A Procrastinator’s Guide to Holiday Marketing
Getting a Late Start on the Holiday Rush? Don’t Panic – Get Creative.
Thanksgiving is just days away, and there’s barely a month until Christmas – ready or not, the holiday rush has begun. It’s a critical time for businesses large and small, as carefully calibrated marketing strategies are put to the test. But what if you’ve let the holidays sneak up on you?
Don’t panic – all is not lost. While it’s better to plan ahead, of course, if you’re getting a late start on holiday prep, you’re not alone. Plenty of shoppers wait until the last minute, too. In fact, the Saturday before Christmas, termed “Super Saturday,” is one of the busiest shopping days on the calendar, rivaling Black Friday and Cyber Monday in terms of consumer activity.
So, even if you’re off to a late start, there’s plenty of opportunity out there. And today’s digital marketing toolkit offers a range of options for a last-minute push that can help you make the most of the holiday season, even if you haven’t planned ahead.
Let’s look at a few ideas for last-minute holiday marketing…
Play Catch-Up with SEM
Lagging behind in organic SEO? Pay-per-click advertising can be your ace in the hole. Unlike organic search optimization which is a slow-burning strategy, SEM ads have instant effect, can be targeted to specific audiences, and will ensure high placement in search results – making this a terrific strategy for a last-minute holiday campaign.
Go Live on Social Media
Looking to cut through the noise and reach busy customers this holiday? Try livestreaming. Combining the immediacy of social media with the visceral impact of video, it’s a great way to raise your profile and humanize your brand. Promote flash sales, highlight featured products, or offer a candid look at a day in the life at your company. The only limit is your imagination!
Put Together a Gift Guide
It’s not easy to find the perfect gift, especially if you’ve waited until the eleventh hour to start looking. Give your customers a hand, with a modern spin on the classic holiday gift guide. Utilize the full spectrum of marketing channels at your disposal to promote top offerings, from your website and blog, to social media accounts and email newsletter.
Promote Gift Cards
Why do consumers put off holiday shopping until the last minute? For many, it’s because they don’t know what to buy. It’s for this reason that gift cards are a top choice among last-minute shoppers year after year. So, if you offer any kind of gift card, whether physical or digital, be sure to promote it heavily in your marketing efforts.
Target Post-Holiday Shoppers
Missed out on early bird shoppers? No problem! After all, holiday spending doesn’t end on Christmas Eve. Consider an after-the-holidays sale to target shoppers looking to spend holiday cash. With a robust marketing effort that extends past the first of the year, you’ll reach these post-holiday shoppers and help to make up for your late start.
It’s not too late to get your marketing strategy into gear. Want to learn more? Contact us at Rosie’s Creative. We’ll put our heads together to devise a strategy that will set you up for success this holiday – and beyond. Want to learn more? Contact us today – your first consultation is always free!