15 Sep your holiday promotion ideas suck and you know it
don’t worry, we are here to help you fix them!
As marketers, we are overworked all year along and the holiday season feels like we are competing on X games mode, turning tricks to get everything done. We are under a lot of pressure to bring in those holiday sales and hit not just the end of quarter goals, but the year-end goals. By the end of next month, you have an IV drip of PSL and jingle bell rock is stuck on repeat over the speakers trying to churn out last-minute ideas for your holiday promotions.
The problem? Your ideas may suck. Ok, that may too be harsh. Let’s just say, they aren’t as good as they can be, and deep down you know it’s true.
We are here to tell you that you can turn those ideas around and create a marketing campaign during the holidays that will not only resonate with your customers but help you reach your goals. Do these examples below sound familiar? Keep reading because we’ve got the fix.
you stole a “tis the season” pun off of Pinterest for your latest social media post
solution: have a unique point of view on why your product is a must-have this holiday
Raise your hand if your usual first step is to turn to Pinterest and Google images for holiday ideas? 🙋 We get it, we love the holiday season, the cheesy jingles, the Santa puns, and holly clipart just like the rest of them. But what do those say about your product? Start first with brainstorming why what you are selling is a must-have. What problem is it solving for your ideal customer? Why should they purchase it now, this holiday season? Once you figure out your POV, then you can sprinkle in some holiday joy into your marketing.
you reused last year’s thanksgiving email
solution: be more timely and use current trends to show your relevancy
Are you as thankful for 2020 as you were for 2019? Didn’t think so! If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that things can change very quickly, and staying on top of current events and new trends can give you an edge over your competition. Not only do you want to give a nod to what’s happening in the world around us in your marketing when appropriate, but you also want to speak to trends you are seeing with your customers. What product is flying off the shelves? What website page sees the most traffic? What Instagram post got the most likes? By looking at your recent data to find trends, you can adjust your messaging and stay relevant to your customers.
you suggested a giveaway of Santa beard Corona masks at the last meeting
solution: align your promotional items with what your customers want
ok, we admit this one is kinda cool. And if you are going to give these away, slide into our DMs… we can help! But before you do, ask yourself what your return on investment will be. We are all for fun gimmicks, but just slapping a holiday theme on something unrelated to your brand won’t suddenly bring you more customers, more brand awareness, or more revenue. So check your goals first and then give your customers something they would enjoy and that would be worthy of your investment.
start planning your holiday promotions calendar now
Now that we’ve got you thinking about how to improve your upcoming holiday promotions, you might as well get a jump on planning for them now before that pumpkin IV drip fully sets in. Pulling together your holiday promotions calendar now with all of your key marketing elements will relieve a lot of anxiety in the upcoming months.
There is a lot of debate as to when to start your holiday promotions. Some say before Halloween is best, or to wait until after Thanksgiving. We think somewhere in the middle is best – November 11 to be exact. It gives everyone enough time to move past Halloween while still getting the attention of holiday shoppers who like to have their lists crossed off before Thanksgiving.
To help you jumpstart your holiday calendar, we’ve pulled together the key dates to plan around:
November 11……………..Holiday Promotions Launch
November 26……………..Thanksgiving Day
November 27……………..Black Friday
November 28……………..Small Business Saturday
November 30……………..Cyber Monday
December 14……………..Free Shipping Day
December 10-18…………Hanukkah
December 25……………..Christmas
December 26……………..After Christmas Sales Starts
So let’s recap. If you’ve made it through this post, you’ve learned how to create an awesome holiday marketing campaign that will speak to your customer’s wants and help your bottom line. And you’ve planned out your marketing calendar so that you can sit back and enjoy the holidays. Pull out that IV drip because you no longer need it.