Is your business ready for the holidays? If you haven’t started thinking about how your business can drive sales and engagement this holiday season or just need a few tips, we’ve put together a brief checklist to help with your holiday marketing.
First, consider what your goals are for the holiday season:
- Sales
- Brand awareness
- Audience engagement
- More social media followers
Second, study your competitors:
- How are they preparing?
- What did they do last year?
- What lessons can you learn from their successes and misses?
Third, what kind of time and budget will you allocate to marketing this season?
The National Retail Federation forecasts that total holiday spending will grow between 2.5% and 3.5% over 2023, estimated to be between $979.5 billion and $989 billion in sales. On average, consumer spending on the winter holidays is expected to reach a record $902 per person across gifts, food, decorations, and other seasonal items. To get your piece of that billion-dollar pie, you will have to invest some time in your marketing.
Here is a 10-step checklist to help get you started:
1. CREATE A CALENDAR ▢
Develop a day-by-day spreadsheet filled with social media content, specials, goals, and any other critical marketing info. Highlight key shopping days like Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Free Shipping Day in your calendar for tailored promotions. Planning your weeks will help maximize your outreach and efficiency.
2. SEND CARDS ▢
Send thank you notes that express sincere appreciation for your customers and also help keep your business top-of-mind. Consider eco-friendly e-cards to align with sustainability trends, which could resonate with your audience and save costs. At the very least, send emails, perhaps with a discount code or a truly special offer. Also, remember those who have helped your business by treating them to a small gift.
3. TARGET SPECIFIC AUDIENCES ▢
Tailor special offers for specific kinds of customers, like the Early Bird (begins shopping in November or earlier), the Decemberist (begins at the flip of the calendar), and the Procrastinator (still hasn’t made a dent yet). Incorporate data from past holiday campaigns to personalize offers further. If you’ve identified patterns (e.g., families vs. singles), tailor messages accordingly.
4. SCHEDULE SOCIAL MEDIA TO AUTO-POST ▢
Use services such as Buffer or Hootsuite to auto-post your social media at scheduled times. Also, be sure to check in periodically since customers will assume you’re available to respond after making posts. Include setting reminders to engage with comments, likes, and questions from your audience for real-time interaction.
5. SHOW PERSONALITY ▢
Reduce the salesy tone of your business on social media and talk to your customers like people, not profit. Include fun behind-the-scenes content (like your team decorating the office or brainstorming gift ideas). It humanizes your brand and builds rapport. The holidays are stressful, so if you can make people smile or lighten up for a minute the better connection you can make.
6. ENCOURAGE SHARING ▢
The holidays are the perfect time to bring people together on your social networks by encouraging them to share their experiences. For example, have customers tweet photos of their favorite holiday ornament, use a unique campaign hashtag, and tag your business. Select one photo each day to win a 10% discount. Incentivize engagement further by adding tiered rewards (e.g., a daily 10% discount winner, plus an end-of-campaign grand prize like a gift basket or service package).
7. GIVE BACK ▢
Adopt a charity close to the hearts of you and your employees and volunteer, provide financial support or donate your services. Share the story of why you chose the charity to make it personal and relatable. Post updates about the event to show the impact of your campaign. Holding a charity event, such as a clothing or toy drive, is another good way to get your customers and employees to participate.
8. PREP YOUR WEBSITE ▢
Decorate your website and logo with holiday-related graphics, including in any e-blasts. Ensure fast loading times and test your site on various devices to avoid frustration for shoppers. Add a countdown timer for any sales to create urgency. And with more people now shopping and searching online, ensure the mobile version of your website and online ordering systems are up to snuff.
9. SPEAK OUT ▢
Send a press release to attract attention to your business. But be sure it has an interesting angle that breaks through the clutter and draws intrigue. Consider local publications or bloggers to extend your reach. Pitch your press release with a holiday-specific theme, like “10 Ways [Your Business Name] is Spreading Holiday Cheer This Year.” What kind of news from other businesses catches your ear? Perhaps like this one we did on a shoe-string budget in 2011.
10. MEASURE UP ▢
Use analytics (Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) to measure the impact of your marketing so you can understand what’s working and what’s not. Conduct A/B testing on email subject lines or social posts to maximize open rates and engagement. This allows you to optimize your campaigns and get better results in the future. Not sure which one to start with? Take a look at these top 15 social media analytics tools.
11. BONUS – CHECK YOUR TECH ▢
Make sure your Wi-Fi, payment systems, and order fulfillment are ready to handle the holiday rush. Test everything in advance, from processing payments quickly to ensuring inventory and shipping systems are reliable. Offer multiple payment options like Apple Pay or buy-now-pay-later to accommodate all customers. A little prep now can prevent big headaches later!
To review, how prepared is your business in:
- Mobile online presence
- Website’s readiness for holiday shoppers
- Holiday content strategy
- Email marketing strategy
- Social media marketing strategy
- Check your tech
Need help with your marketing? We’ve got you covered!
Whether you’re short on time or seeking expert guidance, we’re here to help your brand shine. Request a free project review today or connect with us at signal@theherofarm.com / (504) 451-4282. Let’s make magic happen together!