It’s that crazy time of year, and you have to start your marketing campaigns. You may be thinking “Where do I start?!” “How can I target my desired audience?!” Have no fear, there is still time to prep before the storm hits.
Getting Started
- Remember to be on time for the holidays, but not to be the first one to the party. There is no Christmas in July allowed. That’s too early for even the early birds.
- To snag the differently timed shoppers, you will want to target them more specifically. Early Birds will start to plan and shop before most, so September is ok. Be sure to handle last minute shoppers with care. “Last chance” emails can seem a bit daunting and condescending. Try instead “How to find the best gift in a hurry.” This is more inclusive to any time of the season, rather than the “too late” days that are inevitably coming.
Plan A Personalized Campaign
- Personal touches are always part of a great strategy any time of the year. Personalized greeting cards, holiday well wishes and tailored emails are more likely to be shared than a generic ad of Santa selling winter-wear.
- According to an article on com, Office Max’s “Elf Yourself” campaign created over 470 million customized videos during the holiday season between 2006 to 2011! The application offers additional small purchases to add to your Elfed up video, so it’s safe to say they did well. So give you users the tools to get involved and give them a chance at going viral this year.
Staying Human
- Remember that human emotions play a huge part in decision-making, even eclipsing the influence of more rational factors. Hit the ‘home for the holidays’ cord, or go for ‘giving back’ or even a simple ‘tis the season to be jolly’ angle! Pick an emotion and focus your campaign around it.
Spreading the Holiday Spirit
- Keep in mind that 84 percent (Nielsen Under the Influence: Consumer Trust In Advertising) of consumers trust word of mouth to the extent that it serves as the most powerful influencer of purchasing decisions. Make sure that your campaign is worth talking about, and don’t doubt the power of social media. Add buttons to your email campaigns so that your message is easy to share on their social platform of choice.