Posted: November 2, 2020
Back in March, it may not have felt like COVID-19 would last more than a month, two tops. However, with the 2020 holiday season fast approaching, individuals and businesses alike are not only still contending with the impacts of the virus but are also trying to forecast what the near-term and long-term future looks like to plan ahead as much as possible.
With the economy still recovering, marketing and sales teams across the globe are charting uncertain waters with their holiday game plans. Just as both marketing and sales had to adapt and innovate during the Spring quarantine, that same nimbleness will divide successful holiday campaigns from their unsuccessful counterparts.
Here are the tips that Four Tens is keeping in mind this holiday season as we help our digital marketing clients during what is normally an active last couple of months of the year:
Stop Spamming People
We are huge advocates for inbound marketing (HubSpot has many informational tools about inbound marketing if you aren’t familiar). The general idea is that if you create valuable content and experiences for your products and services, you’ll attract leads that are far more likely to convert to customers than trying to target anyone and everyone.
While it should be obvious that buying contact lists to “get the word out” about your company isn’t the way to go, it’s still all too common. Building your CRM database organically takes time and can be frustratingly slow at first. But focusing on content and building an authoritative digital footprint as a subject matter expert will be more substantial. It will also lead to long-term growth far more effectively than buying contacts ever will.
If you feel like you don’t have the contacts to launch an effective email marketing campaign, why not start with a campaign on your website? You can also do a campaign through social media to have more people sign up for emails about new products and sales.
Don’t have a ton of social media followers? Use your website and email campaigns to offer incentives if people follow you on your designated social media channels.
Make It Easy for Leads to Find Your Product/Service
With 63% of shoppers looking for gift ideas and specific products online (Source: Oberlo) before they make the trip to the store, getting your business to show up where customers are searching is the main goal of your holiday marketing strategy. Heck, it should be your marketing strategy all year!
Customers during the holidays are often looking for holiday specific products or gift sets. Offering a product/service specifically for November and December and using holiday appropriate SEO is an important step in being found online. Terms like “holiday gift set” or “limited edition holiday” in the titles of your products/services are a great place to start.
Getting content like case studies, testimonials, and customer produced content on to your website and social media channels helps with word of mouth and influencer marketing. If you have the capabilities, working with micro influencers during the holiday season is another awesome way to find leads that align with your buyer persona.
It's a Fine Line Regarding Empathy and Seasonal Frivolity
Marketers and salespeople will need to be intentionally cautious this year regarding the effects of COVID-19. While the holidays are normally a time to be joyful and grateful, know that there may be some leads and customers who have been greatly impacted by a wide variety of predicaments this year.
We recommend focusing on gratitude as a theme for your marketing and sales pitches. Campaigns can highlight the ways that people show gratitude for their friends, family, and loved ones during difficult times (aka most of this year).
Every business has their own brand style and tone, so whatever direction you decide to go in with regard to your holiday marketing, stay on brand but keep in mind that this year is not like any other year before it.
Capture Both Early Shoppers and Late Shoppers
Did you know that 40% of shoppers begin their holiday shopping before Halloween? How about that 75% of consumers search their inbox for deals and coupon codes before making a purchase? (Source: LocalIQ)
Both facts highlight the need for a strong email marketing strategy regarding your holiday campaigns. Your strategy should also start early, as early as last month. But don’t stress if you’re only thinking about the holidays now—it's time to get moving!
Essentially, your marketing holiday strategy should encompass October through the beginning of January. That keeps your products/services front and center for early shoppers (those pre-Halloween people), through the average shopping holidays (Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday), and into the end of December for people needing last minute gifts for Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, among other global winter holidays
Implementing a Plan
The best thing that you can do for your holiday marketing strategy is to create a thorough and timely content strategy in advance. November is a great time to implement a strategy, and a little bit late to be creating one. If you fall into the former category, set a reminder next year to get started earlier!
Ensure that you have content across all necessary channels, from blogs to email to social media, and that you’ve considered any important dates (holidays, shipping deadlines, etc.). If you use software like HubSpot, Salesforce, or ActiveCampaign, work on the necessary workflows and elements in advance so that they are ready to launch on time.
Getting Started
Brainstorming with your marketing team or having a solo session if you are the only marketer for your office will help create a marketing plan for the holidays. But start early so that you can start implementing your sales and marketing tactics for as much of the holiday shopping season as possible.
If you are completely overwhelmed and don’t think you can take on one more thing this holiday season, Four Tens is here to help! We offer custom solutions whether you need one aspect of your marketing taken off your plate to being your full marketing department. Get in contact with our digital marketing experts today to learn more.