Holiday marketing is critical to any communication strategy calendar, especially for B2C businesses. Behind the pumpkins and Christmas trees are many marketing specialists trying to optimize and effectively measure holiday advertising. From back to school to Valentine’s Day to Black Friday, holiday’s open opportunities to expand reach.
We have compiled a list of the best practices to help you effectively utilize and win holiday marketing.
Holiday Specific Content
It is important to make advertisements and copy holiday specific. During the holidays, most companies will be offering deals and discounts. Standing out in the crowded market depends on engagement with consumers. In an era of constant movement and a desire for immediacy, time is a crucial aspect of holiday marketing. For products, highlight shipping or in-store pickup can be just as valuable as a discount for the holiday shopping procrastinators.
By incorporating the spirit of the holiday, an opportunity for personalization is opened. A deeper interaction is able to be facilitated in order to present the brand’s values. While it is important to grab the attention of an audience, it is crucial not to seem insensitive to the purpose of the holiday.
Don’t Compare Apples to Oranges
Holiday marketing is a completely different ballpark than your typical day-to-day marketing efforts. You need to base your success metrics for the holiday year-over-year to get a real understanding of your ROI. The month of December will not be an equivalent comparison to the month of September. During the holiday season, specific, measurable goals need to be put into place for holiday-specific content. This will help to gauge the effectiveness outside of your typical advertising.
Just as marketing results are different for holiday times, so are the consumers and ideal audiences. There is a difference between holiday shoppers, discount shoppers and lifetime consumers. It is crucial to treat these as the separate audiences. Loyal customers should be offered loyalty programs, exclusive offers and “thank you” discounts to entice these consumers to continue to use your product/service. It is also a great opportunity to expand your reach to new potential consumers. Generating creative, attention-grabbing content is vital. You need to show why you’re the right fit, whether it’s saving time, money or overall stress. Find your niche and own what makes you unique.
Focus on YOUR Strategy
As we’ve mentioned, the holiday season is a pivotal time for most companies. Identify what channels have worked for your brand in the past and double down on those efforts. Up your spend, increase retargeting and optimize your advertisements based on historical data. Website optimization is another key to success. With the world focusing more on digital platforms, a fast, seamless experience for customers can make all the difference. If they are able to easily navigate and come across your website, they are more likely to make a purchase.
Digital marketing can make or break holiday marketing. Email marketing campaigns allow you to reach your audience and let them know about season exclusives. It is important to up your activity and remarket to ideal target audiences. If you normally send one email, consider sending three to prime consumers. This is the time for social media is also a huge market. This calls for priming your audience as well as expanding your reach. This is the time to potentially invest in paid social media. Partnering with a company to create native advertising can create a big return.
Summary
As the holidays quickly approach it is important to create and implement a strategy for success. This is a very different metric than for day-to-day marketing, so measurable goals need to be put into place. Focus on what your brand is good at and make it holiday specific.
Ready to start your plan for taking on the holiday season? We’re here to help. Contact us today for more information on holiday marketing plans!
