Holiday Marketing Campaign Tips & Tools

Brands (and marketers) should constantly be integrating the ABCs of holiday marketing into their overall campaigns and engagement strategies - Always Be Celebrating (or Always Be Capitalizing "on trending opportunities).

After doing some research, it is very clear that brands operating in all different industries and verticals have a plethora of opportunities to further engage their customers and prospective customers when it comes to the many seasonal trends, national month's of observation, traditional holidays and those not-so-traditional days of celebration. When it comes to "holiday" marketing, there's much more beyond that big December push.

Does your company manufacture eye apparel? August is national eye exam month. Operate a restaurant or in the health & wellness industry? May is national salad month. Oh, and just in case you're wondering what to do with all those fruitcakes you get around the Christmas holiday (do people still give those???), January 3rd is Fruitcake Toss Day. Really...I am not making this stuff up. Everyday, month, season, there is a reason to celebrate and the brands that are always celebrating (at least when it makes sense to your audience and their interests) are the brands that leverage more engagement and use these opportunities to boost sales. Take a look at this bizarre and not-so-bizarre holiday calendar listing.

Brands need to start thinking about the ways that they can capitalize on the traditional and not-so-traditional holidays and calendar trends when putting together their overall yearly marketing campaigns and strategies. Now, you don't have to try to attach your brand to every single crazy celebration (i.e. Repeat Day and Ex-Spouse Day), but really review the calendar of seasonal trends and holidays and see what makes sense for your target audiences - what interests do they have and how can your brand offer them something unique by attaching itself to these opportunities?

For example...

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo plays off of the back to school craze in its marketing campaigns to promote their savings and checking accounts for college students. Take a look at the creative content they designed for their Pinterest board. Many brands can capitalize on the back-to-school push and for good reason...see why.

Many brands go pink during Breast Cancer Awareness Month...would this make sense for your brand? Maybe there is another cause that would be more relevant for your audience.

How do you engage with your customers around Halloween? Here are some fun ways brands TREAT their customers around all Hallows' Eve.

Tips to consider when it comes to holiday marketing:

Understand Your Customers: This should always come first. What are their wants, desires and interests? What trends are they following and how can you incorporate these into any and all marketing campaigns - holiday campaigns included.
Plan Ahead: Incorporate opportunities into your overall yearly marketing plans and calendar out deliverables needed so that you are not running crazy right before said holiday.
Brand Alignment: Make sure that your holiday campaign efforts align with your overall brand identity and purpose. Jumping on an opportunity just to get in the game can hurt rather than enhance your brand. What messages, assets and experiences have you been continuously delivering to consumers and and how can you build upon those around certain holidays?
Consider Delivery & Device: Think about how you want to deliver the message or creative you want to share and make sure you deliver those assets via the appropriate media for your audience. Is it email? Video? Spicing up the creative on your website? Digital ads? Also make sure to test and consider how your message and/or creative appears on mobile. Mobile is huge these days so make sure you are delivering an ideal mobile experience for users.
Think Share-ability. People like to share. If you think your creative, outside-the-box holiday campaign has the power to spread like wildfire, you best make sure that it can. Incorporate social sharing functionality into any and all campaigns and hey, it doesn't hurt to ask your fans to share...a simple ask can make a huge difference.

Looking for some more tips when it comes to holiday marketing? This email marketing calendar from Salesforce is a great place to get started.

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