Chances are, if you have been to any store recently you have seen Thanksgiving, or maybe even Christmas decorations for sale. On top of that, nothing gets you in the holiday spirit faster than a Pumpkin Spice Latte, which Starbucks starting brewing on September 6th!
There is no doubt about it (and no denying it): the holiday season is upon us. To help you jump-start your holiday marketing plan, we’ve put together a list (and checked it twice, of course) of things you can do to be ready.
1. Learn from last year. Taking a look at what you did last year, and the results you saw, is a great way to start planning for this year. It allows you to see where you did really well, and where there is room for improvement. With that in mind, make a plan of action on how you will do more of what worked and take advantage of areas of opportunity.
One area ripe for testing and tweaking is the type of mailer that you send. Maybe you want to use Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) one time and a targeted mailing list the next. Maybe you want to change up your usual small postcard routine and send out a larger format postcard, followed by a letter or booklet.
2. Plan the timing. When did your holiday season start last year? When did it peak? Were there any lulls? Plan your marketing strategy around those ebbs and flows. For example, if you had a lull between Halloween and Thanksgiving, send an extra mailer out around that time to entice your customers to come in. Coupons are always a great incentive!
3. Get started early. With Click2Mail, you can plan your mailings up to 120 days in advance, so there’s nothing stopping you from getting a head start. Especially around the holidays, when everyone is advertising, staying ahead of the curve is a huge advantage. Another great way to increase your holiday business is to participate in a Small Business Saturday (November 28th) initiative. Start looking into that now; check to see if there is a local merchant association that you could co-market with on a mail piece.
4. Make sure your mailing lists are up-to-date. If you have an in-house mailing list make sure it is up-to-date with correct names and addresses. If you purchase a mailing list, revisit your selection criteria to ensure that your list still matches your target audience.
5. Plan your execution – Once you have a strategy for how you will market, when, what, and to whom, create a calendar that maps out your plan.
With these 5 tips and a head start, marketing this holiday season doesn’t have to be stressful. Visit https://click2mail.com/contact-us-support to request a free Holiday Marketing Plan 2015 guide template and to get additional tips and tricks as the season progresses, subscribe to our monthly Click2Mail newsletter.
