The Dos and Don’ts of Christmas Marketing
The countdown to Christmas is well and truly on – Christmas lights and decorations are up, festive songs are playing on the radio – so now is the time to spread the Christmas cheer through your marketing.
To help you get started, here are some key dos and don’ts to keep in mind when planning your Christmas marketing campaigns:
The Dos of Christmas Marketing
Embrace the Festive Spirit
Get into the festive spirit! Your marketing should reflect warmth and joy. It’s a great opportunity to bring people together and boost your loyal community. Showcase how your services can benefit your customers. You may even want to support a local good cause and share an extra dose of positivity.
Be Creative
The festive season is saturated with messages, so make yours attention grabbing and memorable!
Stand out from your competitors with creative advertising, captivating social media and engaging email marketing campaigns.
Get Ahead
Launch your campaigns well before the festive rush. You’ll have a better chance of engaging your customers than if you bombard them at the last minute. Plus, the future (much less stressed) you, will definitely thank you for it!
Personalisation
Generic messages have a habit of quickly ending up in people’s deleted box, or being completely ignored. Make the most of customer data to tailor your marketing messages and make your valued customers feel special over the festive period. Personalised discounts and offers always go down well!
Engage with Your Community
Keep your customers engaged with your brand through exclusive online events, competitions or giveaways. It’s a great way to create buzz and build loyal followers.
The Don’ts of Christmas Marketing
Overwhelm with Sales Pitches
Pushing hard sales isn’t really in the Christmas spirit. Go for a softer marketing approach and focus on how your products and services can genuinely benefit your customers. Think about your visuals, using festive colours and images to enhance the festive experience.
Ignore Cultural Sensitivities
It’s important to be inclusive and considerate in your messaging to make sure you don’t alienate any customers. Look to include other religious celebrations in your marketing plan for next year and celebrate diversity and inclusivity.
Neglect Your Online Experience
UK shoppers are expected to spend £24.1bn online (from 1st November to 31st December) a rise of 2.7% from last year, Reuters reports. So you must guarantee your website is up to the job! Make sure it is user and mobile friendly, optimising it for the best shopping experience.
Forget Post-Christmas Opportunities
Lots of people will be exchanging gift cards and cash this Christmas. Remember to promote gift card sales in the lead up to Christmas. They are a great alternative to presents, as the lucky recipient can choose whatever they wish.
Don’t forget to plan post-Christmas campaigns to capture those looking to spend their cash and redeem their gift cards.
Overpromise and Under-deliver
Don’t fall at the last hurdle by overpromising and under-delivering. Set realistic expectations about your services and delivery capabilities to maintain customer satisfaction and trust.
We hope this blog has given you lots of top marketing tips ready for the busy festive season. If you need some extra support, our team is always happy to help!
For a free virtual marketing ideas session with marketing experts, call us on 01962 600 147 or email info@tlc-business.co.uk
