Holiday marketing campaigns have the ability to drive more sales and increase revenue.
The time of pumpkin spice latte is over. It is time to bring out the eggnog. To mark the season of joy, celebration and happiness, holiday marketing campaigns seem to be everywhere. You are suddenly being bombarded by holiday emails, social media posts and TV ads.
Holiday campaigns are a way for businesses to cash in on the spending frenzy that seems to grip consumers during this time of the year. From the sensible to the ridiculous, gifts are the flavour of the season. And businesses try to capitalize this need for gifts to increase their revenues.
Businesses utilize well-designed holiday marketing strategies to boost their sales and strengthen their customer relations.
So, what to expect this holiday season?
Before we talk about the different holiday marketing strategies, let see what can be expected from the consumers.
The 2020 pandemic caused a sharp rise in e-commerce. A June 2021 survey by Google and Boston Consulting Group also backs this up by pointing the importance of online shopping for consumers. The same report also states that consumers are more likely to be omnichannel in 2021. Consumers would prefer more in-person experiences while shopping but they will also avail the online touchpoints.
Between in-person and digital shopping experiences, the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) forecasts increased spending and an earlier start to the 2021 holiday shopping season. As per ICSC’s Annual Holiday Shopping Intentions Survey, holiday shopping will be worth $923 billion, with the average holiday shopper planning to spend an average of $637 on gifts and other holiday-related items.
In order to capitalize on this profitable time, businesses need a well-designed holiday marketing strategy. An effective and memorable marketing strategy gives you a definite edge over your competitors. It will help you to stay on the top of the consumers’ mind.
Successful holiday marketing campaigns – key elements
Given the high stakes, most if not all brands have a holiday marketing campaign in place. And it is easy to get lost in all the noise. But some brands create great holiday marketing campaigns. These brands aim to evoke emotions among their customers while also delighting them. They promote sharing and adhere to the spirit of gifting during the holiday season.
Check out our article on the 10 best 2021 holiday marketing campaigns. As shown in our article, these campaigns are from different brands and have different shapes and sizes. But they have a few common elements that are the key behind their success. You too can take note of these key elements –
- Know your audience – Collect detailed knowledge regarding your target audience. Know your customers preferred channels for information. This will allow you to make informed decisions regarding holiday promotions.
- Audit of previous campaigns – When you audit the performance of your previous campaigns it will help you understand customer behaviour. An audit will let you gather information which in turn will help you to define the objectives of your holiday marketing strategy.
- Determine your goals – When you understand your target audience and audit your previous performance, you will be able to set up a realistic customer-focussed goal for the current holiday season.
- KPI or Key Performance Indicator – Measure your KPIs. In order to achieve a fixed percentage of growth in sales you need to define your key business KPIs. This will allow you to deliver a better holiday customer service experience.
Strategies for a successful holiday marketing campaign
1. Get an early start on your marketing campaign
Last minute shopping is a time-honoured tradition during the holiday season. But that does not mean that you as a business owner should also procrastinate. A large percentage of shoppers start their holiday shopping as early as October – November. This means your holiday marketing campaign should reach your target audience before December. So, you and your team need to start working on it by August-September.
In order to motivate the early shoppers in your target audience, send out holiday advertisements and seasonal offers early. After all, the early bird gets the worm.
2. Make your website holiday themed
One of the best holiday marketing campaigns that you can adopt is to prepare your website for holiday shoppers. When your website promotes Christmas/Hanukkah/ New Year, it enhances the user experience and results in higher level of engagement. Follow these tips to personalize your website for holiday marketing campaigns.
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- Have a fast-loading website. Slow website loading speed could lead to a 7% drop in conversions during the holiday rush.
- Project clear messages. Be crystal clear about the message you want to project through your website. In general, your message should indicate how customers can benefit by purchasing your products or services.
- Highlight festive CTAs. Utilize banners or pop-ups to announce holiday related sales. You can also use personalized greetings and messages to attract your customers attention regarding holiday deals. In order to optimize your CTAs use the right holiday themed copy and colour. This will help to get your customers in the shopping spirit and get you high transactions.
3. Reward your customers
Your holiday marketing campaign should provide loyal customers with extra benefits. Customers who have subscribed can be rewarded with early access deals which makes them feel special. These deals can include email campaigns with healthy discounts, exclusive deals for those customers who share your products on social media or refer friends to your business, mystery upselling ideas, flash deals and early bird discounts.
So, what steps can you take to reward loyal customers?
- Early access – your holiday marketing campaign should be structured in such a way, that your loyal customers have early access to exclusive holiday deals and offers.
