How to Make Your Christmas Marketing Campaign Sparkle
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While you may cringe at the C-word so early in November, there's no hiding from the fact that the holidays are coming. Yes, bonfires may barely be extinguished and Halloween drunken nightmares might still be fresh in our minds, but the most wonderful time of year is soon upon on us. And whilst we may be the type to stay up all night on Christmas Eve wrapping last minute gifts, we would't recommend waiting until December to start thinking about your holiday campaign.
The holiday season is a busy time of year so marketers have to be strategic in how they engage their audiences. We're not saying that your Christmas campaign has to be particularly clever or technical, but it does need to resonate with your consumers. Timely content, delivered to the right audience with the right message, can be just the boost you need to raise awareness of your offering, attract festive-feeling customers and give you something more to celebrate on NYE. With that in mind, here are our five recommendations for crafting an effective holiday marketing campaign.
1. Make a List; Check it Twice
Start planning your campaign as early as possible to maximise potential reach to your customers. We all know that one person who stocks up on Christmas gifts months in advance. Perhaps you're one of those enviably organised people yourself. However, an organised approach to your holiday campaign can pay off ten-fold. Don't do the marketing equivalent of leaving your list till lunchtime on Christmas Eve. If you're planning a holiday campaign, then you probably should have already started putting the wheels in motion.
2. Find Out What's on Your Customers' Wish List
One good thing about the holiday rush is that it allows you to provide real value to your customers – create something that saves them time, helps them cross something off their to-do list, or do something that makes their festive season even more joyful. Consider what your customers are trying to accomplish during their holiday season and create a promotion around your specific product or service that will help them to achieve those goals.
3. Hang the Decorations
Christmas is a great time to refresh your marketing materials. Develop a Christmas gift guide or create a merry and bright version of your brand to help get your customers into the festive spirit. According to Forbes, 76% of Americans took to their mobile devices for holiday shopping inspiration last year. So why not update your digital advertising, social media platforms and website homepage to match the spirit of the season? Swapping out your social profile and cover photos to something joyful is super easy to do and can be just as effective in helping to increase awareness of your holiday promotion.
4. Create a Countdown
People are typically more excited than usual in the lead up to the holidays, so why not give them something even more to look forward to aside from their chocolate advent calendars. Create holiday buzz by rolling out a Christmas countdown of your top selling gifts or creating a festive hashtag for people to engage with. Just remember to set goals, get your analytics in place ahead of time and experiment with headlines and images to see what combinations drive the most engagement and conversion.
5. Embrace the Spirit of Giving
Holidays come with the tradition of presents. But when people receive gifts, they also feel compelled to share the generosity. Many successful marketing campaigns offer customers a gift in return for purchasing from them; this could be a discount on a mysterious product, a special gift or a free download. Giving your customers that 'extra little something' is a nice way to say thank you and will encourage them to reuse your services in the new year.
