The Art of Creating an Authentic Holiday Marketing Strategy

The winter brings with it a chill in the air and a rush of festive joy, but it’s also the season to think clearly about your holiday marketing strategy. Especially with a world more online than ever before, now is the time to get your digital marketing strategy ready for both early holiday shoppers and last-minute laggers. If you’d like to develop a marketing strategy that takes advantage of the season and all it can offer your brand, read on and learn about the best ways to do it in 2020.

Think with the Holiday Spirit in Mind

The holidays are often full of cheer, well wishes, and feelings of togetherness, but it can also stress consumers out in regards to gifts, travel plans, and organizing family get-togethers – especially in the midst of a global pandemic. Focus on what people need right now more than anything else: peace of mind. Before you create or deliver any sort of content, consider if it’s the right message for right now. Will this benefit the customer, and if so, how? Could more people utilize your product at a time like the holidays, and how could it bring a sense of joy and peace of mind to the upcoming months?

In alignment with keeping the consumer’s wellbeing in mind, embed gratitude into your marketing campaigns. Money is tight for consumers everywhere, so they’re going to enter the holiday season with more thoughtful consideration of how and where they’ll spend. Stay on their mind by saying “thanks” through heartfelt email campaigns, notes to past loyal buyers, or launch a social media campaign that highlights consumers using your products and finding the joy that it brings.

Similarly, you can show your gratitude by encouraging free rewards such as free shipping on products, discounts for loyal members, or a free item with a purchase of $50 or more. Most consumers are buying gifts for their loved ones, but this allows them to treat themselves to a little something and remember that your brand was the one to encourage it! 

Engage Meaningfully with Customers 

Many of us are still working from home as our kids learn remotely. But through it all, the only thing we’ll likely see more than our loved ones is our email inbox. With that in mind, consumers are also very aware that the holidays are when they’re going to receive offers, promotions, and deals from their favorite brands in their inboxes, so they’re paying more attention than ever. Grab your subscribers’ attention with thoughtful newsletters, interesting and unique holiday promotions, and fun reminders that your organization is offering free gifts this season!

In addition to email, 2020 has illuminated for our industry just how important discussion on our social media platforms can be to the success of our enterprises. Through your company’s blog, website, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook, consumers are seeking out the human side of their favorite brands. This is especially true in 2020, as consumers are being hyper-aware of the mission and message of the brands they’ve been loyal to. See this is an opportunity to engage and reach a continued but expanding audience. Something as simple as asking what they’re excited about this holiday season or to share a favorite family recipe could engage consumers genuinely. It can also offer an opportunity for your team to respond to messages in a personalized way, adding both authenticity and community to your brand’s image. 

Be #Grateful for Social Media Platforms

With the world more online than ever, social media usage has reached record numbers. Are you utilizing all that it has to offer? Hashtags, for instance, aren’t going away anytime soon. They’re an easy and intelligent way to spread the word about your sales, promotions, and holiday initiatives this year. Used deliberately, hashtags on Instagram and Twitter (not so much Facebook) can encourage user-generated content for shoppers to interact directly with your brand after purchasing your product or mentioning your service. They’re also a quick and easy way to get consumers aware of your brand in a new and succinct way. Do your research, see what’s buzzing in your industry this holiday season, and start hashtagging like you’ve never hashtagged before! 

Also, did you know that 90 percent of social media users say that video helps them make a purchase decision? Are you doing enough to create high-quality video content for your brand, product, or service? Easy to digest, videos are the most user-friendly way to tell your brand’s story in a way that is authentic and captivating. 

Digital marketing has an array of components, and what’s mentioned above is just the beginning. It’s not easy to know what the best next steps are to keep a business’ social media thriving during the holiday season, but that’s why it’s good to turn to the experts. Bring your digital marketing strategy to the next level by outsourcing to the experts, and let Influence Digital Solutions help your business today!