Here are some ideas of ways that you can make the most of the holiday season from a marketing standpoint.
Plan Early
It’s October, which means that we are just entering the main holiday season that comes in November and December. However, that does not mean that you should wait two months before formulating your holiday marketing plans. Start to gather your client list now, and decide how you want to strategically target each type of customer or potential customer with a holiday message from your business. Begin to draft your holiday content for social media and blogs. As the year winds down, employees may be taking off for family gatherings, so it’s better to have everything planned ahead of time, and ready to go as the holiday season gets underway. You can also download our free holiday marketing checklist here.
Handwrite Holiday Cards
Use that list of clients and make sure you send handwritten holiday cards. A personal touch is always appreciated after spending the year communicating through a screen. Most people appreciate the thought and effort that goes into a handwritten note, and it will reflect positively on your company that you took the time to address your best clients in a personal way. Stand out from the crowd, and reach out in an old-fashioned way. This act may even help give your company an edge going into the New Year.
Use Holiday Celebrations Strategically
Usually, people don’t like talking about work at a holiday dinner party, but holiday celebrations are great times to build relationships with people you may want to do business with in the near future. People do business with people they like, and what better way to get to know a potential client or partner than by enjoying time together. With all the invites coming in toward the end of the year, it may be difficult to plan to attend all of the events. However, if you think about which ones may be enjoyable and also offer a potential business opportunity, you may be able to narrow it down to a few important engagements. As a marketer, you’re always on the hunt for opportunities, but use this time to relax and build more personal relationships too.
Create New Year Resolutions for Your Business
The end of the year is always a good time to reflect on past accomplishments and future goals. Use the last few months of this year to really examine what went right for your business and what you may need to work on in the New Year. Sit down with your employees or other departments at your company and decide on what marketing techniques worked for the company as a whole. Use the end-of-year downtown at the office to formulate plans and work-related resolutions for the New Year. In January, you will want to hit the ground running on these initiatives, so get started early on putting plans into place.
The holidays can cause some disruptions and distractions at work, but they also provide a lot of opportunities for marketers. If you need any assistance with your content and social media marketing efforts during the holidays or entering the New Year, contact us at Miss Ink. With over 10 years in business, we have the strategies and resources to help your business with your unique marketing needs.
References: George, K. (2017, September 27). 5 Key Holiday Email Marketing Tips for 2017. Retrieved September 27, 2017, from http://www.socialmediatoday.com/marketing/5-key-holiday-email-marketing-tips-2017?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202017-09-27%20Social%20Media%20Today%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:12184%5D&utm_term=Social%20Media%20Today Coleman, J. (2014, December 23). 3 Ways the Holidays Can Help Your Business. Retrieved September 27, 2017, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/3-ways-holidays-can-help-your-business-jacqueline-coleman/
