10 quick marketing ideas to get your business ready for Christmas
It may only be mid-October right now, but Christmas is snapping at our heels. So here are 10 quick marketing ideas to help you get ready for the festive season!
For some business, Christmas is their biggest season, while other can actually see a slump in sales. But whether you sell Christmas-related products or services or not, there are plenty of ways you can make the most of the festivities.
To help give your Christmas a holiday boost, Nicole Martin from Pinpoint Marketing has put together some of her top tips on marketing campaigns and ideas to think about to help boost your sales for the year end.
Start a conversation with your customers
Good marketing encourages two way communication. The buzz word is to engage with customers and get them involved with your marketing. Invite questions, talk to them and not at them and understand their needs and pain points – after all, marketing is simply about supply and demand.
Customers have more choice than ever in terms of who they use to supply them with goods and services, so it’s nice to recognise customer loyalty and to make sure we say thank you. As I tell my children constantly, always remember your manners.
So don’t be a scrooge or a Christmas avoider. Get involved in the festivities! As Roy L Smith said: “He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.”
10 quick marketing ideas to get your business ready for Christmas
If you’re stuck for marketing ideas to get your business into the Christmas spirit, here are 10 quick suggestions for you.
- Send cards – send Christmas cards and keep in touch. These can be paper based through the post or ecards on line. Printed cards can be purchased in shops or pay that little bit more and get these personalised and branded by a professional printer. Remember the last posting dates. Or you can send free e-cards.
- Send gifts* – send Season’s Greetings style gifts such as chocolates or biscuits or wine. Or perhaps vouchers for local stores or for online shopping. If you know your customers well, go that extra mile with thoughtful and bespoke gifts like spa days or golf days?
- Deliver gifts by hand – these gifts can be delivered or you can deliver them by hand. Add that personal touch and give yourself an excuse to catch up and network too.
- Donate to charity – another alternative as a Christmas gift which is becoming more and more popular, and something I have done, is to make a donation or donations to charities on a customer’s behalf to say thank you. If you know they have a vested interest in a certain charity then this can be a nice touch. I did this for the Hospice Lottery. Customers liked this gesture based on the feedback they gave.
- Organise a Christmas event – arrange an event like a coffee morning or evening drinks reception or a buffet/meal to get customers together to say thank you. This can also be a great opportunity for you and for them to network and make new contacts and friendships. After all, it is the season to eat, drink and be merry.
- Invite them to your party – invite customers or suppliers to your company Christmas party if you are having one and if this is appropriate. Some events are created for companies and groups to join in to make larger parties so this could be an option if your numbers are large. Lunch times or evenings are options too. Remember to plan and invite well in advance though to make sure everyone has the date in their diaries as December gets very booked up.
- Do a Christmas newsletter – if you send a monthly newsletter, make the December issue more fun based than usual with Christmas jokes and facts and fun trivia. Remember not to say anything controversial or too sarcastic! Also bear in mind the varying religions that customers may follow.
- Plan festive social media posts – Christmas jokes and images/pictures can be also be used to form the basis of your social media posts, blogs, networking minutes and more. Again, tread carefully so as not to offend.
- Give discounts – why not consider offering packages or product bundles or even monetary discounts for purchases made over the festive period? Spread the Christmas joy with offers and call it a thank you gift for your customers.
- Broadcast holiday dates – include Christmas related information such as festive closing times, or last ordering dates in your November and December social media posts too.
* A quick word of caution! If your customers work in a heavily regulated industry like finance or pharmaceutical, then check with them before hand before presenting any gifts because some customers are not able to receive gifts as this can be seen as bribery or inappropriate.
Pinpoint Marketing offers packages covering planning, email marketing and social media. Find out how they can help.
