Is it just us, or does the “Holiday Season” seem to crop up earlier and earlier every year? It may be summer, but for many, especially those in marketing, the holidays are just a hop, skip, and jump away.
Holiday Marketing is critical to the success of every brand in part because that time of year, the 4th quarter as it’s called in the biz, is a business’ last chance to hit their numbers. It’s also considered the best time to expand marketing efforts and form emotional connections with customers.
Forbes said it perfectly: Holiday Marketing Uses Christmas Feels to Get You Buying. From Halloween to Black Friday and onward, consumers are getting festive and looking for ways to share their joy and spend (and save) some money. Their only challenge now is being spoilt for choice.
ENTER your epic HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN to make their decisions easy.
If you’re convinced you need a solid campaign but are unsure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. The most critical element to a good strategy is ample time to prepare; considering we’re starting in August, you can check that off the list! By devoting some time now, you’re laying the groundwork for a successful holiday season, so you won’t miss a beat once things get hectic.
Check out our tips below for a successful holiday marketing campaign!
Starting Your Campaign
Before we dive into specific holidays, here’s an overview of the components for any successful campaign.
- Define Your Audience
- Identify and segment them, and collect insights on their preferences
- Do they prefer mobile or desktop? Are they on Facebook or TikTok?
- Use insights to target your audience better and inform the delivery of your campaign.
- Review previous holiday marketing campaigns
- What did well? What can be improved?
- What’s your goal?
- Sales? Lead Generation?
- Engagement?
- User-Generated Content (UGC) collection – Gathering photos, videos, testimonials & more.
- Measure your KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
Elements of Effective Holiday Campaigns
For lasting impressions:
- Seasonalize Your Brand
- Appeal to Holiday Emotions—Positivity, Festivity, Excitement, Reciprocity.
- Establish a Theme
- Use Festive CTAs
- Create Holiday-Specific Hashtags
- Create a Central Landing Page
- Amplify Your Marketing—Create A Buzz!
- Build Anticipation
- Countdown to Big Events
- Provide Early Access to Premium Customers
- Partner With Influencers
- Run Giveaways on Social Media
- Run Paid Campaigns on Social Channels & Google
- Build Anticipation
- Start Sales Early
- Beat the holiday frenzy
- Easier to fill orders
- Personalize UX
- Add personalized greetings
- Use A/B testing to ensure the best customer experience.
- Consider offline channels: tv, radio
- Have a Clear End Date
- Like all good things, the holidays eventually end, and sadly, so must your holiday-themed marketing. Including an end date:
- Keeps your marketing fresh and relevant
- Creates a sense of urgency
- Like all good things, the holidays eventually end, and sadly, so must your holiday-themed marketing. Including an end date:
- Keep Your Brand Top Of Mind
- The number one thing to remember in this and every campaign is to remain true to your values.
The list may seem long, but the payoff is everything. Your holiday marketing campaign is one of the best times to invest in an emotional bond with your audience. Start laying the groundwork now for your best holiday season (Q4) ever!
Now, pat yourself on the back for being such a good planner! Hit save on this blog, and come back later. Go soak up the last bit of summer… the future is looking BRIGHT!
If you need assistance making your customers stop scrolling this holiday season, we can help! Get in touch
For additional tips on how to celebrate holidays tactfully and inclusively, check out our blog, “BKN’s Guide To DEI Holidays.”
