No matter what holidays you celebrate throughout the year, there is no denying the surge in holiday cheer from November through the new year. It’s the time of year when sales increase, interest arises, and brands need to do something truly spectacular to stand out. In the weeks leading up to the holiday season, brands start to prepare new ad campaigns, timely messaging, and new visuals to match the time of year.
Let’s dig into some actionable strategies you can take to keep up with the influx of holiday advertising, and the reason why it’s important to partake (whatever that may look like for you.)
Some businesses shy away from holiday marketing because of what it might say about them and their beliefs, but depending on your audience and the product or service you offer, it may be in your best interest to consider the ways in which holiday marketing might work in your favor. At the end of the day, the holiday season is relevant for all — sales, time off, visiting family and friends, snow (location depending), and so on. The question is: What does ‘holiday’ mean to your business and how can you capitalize on the season to boost your brand image?
Whether you or your audience celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s, Diwali, or any other holiday throughout the season, or even if the celebration is about family and rest, there is something emotional about this time of year. By associating with the holidays and speaking to your audience in a festive way, you’re making an effort to be a part of the collective and emotional connection with your customers.
There’s no denying it — advertising ramps up this time of year. It’s a high-traffic season for online and offline shopping or researching. A well-executed campaign around the holidays can drastically improve your company’s visibility. This of course depends on the services you’re offering, but more often than not this will work for businesses.
The holidays are not all about religion. Sure, that is a huge and main part of it, but this time of year also represents themes of generosity, togetherness, and gratitude. Brands can create campaigns or collateral that aligns with these themes to showcase values, rather than an explicit ‘Christmas’ campaign, for example. Maybe your brand is taking this time to do a volunteer day or donate gifts — this is something you may want to consider sharing with your audience so they know where your values lay.
No matter what holiday or holiday theme you utilize in your marketing this time of year, you will get engagement. People love to see it, and the more creative you are, the more comments and likes you’ll get.
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It’s all about preparing in advance. Do research, strategize about what with work for your business, and get some plans into place. Here are a few ideas:
Google is a great place to start, and social media is a great way to keep the convo going. We talk about local visibility and Google Business Profile in one of our previous insights, take a look to learn more about how to leverage this tool. Use similar strategies that we outline in that article, but tailor it to the time of year. Talk about holiday offers, frame your services for the holiday season, or highlight gift-giving. Consider hot-button keywords like ‘holiday,’ ‘black Friday,’ ‘Christmas,’ or any other relevant words that potential customers may be searching for.
Target your Google ads to ensure you are reaching the correct audience.
Is there anything special this time of year that you can offer your customers? Discount on a service? An incentive for a home sale? (Maybe throw in a free fireplace??) Money off a product? There’s always something you can do around Black Friday and the biggest spending months of the year.
As we mentioned above, the holiday season is a great time to tug on the heartstrings and connect with your audience on an emotional level. Say you’re a new home builder. Now might be a great time to put out a commercial depicting what the holiday season could look like in one of your homes. Take advantage of the season and play to what with win the hearts of your audience.
The most important thing to remember is to be genuine. If you believe in what you’re saying, it will come through in the efforts you put forth during this holiday season.
Other important things to keep in mind as you’re embarking on holiday-centered marketing:
We understand that the holiday season can be a tricky one to navigate. How much do you lean into Christmas versus Hannukah or any other holiday? What does being festive say about your brand? Does it seem disingenuous to take advantage?
Although it’s a tricky time of year, if you’re strategic and solidified in who you are, you can have a lot of success leaning into this season. From values to emotions, new starts to pulling on hearts — now is as good a time as any to think up a creative ad campaign.
Reach out if you want to chat through some ideas for next holiday season!