Though you may still be rifling through your leftover Halloween candy, the consumer world is in full swing in anticipation of winter holidays on the way. Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year’s—it’s all happening in the span of the next eight weeks, and as a marketer, it’s time to formulate your plan of attack. The holiday season is prime time for capturing new leads, and instilling brand confidence in existing ones. Here’s an outline for your next eight weeks of holiday digital marketing.
Week 1 (Nov. 12): If you haven’t already, it’s time to start talking about the holiday season in your messaging. If you’re one of those people who thinks Christmas music is off limits until after Thanksgiving, that’s fine; however, don’t ignore it in your marketing plan! It’s the last full week before Thanksgiving, so find a way to make concepts like Thanksgiving prep, travel, family gatherings and even Thanksgiving week football connect to your brand messaging.
Week 2 (Nov. 19): Turkey Day is three days away! Now’s the time to ramp up what you did in week one, as well as find ways for you as a brand nto express thanks and talk about what you are grateful for (i.e., your customers). Here are several ways you can thank your customers this Thanksgiving via various marketing mediums. Don’t forget to plan a Thanksgiving post for the big day. Thanksgiving isn’t the only excitement for the week, however. Depending on your brand, Black Friday may be your biggest day of the year. If you are having specials for the occasion, let customers know throughout the week what they can expect—and be sure to share any irregular hours that you will be open.
Week 3 (Nov. 26): Ah, the post-Thanksgiving lull. Time to relax, right? No way! Thanksgiving comes early this year, so having a full week of November after the fact may lead you to dismiss December holidays until December 1. In reality, this extra week just means more opportunity for you to hone in on your holiday messaging. Start spelling out your December specials now so people can prepare. If specials don’t fit your brand, then you can still join the holiday festivities. Start a countdown to the holidays, or host giveaways using holiday trivia. And don’t forget Hanukah—it starts Dec. 2 and ends Dec. 10.
Week 4 (Dec. 3): Now that you’ve flipped your calendars to December, the end of the year is in sight. Not only should you be full-on theming your messaging around the holidays, but also, think about any end-of-the-year promotions you may be running. If your product is of the gift-giving type, now’s a good time to remind people when the last day to order is for gifts to arrive in time. Also, if you haven’t decorated, now’s the time—and we don’t just mean in brick-and-mortar stores. Adjust your digital assets like your social media profile and cover photos to reflect the holiday season.
Week 5 (Dec. 10): There are two weeks to go until Christmas Eve, so remind your followers that preparation time is precious. Whether you’re selling a product that could appear under the Christmas tree or you’re simply giving helpful advice, ideas for messaging could include offering tips for holiday shopping, gift wrapping and even travel. If you really want to go the extra mile, put together a gift guide to share on your social media accounts. Now’s also a good time to remind people that gift certificates to (Insert Your Business Name Here) make for excellent last-minute gifts.
Week 6 (Dec. 17): The way the calendar falls this year, this will likely be the last full week most people are working before the Christmas holiday. That being said, if you’re a b2b brand, make sure you have everything you need from your clients to get you both through the in-between time. Oh yeah, and did we mention that there is one week left until Christmas?! That may not seem like much time, but it’s still plenty of opportunity to hit your followers with a helping of holiday digital marketing cheer. Schedule it out ahead of time so that you’re not having to work up until the last minute. For your Christmas Day posts, it’s OK to get a little more personal. Share some of your staff’s favorite Christmas traditions or memories, or simply express the way the day makes you feel. Your brand followers will appreciate learning more about the faces behind the brand, and what better time to do that than the holidays?
Week 7 (Dec. 24): ‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the digital marketing realm…OK, we’ll stop there. But hopefully, if you took our advice of scheduling social posts and blogs ahead of time, now you can relax! As the week goes on, however, there’s new holiday digital marketing fodder to consume: Kwanzaa (starting Dec. 26) New Year’s Eve, and the concept of an impending new year in general. As 2018 comes to a close, it’s a time for reflection—meaning posts sharing your “Best Blogs of 2018” or “Best Memories of 2018” are appropriate.
Week 8 (Dec. 31): That’s a wrap for 2018. Let your brand followers know what you as a business are looking forward to in the New Year! And don’t forget to plan a “Happy New Year” post at midnight.
See, holiday digital marketing doesn’t have to be overwhelming! If you feel that way though, the McNutt & Partners team can help. Fill out our contact form to get in touch with us about your marketing needs today—before the chaos of the holidays ensues.
