Written By: Shannon Briggs

You may think it’s too early to start thinking about the holidays. Yet, I am here to gently inform you that you are wrong. If a holiday promotion plan for your business has yet to hit the task list, then, yes friend, you are behind. Have no fear. While the best time to start was a couple months ago, the next best time is today. Consider this your guide to get started, get motivated, and get going to ensure your business is competitive and thriving this Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day.

Start Early

For maximum exposure, launch your holiday plan on November 1st. This is the day attention turns away from costumes and jack-o-lanterns to dive fully into festive fun. Kicking off promotions at the beginning of November will lead to more awareness, having your audience remember you more over time. Competition is high for marketing promotions this time of year, higher than any other season, so devote as much time to this as possible. In order to launch November 1, you'll need to start planning well before Halloween. 

Have a Plan For Each Holiday

There are quite a few holidays to celebrate between November 1 and January 1, and each has its own traditions. Your promotions will look different for each one. While Thanksgiving brings on thoughts of cornucopias and football, Christmas will feature shimmer, tinsel, and jingle bells (yet still possibly football). Hosting a pumpkin pie themed contest for a New Year’s Day promo will surely garner a raised eyebrow or two. 

Consider Thanksgiving a Week

Yes, we have the big day itself on Thursday. However, after Thanksgiving comes Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday. Thanksgiving Eve on the Wednesday prior has evolved into a holiday itself in some industries, as people are prepping for Thursday or entertaining out of town guests. Don’t forget the movement to boycott Black Friday, a promotional opportunity in itself. REI’s #OptOutside Day is a great example, and it’s what we celebrate in the Briggs household. The marketing campaigns associated with each of these days are endless. Consider which ones make the most sense to align with your business and then form campaigns around them. 

Think Beyond Christmas

While Christmas receives most of the holiday attention in December, remember not everyone celebrates this day. While capitalizing on Christmas promotions make sense, there is value in marketing for Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Feast of Saint Nicholas, and more. You will reach new markets, honor different traditions, and recognize diversity in your audience.

Know Your Audience

The holiday season resonates differently with different crowds. Some love it. Some hate it. Some are fully festive, while others are just trying to survive. How does your target audience feel about the holiday season? Do they want to get lost in the magic or escape it completely? Form your marketing plan around your audience’s views, so your customers know you understand them and are listening. 

Remember Consistency is Key

While we’ve established that your holiday marketing should launch November 1, remember it’s not a one and done effort. Consistently remind your audience of your promotions and why they want to participate throughout the whole season. Remember all organizations are pushing promotions this time of year. To make sure you rise to the top of the noise, be consistent and remind people over and over what you are doing. 

Mix Up Your Messaging

Consistency over the holiday season is key, but developing a variety of content for these promotions can be overwhelming. Creativity is important here. In order to not push the same content on your marketing platforms every day, find creative and engaging ways to talk about your promotions in different ways. Vary up your visuals with different videos, images, and graphics. Use creative language to mix up how you talk about your promotions. I’ve found that developing a batch of content ahead of time helps with this.

Consider Advertising

Competition is high for your audience’s attention this time of year. One of the best ways to make sure your message breaks through the noise is to consider a social advertising budget. Allot more to your advertising budget than you normally would, as all businesses will also run advertising during the season. Think about this as a classic case of supply and demand. Social ads are billed on either a pay-per-view or pay-per-click plan. Since most businesses will run ads during this time, and space for these ads is limited, competition for space is higher than normal. Thus, ads are more expensive. Make sure your budget aligns with the views or clicks in your marketing plan goals.

Make It Fun

Marketing messages should always either be entertaining or educational. Create fun and engaging content your audience will want to share. Simply promoting your 20% off deal will lead viewers to make a mental note and continue on with their day. Alternatively, creating a hilarious video about your sale will encourage viewers to share it with others. This, in turn, does some of the work for you by driving extra viewership to your content.

Have Fun Yourself

The holidays are stressful enough. Don’t allow your marketing campaign to contribute to it. Remember that marketing is FUN, and in most cases you are promoting holiday FUN. Enjoy it. Get creative. Tis the season.