Photo source: Wix, October 2022
I know, I know, it's not even Halloween yet! But in marketing terms, you should already have your festive plans in place... you only need to step into a supermarket or garden centre to know I'm right 😉
But if your business doesn't have a seasonal product or service and you've yet to tackle Christmas, here are a few simple ideas. Leveraged effectively, they can have longer-term, strategic benefits for your business.
1. The card
Taking the time to wish your connections, clients or customers a happy festive season is a great way to keep in touch and build relationships. Consider the format and content they'd appreciate most e.g., printed and personalised or virtual and environmentally friendly. The 'card' could be a static image, a video or a bespoke landing page. This can be a great conversation starter so be ready to arrange a coffee or call, even if that's into January or February 2023.
2. The calendar
One for the socials! Consider a '12 days of Christmas' or 'a December countdown' and post every day for consistency and visibility. Choose a theme relevant to your business and clients e.g., top tips to do ABC or useful resources to support XYZ. Or collaborate with a few other businesses/connections to share the load when developing content and maximise reach across everyone's social accounts. If one or two posts perform particularly well then you could develop these themes or topics into a masterclass or lead magnet during 2023.
3. The gift (or freebie)
There are lots of options here and it'll depend on a few factors e.g., do you want to thank your existing clients and make them feel appreciated? Or do you want to attract new business? Or build your community or email list? And how much do you want to spend? The gift could be:
a tangible product or service e.g., a product sample or a complimentary session
a discount code
a gift voucher
a lead magnet e.g., top 10 ways to do ABC
a charitable donation (as chosen by your clients, community or connections - put it to a vote on your socials)
4. The festive funny
There's never a better time in the year to bring a little humour into the office, your shop, restaurant, class or even virtually. Most of us are a bit cheerier during the festive season (unless you follow Scrooge's example!) so leverage this by e.g., putting out a few funny social media posts, maximising the silly decorations or asking your clients or community to share a funny story/photo. From a marketing perspective, the best content results tend to come from the 3Es - educate, engage or entertain. And humour straddles at least two of these!
5. The follow up
Don't waste the work you've put into activities 1-4 (or throughout the year!) Consider how you can follow up on your marketing activity. Is it setting up a meeting or call? Is it a series of emails or social media posts to give further information, support or knowledge? Can you develop your collaborations further? Remember, it's easier to get more business from existing clients than new prospects so it's worth investing in your marketing follow up. If you can spend some time thinking about this now and putting a plan in place, you're in a stronger position for 2023!
Finally, some golden rules to guide you through the festive activities:
Set a clear marketing purpose or objective for each activity
Make sure you monitor or measure the activity's success
Have fun, it's a great time of year to show a little bit more of you and your business!
If you'd like help to tackle your marketing over the festive season or develop your plans for 2023, you can book an initial call, with no obligation.