Planning is the most important element if you want to be successful in your holiday marketing campaign. While there are many things that you can do to get ready for the holidays, such as creating content and sharing it on social media, how much effort you put into your plan will ultimately determine its success. Here are some tips and tricks for creating an efficient plan for your Christmas marketing efforts:
Preparing Your Christmas Marketing Strategy
Preparing your Christmas marketing strategy can be daunting, but it’s critical to do so if you want to maximize the effectiveness of your campaign. This section will help guide you through the process and ensure that you can create an effective plan for your business this holiday season.
The first step in developing a successful marketing plan is taking inventory of what has worked in previous years, as well as what didn’t work so well. Then consider how those trends may have changed since then and what new opportunities are available now that weren’t available before. Once that’s done, make sure to determine who will be responsible for different aspects of the marketing campaign—from creating ads and designing flyers down to sending out emails or making phone calls—so everyone knows exactly what they’re supposed to do when starting on this adventure together!
Now that we’ve covered some basics regarding what kind of information goes into preparing an effective Christmas marketing strategy (and why), let’s delve deeper into some specifics about how long this process takes:
Choose a campaign theme ASAP
As soon as you know the dates of your campaign, it’s time to choose a theme. For the customer survey questionnaires we’ve seen, the most common themes are:
- Christmas-themed products and deals
- Santa Claus-themed
- Snowmen-themed (if you’re running during winter)
Themes can be broad or narrow depending on what products you plan to run. If you’re going for a wide range of customers, then think about using multiple themes—this way, everyone gets something they like regardless of their shopping preferences. It’s also easier to make adjustments based on feedback if everyone has responded positively.
Figure out your budget
It is important to know your budget and stick to it. Don’t spend more than you have, but also don’t spend less than you need. You may find that some services cost more than others to get the best ROI (return on investment). Consider all costs including supplies and labor when determining your budget.
Unlock the potential of budget marketing and boost your ROI.
Start planning in October
An effective Christmas marketing campaign should start in early fall. Start planning for it in October, when you have enough time to plan the whole campaign and not rush it. It’s important to know who your target audience is and what they want from your company. You can use your existing demographic data to narrow down your target audience as well as your holiday calendar for inspiration.
Use your existing demographic data to narrow your target audience
Look at the demographics of your customers, including age, gender, and income level. It is important to ensure that you are targeting the right people with a product or service that they want. Social media can be used for finding people who would be interested in what you have to offer.
Use the holiday calendar for inspiration
While the holidays are a time to celebrate and give thanks, it’s also a time for businesses to capitalize on the influx of customers. You can use this opportunity to boost sales by creating enticing content that relies on seasonal themes like giving thanks or celebrating family traditions. Let’s take a look at how some brands have used different holidays in their marketing efforts:
- Thanksgiving: This holiday celebrates American culture and family gatherings, so it’s the perfect opportunity to share your brand values with a #ThanksgivingGiftGuide or “Grateful For…” campaign.
- Christmas: With all of its lights, decorations, and gifts—not to mention Santa Claus himself—Christmas marketing campaigns are always fun! Make sure you’re using relevant hashtags like #ChristmasIsComing (from Game of Thrones), #HoHoHo (from Rudolph), or #MerryChristmas (from The Grinch). These will help you reach customers who may not otherwise be interested in following your brand on social media channels.
Include emotions and sentiments in your campaign
Emotions are an incredibly powerful tool. They can create a connection between your brand and the consumer that can be channeled into engagement, sales, and loyalty.
A good way to use emotions in marketing is through storytelling. You can use a story to convey messages about your products or services in a way that resonates with people on an emotional level. Stories also create an element of trust because they’re relatable; people like hearing stories about other people going through similar situations as them. Let’s take a look at some examples:
*A little girl named Beatrice was diagnosed with cancer when she was only four years old.* *Her parents were devastated by this news—they never expected it to happen so young.* *But despite everything happening around her, Katie remained positive throughout her treatment process.* *She realized that her illness would make her stronger in the long run because it taught her how important family is.*
Use emotional elements that appeal to people to make them more likely to buy from you or simply visit your website or social media pages during the holidays. Include a few sentimental moments into the campaign itself, such as including some nice quotes about family togetherness during Christmas time or showing pictures of happy families spending time together (even if those pictures are taken at different times).
Check out this resource for more ways to handle your holiday campaigns.
Closing
We hope this post has helped you plan and run your Christmas marketing campaign. There’s no right way to do it, but we think there are some best practices that will help you get started on the right foot. The key takeaway from all of my tips here is to start planning early and use your existing data to narrow down your target audience so they get the most relevant messaging possible.
Start Right Away!
Have you been thinking about how to get your business a boost this Christmas season?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
We know that sometimes it can be hard to find the right agency to help with your campaign, but if you’re looking for a digital marketing agency with years of experience and expertise, check out EXP Digital Marketing. We can help you with everything from design to content creation, and social media management down to search engine optimization services!
If you’d like to speak with us further about how we can help your business grow, please send us a message right away! Good luck and happy business!