The festive season is the perfect opportunity for small businesses to spread some holiday cheer while driving brand awareness and boosting sales. With everyone feeling jolly, it’s time to deck the halls of your marketing strategy with creative ideas that sparkle! Let’s sleigh your holiday marketing this year by looking at three festive ways to engage your customers and make sure your brand shines brighter than Rudolph’s nose.
- Unwrap the Magic with Social Media Campaigns
The holiday season is prime time for social media, so get ready to fa-la-la-la-la your way to more followers and engagement. Social platforms are your marketing sleigh, and it’s time to load it up with holiday-themed posts that capture the festive spirit.
- Run a Festive Giveaway: Nothing says ‘holiday spirit’ like giving! Encourage users to share their favourite festive memories, tag friends, or comment for a chance to win a special holiday prize. Make it even more engaging by incorporating a daily countdown with small prizes each day – a modern twist on the advent calendar.
- Give Yourself A Merry Little Rebrand: Pop a Santa hat on your logo and incorporate baubles in your brand elements to give off that fuzzy festive feeling and let your audience know you’re going all in on Christmas. Your customers want to feel like you’re getting in the holiday spirit, and what better way to show them than by spreading a little holiday cheer?
- Christmas Should Be Creative: Creativity and Christmas go together like presents under pine trees, and it’s the perfect time of the year to let your hair down and try something new with your social media content. Have some fun and engage your staff in creating a no-budget remake of your favourite Christmas scenes or perhaps put together some Christmas-themed staff profiles – whatever you choose to do, just remember – it’s supposed to be fun!
- Sleigh It with On-Site Experiences
It’s not all about digital! Hosting in-store events or experiences can create a festive buzz that gets people talking (and shopping).
- Host a Festive Pop-Up Event: Whether it’s a local market or a mini in-store workshop (think DIY ornament decorating or cookie decorating for kids), a festive pop-up creates excitement and draws foot traffic. Partner with complementary local businesses for a collaborative experience, where customers can enjoy special holiday treats while they shop. ✨
- Holiday-Themed Store Décor and Activities: It’s worth investing in a Christmas glow-up – transform your store into a (tropical) winter wonderland! Create Instagram-worthy backdrops for photo opportunities or perhaps with a Santa cutout or twinkling lights, and encourage customers to share their snaps online with a custom hashtag. A charming environment or a kid-friendly photo opportunity is a great way to boost footfall into your store and drive extra sales revenue.
- Give Back and Spread the Cheer: Collaborate with a local charity by setting up a donation station in your store, or run a campaign where a percentage of holiday sales are donated to a cause. Customers love businesses that give back, and it adds an extra layer of festive feel-good vibes! ️
- Prepare Early & Wrap Up Your Advertising Strategy BEFORE December!
Christmas is one of the most competitive times of the year for booking advertising placements – but there are a few ways you can beat the Christmas rush and wrap your marketing plans up in a neat little bow.
- Get In Early: All advertisers appreciate the early birds – you can get more flexibility, more availability, and possibly even cheaper prices on advertising placements if you’re first in the queue! Lock in your marketing strategy ASAP so you can relax over Christmas knowing you’ve already taken care of it.
- Be Specific: Most businesses can’t afford to advertise everywhere all the time – it’s simply too expensive. Instead, be strategic and pick your placements and campaigns carefully, ensuring that your message is memorable and you’re taking advantage of the great products and services you offer.
Wrap it Up
By combining the power of festive social media, on-site experiences, and embracing some tropical tinsel, small businesses can make the most of this merry time of year. The holiday season is a time for joy, giving, and most importantly, connecting with your audience in a way that feels warm, genuine, and just a little cheeky. So, don your Santa hat, add some sparkle to your strategy, and sleigh this holiday season with unforgettable marketing!
