PW Media | November 9, 2022

Don’t Leave Your Holiday Marketing Strategy Stranded in the Cold

End the year merry and bright for your small business by capitalizing on the holiday season.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner and Christmas not far behind, the season of giving is at hand, which means consumers are looking for goods and services to share with those they care about. The holiday season is the most crucial season for most businesses as it averages about 19% of their revenue.


With that kind of consumer behavior, small businesses need a winter holiday marketing plan to capitalize on this powerful season and find a competitive edge over larger-scale companies.


The Importance of Winter Holiday Marketing

As shown earlier, consumer behavior trends tend to see a significant uptick in activity during the holiday season, precisely the period from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. With proper strategic planning and the right tools, holiday marketing can increase customer engagement, boost sales, and raise brand awareness.


The holiday season is a gold mine for marketing opportunities because it is consistently one of the year's largest (if not the largest) consumer events. According to the National Retail Federation, the winter holidays are second in average spend per person only to back-to-college events. This surge in demand is due to consumers not only buying for themselves but also for others.


What’s more, 84% of consumers said they plan to “shop local” or do their holiday shopping with small businesses. This creates an even bigger opportunity for small businesses to grow during the winter holidays. By reaching these shoppers with a strategic holiday marketing campaign, you can easily convert them from online window shoppers to loyal customers.


Related Article: Thanksgiving & Afterward: November Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses


The Benefits of Effective Holiday Marketing

When winter holiday marketing is done right, it can have numerous benefits for your business, aside from reaping the rewards of increased sales


  • Better engagement - Holiday marketing allows you to get creative with your marketing strategies in ways you might not typically think to try. Holidays come with many unique phrases and imagery that can only be used this time of year. You can have some fun coming up with personable and relatable content that engages consumers and converts them from leads to customers.


  • Increased sales - The winter holidays are one of the best times to launch a new product, service, or promotion. You can create products catered around a holiday theme or use the holidays to get the word out about something new you plan to offer all year round.


  • Boost brand awareness & relevancy - The holiday season provides the perfect atmosphere to build awareness for your brand. With consumers actively looking for different and unique gift ideas, this is your time to show them what you have to offer through engaging marketing campaigns and content, driving them to become consistent customers and regular members of your audience.

Madness Rushes In: Be prepared for the winter holiday crush by having a well-planned strategy that optimizes all your marketing channels for maximum visibility and year end sales.

Building a Strong Winter Holiday Marketing Strategy in 2022

When constructing your holiday marketing strategy, consider these top tips to stand out and take your business to the next level.


Take Stock of Your Inventory and Audience 

Look at your inventory of goods and services and see how you can bundle them or offer a unique promotion. Do you have any products that fit into a holiday theme? Could you add anything to your offerings? Also, consider your primary target audience and what they are looking for during this holiday season. Do your research. 


Keep Up with Social Media

Social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and your Google Business Profile (GBP) are a great way to keep your brand top of mind and engagement strong during the holiday season. Contests, giveaways, exclusive offers, FAQS, and updates on holiday hours and inventory are all things that will bring brand awareness, promote customer loyalty, and boost sales before the New Year. 


Get the Timing Right (Hint: Start Early!)

Due to inflation and economic concerns, holiday consumers are starting their shopping much earlier this year and plan to be done much more quickly. According to the 2022 Deloitte Holiday survey, the shopping duration for the holiday season is projected to last 5.8 weeks this year versus 6.4 weeks. This survey also showed that about 23% of holiday budgets will already be spent by the end of October. This means it’s time to kick holiday marketing strategies into high gear to ensure you can maximize your profits and growth this season.


Common Holiday Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

As important as winter holiday marketing is, keep in mind that there are tactics that should stay out of your arsenal as you prepare your strategy for the holiday season. 


  • Don’t limit yourself – As a small business, you may feel like you can only do some much. However, look into multiple tactics you can use to reach different customer bases. There are plenty of ways to get more consumers without breaking the bank or overexerting yourself. 
  • Don’t lag behind – Once you develop an overall strategy, set small goals throughout the campaign-building process to ensure you can launch on time with little to no hiccups. 
  • Don’t send bulk emails – Email is oversaturated with marketing content. Don’t fall into the trap of bombarding potential customers with deal after deal in their inbox. Find other unique ways to get the word out. Be purposeful with your email marketing.


Related article: 5 Common Digital Marketing Mistakes to Avoid This Holiday Season


Get Started on Your Winter Holiday Marketing Strategy Today!

As you develop your holiday marketing strategies this year, remember these tips to make it your best holiday season yet! Need additional help? PW Media is a digital marketing agency that can help you create a personalized holiday marketing plan for your business. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you take full advantage of consumer trends over the winter holidays.

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