The holidays are typically the the busiest time of year for consumers. You should start planning out your marketing today, so you are the first business customers think of when they start shopping this year.
The holiday season is the perfect time of the year to bring in new business. People are already in the shopping mode and are likely to be more receptive to your marketing as they are looking to make purchases. The holidays are a busy (not to mention stressful) time of year, so if your business is one that saves people time or adds convenience, the holidays are tailor-made for you, but any business can make it work by preparing and planning early.
Here are some key things you should do now, to prepare your business for the holidays and stand out from the competition.
1. Make a Creative Marketing Strategy
A key to a successful holiday marketing strategy is creating a marketing plan that is clear, concise, and creative. Radio, for example, is a great way to get creative with your marketing in a memorable and impactful way. Consider working with your radio media partner to create a specific jingle for your holiday sale or promotion. Start now to maximize your holiday radio marketing efforts and plan a cohesive multiple-channel strategy. Not only will you want to make sure the creative is strategic and effective, plan integrations with your radio campaign to tie in with your digital and social media channels.
2. Create Promotions and Sales
Successful holiday business planning typically entails promotions, sales, and special offers. Holiday promotions have come to be expected by the modern consumer, and can be incredibly effective in attracting new customers. Right now, think about whether or not you have anything planned in terms of holiday promotions or sales. There are many opportunities for sales themes, like Black Friday, 12 Days of Christmas, New Year’s Preparation, and more. Sales and promotions you run throughout the holidays are also great to work in with your ad creative, making your holiday radio ads seem enticing as these holidays are already on consumer’s minds. Also, identify and analyze what are your hot sellers, so you can leverage that information when deciding what to promote throughout the holidays. Finally, don’t forget to communicate your promotions and sales details with your employees. Inform them on what you’re doing, so they don’t get caught off guard with change in prices or promotional messaging.
2. Utilize SEO and Content Marketing
It’s no secret, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Content Marketing are year-round marketing endeavors for most businesses. Review things like your prior year’s blog traffic, SEO rankings, and digital ad campaign results as well as what these results and analytics provided last holiday season. You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner and Moz to see what’s been working, what hasn’t, and help you plan a holiday-specific strategy that will give you the greatest chance at generating more web traffic. If you want to succeed in search and traffic during the holiday, learn from past SEO and content mistakes, and utilize this feedback in your holiday marketing efforts.
3. Audit Your Website Functionality
If your marketing efforts are effective during the holidays, you’ll see lift in website traffic (hopefully it’s a spike). Ensure that everything on your website is functioning properly, and test to ensure that it will still perform during potentially high levels of traffic. Your website is often where other marketing channels drive the consumer to, so it’s a critical part of your holiday marketing plan. You radio ads, for example, will likely encourage consumers to visit your website to look at your promotions, or take some other call to action often landing on your website. If you’re a business focused on e-commerce, keep in mind that more holiday shoppers move online year after year, so it’s critical that your site is running efficiently and provides the information the consumer seeks.
4. Embrace the Holiday Spirit at Work
We all know that the holidays are synonymous with cheer, and this should be no exception at your business. Take extra steps to get you and your employees into a festive mood. Your customers are looking for cheerful service, so make sure your staff is giving off an extra friendly vibe. Add those little touches that make a difference, like holiday decor and music. While you’re embracing the holiday spirit, ensure that your ad messaging is consistent with the consumer’s in-store experience. Your service should reflect your overall brand message and values.
The holiday season can (and should) be a big hit for your business. By taking the steps we’ve outlined above today, you can prepare a plan for your business stand out from the competition with unique and memorable holiday marketing.
