Holiday Marketing: Why Start Early + Some Last-Minute Marketing Ideas

So, we’ve arrived at one of the most wonderful times of the year – The Holiday Season! If you are a business owner, this period is pivotal for you to increase sales, strengthen brand loyalty, and engage with customers. Nevertheless, to make the most of this time for your business, you need to do your online holiday marketing right.

When it comes to holiday marketing, a key question is – Exactly when should you begin your online holiday marketing? 

Starting your holiday marketing at the right time can have a substantial impact on your sales and revenues.

When to Commence Your Online Holiday Marketing

It seems like people start planning and shopping for the holidays earlier and earlier each year. It has been reported that 28% of people started their holiday shopping even before Labor Day this year. 

Starting holiday marketing plans early has many benefits. It gives you more time to brainstorm creative ideas. You can develop campaigns carefully and with more thought. Early planning also helps your team coordinate across different departments. All of this ensures you can make the most of the holiday shopping season.

Your online holiday marketing plan may vary according to your specific situation, but the following is an example timeline you may consider:

June – July: Start strategy sessions and create goals.

August – September: Craft content, design campaign creatives, and plan promotions.

October: Launch early promotions and teaser campaigns.

November – December: Launch main campaigns and actively engage with customers.

This timeline will naturally vary depending on your product and service offerings. For instance, businesses in the fashion or gifting industry might begin planning even earlier to ensure inventory and logistics align with peak demand. 

In contrast, electronics and technology companies often take a different approach. They may roll out their campaigns gradually, starting with pre-holiday product launches in October. As Black Friday and Cyber Monday approach, they ramp up efforts for maximum impact.

These brands typically use teaser campaigns early on to build anticipation. Closer to the holidays, they introduce aggressive discounts, drawing in tech-savvy shoppers eager for great deals.

Advantages of Early Holiday Marketing

• Capture early shoppers
• Create brand awareness ahead of your competitors
• Harness extended sales periods

Challenges of Delayed Holiday Marketing

• Higher competition
• Increased advertising costs
• Missed customer engagement and sales opportunities

Effective Strategies for Early Holiday Marketing

To reap the maximum benefits of starting your online holiday marketing early, it’s crucial to apply strategies that engage your audience effectively and inspire them to act. 

Use Early Bird Promotions

Encourage early shoppers with exclusive discounts and special deals. Early bird promotions are a great way to motivate customers to shop sooner. This not only spreads out sales but also helps manage demand more efficiently.

By rewarding early purchases, you can reduce last-minute rushes and create a smoother shopping experience for everyone.

Launch Teaser Campaigns

Create a buzz with sneak peeks of your promotions or upcoming products. You can build anticipation with teaser campaigns as well as make your customers and prospects remain mindful of your brand. 

Generate a Sense of Urgency

Craft your marketing messages such that they emit a sense of urgency that encourages immediate action. 

Use tactics like flash sales, limited-time offers, or countdown timers to prompt quick action from buyers. Phrases such as “don’t miss out,” “offer ends soon,” or “limited stock” create a sense of urgency.

These strategies encourage customers to make faster buying decisions. By leveraging urgency, you can secure sales that might otherwise be delayed or lost.

Take a Multi-Channel Approach

To reach a wider audience, use a combination of social media, digital advertising, and email marketing. Through a multi-channel strategy, you can maximize your reach and make your customers and prospects think actively about your brand through persistent messaging. 

Perform Early Holiday Marketing Without Overwhelming Your Customers

Although there are many advantages to starting your online holiday marketing early, it needs to be conducted in a balanced way so that your audience doesn’t get overwhelmed. Here are some ways you can do so:

Avoid Ad Fatigue

Showing the same advertisement repeatedly to your consumers or overloading them with a large number of promotions can result in ad fatigue. 

It’s essential to strategically place your content, ensuring that you have a variety of advertisements, where every message generates interest and adds value. 

Craft Personalized Content

Create tailored marketing messages for different audience segments. Use your ad targeting and customer information to focus your marketing messaging on particular customer profiles and segments. Personalized content connects better with the audience, increasing conversion rates and engagement. 

Concentrate on Engagement Over Promotion

Rather than striving solely for sales, prioritize building relationships. Every business will make sales, but interactive content such as content campaigns generated by users, community events, and holiday-themed quizzes, can help you to create a stronger consumer connection with your brand as well as stand out. 

Effective Last-Minute Online Holiday Marketing Ideas

So, if you haven’t started your holiday marketing early, there’s still hope. Several smart last-minute holiday marketing tactics can bring you some good revenues if done right. Here are some of them:

Create Small Digital Campaigns

You can quickly set up small digital campaigns to drive results. Launch paid search ad campaigns to target key audiences.

Create engaging social media campaigns to connect with users on their favorite platforms. Send newsletters to your subscribers to keep them informed and interested. These actions help you reach your audience effectively and efficiently.

Merge Contact Data with Intent Data

When you are facing a time crunch, one of the most valuable things you can do is know which prospects are in the market currently for solutions similar to yours. By fusing contact data with intent data, you can shortlist people with a high potential of becoming customers. Such a data-backed approach lets you engage more effectively and intelligently with your prospects, accelerating your sales process. 

Recycle a Previous Ad Campaign

Reuse past campaigns that performed well to save time and effort. A successful campaign is likely to deliver great results again with a few updates. Adjust it to match your current products, services, or offerings, and then launch it. This strategy lets you build on proven success while staying relevant.

Summing Up

Starting your holiday marketing early can truly transform your sales potential, giving you a competitive edge during the busiest shopping season of the year. With the insights shared above, you’re equipped to plan effectively for next year’s holiday campaigns and make the most of the festive rush.

If you’re running short on time this year, don’t worry—implement the last-minute holiday marketing tips we’ve outlined and still capture valuable sales opportunities. 

We understand the holiday season can be hectic for businesses, and you may not have enough time to focus on online marketing. Fret not—we’re here to help. We have been helping small and medium businesses manage their online presence for over 19 years. With our expertise, we ensure your business not only thrives during the holiday season but continues to grow year-round. Contact us today today to boost your online presence and drive sales this holiday season and beyond!