The Holiday season is upon us and marketers should already be thinking about how they will stand above the competition. Here are 5 tips to kick off your holiday marketing planning.

If you don’t have your holiday marketing strategy figured out before we start hearing Michael Bublé’s Christmas songs everywhere we go, that would be unacceptable.

 

1. Start Now

Consumers have already begun shopping for gifts in October. Consistently promoting your business throughout the holiday season helps them identify and recall your products and services as they hunt for the perfect gifts and/or services for their seasonal needs.

Start by answering the following questions:

    • What will the message or promotion be?
    • How will you inform your audience?
    • How will you remind your audience?
    • How will you persuade your audience?
    • Which tactics will best serve each goal (inform, remind, persuade) and when should they be deployed?
    • What type of content and deliverables will best serve your goals?
      (social media graphics, landing pages, html5 ads, etc…)

 

 

2. Provide inspiration across multiple channels

Engaging your audience on the right channels during the holiday season is absolutely essential. Today’s consumers look for gift inspiration everywhere. They go broad and deep when hunting for gift ideas, be it on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, Blogs, and other interest-based or lifestyle-oriented media channels.

Getting your brand in relevant content streams enhances the frequency of micro-moments that help nurture a prospective consumer to conversion. Boost your posts on social media and consider Sponsored Content opportunities with compatible media channels and influencers.

 

 

3. Offer More than just Discounts

Shoppers love sales during holiday season, but everyone will have some sort of discount strategy. There are other offerings that help incentivize conversion both online and offline. Here are a few examples:

  • Giveaway Contests (reward brand loyalty, attract new customers)
  • Free shipping offer
  • Limited-time flash sales
  • Free gift with purchase over $X
  • Complimentary gift card with purchase
  • Gift-wrapping with purchase

 

 

4. Focus on Mobile

Holiday shoppers are research-obsessed. They want to explore a purchase from every angle. More than ever, shoppers are researching on mobile to determine which stores they should visit to find the products or services they want.

This behaviour also includes search queries for store hours and contact information, which are important for driving mobile-first shoppers into stores and to facilitate inquiries with more intent throughout peak holiday shopping seasons.

The mobile screen is small but mighty. Be sure to optimize your website and landing pages for mobile screens.

 

 

5. Boost trust and purchase intent with digital videos

It’s not just research behaviour that is on the rise; video viewership has also increased in with video consumption on mobile and tablet devices leading the way.

Not only can video content grab attention, it also communicates the most salient points of your products or services in a quick and effective manner. And by quick we mean 6-15 seconds. The micro-moments era has ushered in shorter video standards, with 6-second bumper ads becoming a fast-rising format on social channels.

Some ideas for video content:

  • Product unboxing
  • Reviews by video-based influencers
  • How-to or DIY tutorials
  • Mini product montage
  • Animated motion graphics

 

 

Now that we’ve got you thinking about your holiday marketing plans, remember to develop your content with one of these 4 criteria in mind: be funny, useful, beautiful, or inspiring. Plan your holiday marketing calendar before the holiday frenzy hits us like a ton of coals.

You got this – Ready. Set. Go!