As a small business, you can easily become lost in the day-to-day operations. The holiday season approaches quickly and if you don’t have a set marketing plan in place, your promotions can get overlooked in the sea of holiday deals. With so many promotions, it can be difficult staying top of mind with clientele, so if you’re one of those businesses who is coming up for air and realizing that you forgot to market for the holidays, don’t panic! Here’s how you can tailor your marketing and provide solutions during this hectic time of year.
- Host a holiday event.
The holidays and new year are a fun time and everyone likes to fill their calendars with great events. Throw a small event that doesn’t require much planning and allows you to showcase your products/services. From sip and shops to holiday parties, the options are limitless. Invite your clientele, ask them to bring a friend, and offer incentives to purchase. You can include raffles for products and free giveaways. Whatever you choose, this is an easy way to become an integral part of your clients’ holiday calendar.
- Optimize your Google “My Business” listing.
Many changes come with the holidays, such as business hours and current specials, which is why it’s essential to keep your Google My Business listing up to date so you don’t miss any business by listing the wrong holiday hours or contact information. A great new feature is Google Posts, which allows businesses to create content directly on Google that features general information, upcoming events or special offers. Be sure to add a call to action that clearly communicates the step you want your customers to take.
- Send cheer.
Nobody wants to be forgotten during the holiday season, especially your customers that keep your business moving forward. Stay top of mind by sending holiday cards or small gifts that uniquely showcase your business. If you don’t have time to package and mail items out, send a holiday email blast to let your customers know you’re wishing them well during this time. You can even include specials and discounts to get shoppers in-store.
- Create helpful content.
Become an authoritative and reliable source of information for your customers by writing and publishing gift guides on your website. Include guides for gift ideas that most consumers struggle with, such as gifts for dad, gifts for in-laws, or gifts for your niece/nephew. If writing is not your strong suit, create fun videos showcasing your products or describing your services. Video consumption is way up. According to Wordstream, video marketers grow revenue 49 percent faster than non-video users. To create a simple video, use your smartphone and a free editing app such as Quik. These guides won’t directly drive sales, but they’ll help to gain your customers’ trust and ensure that they see you as a useful source when spending.
- Utilize digital ads.
Facebook and Instagram are great advertising platforms that are easy to set up and affordable for small businesses. Here you can set ads to a daily spend amount and sit back while these platforms do the work for you. Tailor your ads by including photos, content and gifs that highlight the holiday season.
Following these tips will help you become a key player in holiday marketing and set you up for success entering the new year. Have fun, be creative, and remember that you can always improve next year by planning ahead and staying customer focused.
Shauntae Joseph is a digital marketer at Search Influence, a national digital marketing agency dedicated to helping businesses optimize their potential. In her years of digital marketing, she's acquired SEO, Social, SEM, and integrated digital campaign experience on accounts ranging from small businesses to regional and national businesses.
