go Overboard With Advertising
It’s the busiest time of the year for advertising. Social media messaging to brands rise more than 30% during the winter holiday season. While it is necessary during the winter holidays to increase the advertising budget for a greater opportunity to attract new customers to your business, there must be a balance.
Understandably, with the increase in customers who are looking to find the best products and/or services for their loved ones, it’s very inviting for businesses to go all-in for the holiday season in advertising. However, the last thing your business wants to do is make it unpleasant for customers.
Especially if they are bombarded with promotions left and right. The customer’s poor experience ultimately devalues your offerings and brand. Potentially annoying customers can lead to mass unfollows or unsubscribing. Tarnishing the already established relationships with customers due to excessive advertisements.
There are alternative methods to reach your business goals for the season that don’t drive away your customers. Email campaigns are great for guaranteeing your consumers are being updated with the latest promotions they are being offered. Regardless of how hectic it gets during the holidays, consumers are checking their email inboxes regularly.
Timing is a crucial factor to take into account in email campaigns. When they are sent before, during, and right before the promotion ends it can land huge additional sales for your business. It makes all the difference to your business and the customers.
Ready to Ace Your Holiday Marketing Campaigns?
Over time businesses have to see for themselves which strategies work and which don’t work when reaching business goals for that season.
The holiday months are the most hectic for consumers and businesses but not without better opportunities for businesses to get through to consumers.
It’s important to exhibit the best qualities of your business by demonstrating your appreciation for customers, professionalism, customer satisfaction and the value of your brand; it’s the best way to bring your business a joyful and successful holiday season!
Need help with constructing a strong online holiday marketing campaign for your business? At 360, we’d love to help! Contact us today to get started!