- Start your sales early – this will help your loyal customers avoid the holiday rush.
- Make your customers happy – special treatment and a sense of exclusivity will promote loyalty among your customers.
4. Mobile marketing
On Cyber Monday ($9.2 billion in online revenue in 2019) 54% of visitors came from mobile devices, while around 33% purchases on their mobile device, up over 40% from the year before.
Your holiday marketing strategy should include a proper mobile marketing strategy. Mobile shopping is an important part of today’s lifestyle as consumers like to browse through products and order them on the move.
Your mobile app should be optimised for the holidays in order to drive sales conversions. Many giant companies like Walmart, Amazon offer a variety of mobile-only deals which are not available in the physical shops or on their websites.
5. Video marketing
Video marketing is an essential holiday marketing strategy. It is a quick, memorable and attractive way to communicate your holiday message. It promotes your brand as a whole while also highlighting the different products.
Globally, 40% of shoppers said that they purchased products that they had discovered on YouTube (Think with Google, 2018)
Use creativity to make a video highlighting the holiday theme to not only celebrate your brand but also to spread cheer throughout your holiday marketing campaign.
6. Influencers
Love them or hate them, but you cannot ignore influencers. Influencers use social channels to post about products which often go viral among their followers. This is the reason why half of the marketing budget in 17% companies is spent on influencers.
Partnering with influencers helps you to
- increase your exposure by reaching new and niche audiences,
- make space for you in the overloaded holiday marketing segment
- increase ad opportunities,
- increases your brand awareness
- increases your website traffic, drive sales
- boosts your holiday marketing RoI
7. Free gifts
Who doesn’t enjoy a freebie? Make your consumers happy by offering free gifts with their purchase. It promotes your brand name and gets your consumers into the buying mood. Free gifts make a great conversion booster grabbing as many sales as possible for you while making your consumers feel special.
Checkout the free gift with purchase page on Nordstrom.
8. Take into account late shoppers
Procrastination may be a bad trait, but in this case, it can be your friend. Many shoppers leave their holiday shopping till the last moment. Capture these shoppers by extending your holiday marketing campaign offers. You can also offer expedited shipping with a guarantee to deliver on time.
This will help you to build brand loyalty among consumers, strengthen customer relations and acquire you new customers.
9. User-generated content
When you create the messaging content for your holiday marketing campaign, include the positive experiences shared by your consumers. By doing so, you humanise your products and services and studies show that 85% of consumers find this to be more authentic.
Case in point, this Elf Yourself campaign started by Office Depot in 2006.
With 1.8 billion elves created since 2006, it has given Office Depot a valuable customer-centric content to share for a festive campaign.
Don’t forget to create holiday-specific hashtags in order to encourage customers to share their pictures, videos, or success stories.
10. Social proofs
Social proofs influence or increases the likelihood of consumers making a purchase.
Social proofs include photos, reviews, awards the product has won or stories that can instil confidence in shoppers in making a purchase.
So, you need to wisely utilize your social proofs to provide a sense of validation for your consumers who in turn will be able to make quick decisions and reduce your cart abandonment rates.
11. Don’t forget your offline channels
Online campaigns are important but do not forget the offline channels available for your holiday marketing campaign. You need to focus on advertising on offline channels like TV, radio and newspapers to grab your consumers attention.
Watch how Ikea promotes the holiday feeling of togetherness through their TV advert.
12. E-mail marketing
Puma utilizes it email marketing quite appropriately for the holiday season. The company sends in an email before Christmas day with the subject line – “Order before 2pm EST for FREE overnight shipping.” This allows consumers to directly access their website from mobiles or tablets.
Email marketing is one of the most efficient ways of direct communication with your target audience. It’s a simple message that includes all the usual elements – a couple of banners, a few links to different secondary offers, a navigational bar, and social media icons.
13. Encourage giving
Holidays are a time for sharing and giving. Promote this in your marketing campaign like Lego did.
By promoting charitable events you attract the attention of consumers who become more aware about your brand.
Conclusion – ‘tis the season to be jolly!
Holidays are the time for fun, enjoyment, sharing and being with family. This concept is eternal and should be the backbone of your holiday marketing campaign. To gain the most from this time period, offer your customers a truly personalized experience and the best deals. This time is about investing in creating an emotional bond with your customers. To make your brand more visible, keep it simple, consistent and heartfelt.
Late to the party this year? Don’t stress, contact us at support@sunnydayconsulting.com to have a proper holiday marketing campaign in place next year.
From our family to yours, Happy Holidays!
