Yes, we know it’s only September but that means there’s only a couple of months until one of the busiest times of the year for many businesses. Christmas and the period leading up to it is critical for anybody who sells products or services to the public and having a solid, reliable plan of how you are going to approach this season is essential if you want to be successful. Here is Probella’s guide on how to plan for a Christmas marketing campaign.
Start Early
The earlier, the better. Many established businesses understand that this period of the year is so lucrative that they begin planning their marketing a year in advance. That means they’re planning for next year’s Christmas before they’ve even taken their decorations down. Consider how long it will take to get promotional materials made up and for things like festive themed mail chimp emails to be created. If you’re writing festive puns on December the first, unfortunately, you’ve left it a little too late. Even if you are still clinging on to the last warm days summer, September is the time to start preparing your Christmas marketing campaign if you don’t want to be left behind.
Gifts, boxsets and bundles
This time of year often presents a good opportunity to offer consumers a little more. Many retailers offer discounted packages that include multiple products as an incentive for buyers to spend a little more. Fragrances and toiletries are frequently sold in presentation boxes specifically designed to be given as gifts and this technique is also popular more niche industries such as gaming. For new titles, extended packages that include limited edition artwork, action figures or additional content frequently sell very well around the festive period. Even digital service providers can capitalise on the Christmas spirit by offering special seasonal packages that are only available throughout December. The public have come to expect a spending frenzy towards the end of November and the beginning of December, which means they are generally receptive to any suggestions that they could be saving money or getting a little extra for less than they would ordinarily pay.
Be Shameless with Your Puns
Yule love the feast of festive frivolity that comes from professional punning. It might make you groan a little, but this style of family friendly silliness is now ubiquitous with Christmas marketing. Rather than trying to do something too subtle, try to accept the spirit of the season and allow yourself and your staff to come up with some tried and tested Christmas slogans. Any businesses who work with families will do well with traditional yuletide imagery and sayings and even those who work in more serious niches can get away with a little silliness at this time of year.
As soon as Halloween ends, launch your Christmas campaign
Though you don’t necessarily have to bombard your customers with emails full of festive imagery immediately, it makes sense to announce any Christmas marketing campaigns you have as soon as Halloween has finished. Don’t be tempted to leave it too late as the competition for potential customer’s attention at this time of year intensifies, the closer we get to the big day itself. Panic wording and things like “only 6 weeks left to go” can be effective but many consumers are getting a little tired of this. It can be more effective to casually mention that now Halloween is over, you are preparing for the festive season. This subtle approach is less likely to make you seem desperate and leaves for room for you to intensify your marketing campaign throughout November and into December.
Consider a Collaboration
If you are a small business, teaming up with another organisation to capitalise on the Christmas period can be a smart move. This could involve things like guest blogging, influencers working on each other’s channels or even selling products in each other’s stores. Some of the biggest brands in the world team up to release limited edition seasonal products such as sneakers, clothes and luxury drinks, so this is a technique that has already proved to be very effective. Many craft ale producers will create limited runs of bespoke, themed beverages specifically for the winter months, usually enjoying a spike in sales as a result of doing so. Just remember to choose the people you work with carefully as an ill-conceived collaboration could harm your businesses more than it helps.
Make Sure Your Campaign is Unique
Whether you stand out because you’ve opened your first seasonal marketing email with “bah, humbug” or because you’ve found a novel way to incorporate festive cheer in to your office software package, you must make sure your campaign is individual enough to keep your customer’s attention. Obviously certain iconography and themes are inevitable but bear in mind how many tinsel flavoured campaigns customers see at this time of year. There needs to be something that sets you apart from the competition. This could be a sale, a discount for using an online store or even a gift with every purchase. Providing you are offering people something they can’t find anywhere else; you will be able to make an impression that lasts.
Avoid Going Over the Top
Too much sugar will make anybody feel sick and the same can be said for overly twee or saccharine sweet marketing campaigns. At Christmas, there’s a temptation to focus on sentimentality and emotions. This can be very effective, and many established businesses use heartfelt songs, charity campaigns and tried and test heart rending images to encourage people to spend their money. Unfortunately, when they get it wrong, the result is often a sense of toe-curling embarrassment, rather than a feeling of good will to all people. Have all your campaigns checked by multiple people and listen carefully to any feedback that is given. This way you can avoid getting lost amongst the annual schmaltz fest that Christmas marketing can often become.
