Christmas provides the ideal opportunity to connect with customers, strengthen brand awareness, and align your brand with the festive spirit. Over 2 billion people worldwide celebrate Christmas and consider it the most important holiday of the year. In this season of giving, we present an early gift – a compilation of the finest Christmas marketing ideas. Elevate your Christmas marketing strategy and create an unforgettable holiday season for your brand.
EYE OPENING CHRISTMAS STATS!
This holiday season, Christmas shoppers are expected to spend about $910 billion online. (ZDNet)
E-commerce holiday sales projected to grow between 10.3% to 12.8%, compared to 2022 season. (Deloitte)
85% of this year’s holiday shoppers will buy their gifts online, while 74% will be shopping both online and in stores. (NPD)
NRF Says 2021 Holiday Sales Grew 14.1 Percent to Record $886.7 Billion. (NRF)
53.2% of Americans get Christmas gifts for themselves as well. (RetailDive)
Christmas Marketing Ideas for Small Business
Explore these festive Christmas marketing ideas tailored for small businesses, offering a delightful blend of seasonal joy and increased sales. Read on to discover creative ways to connect with your audience during this magical time of year!
1. Define your goals & plan toward them
Setting goals is crucial for progress, growth, and success. Without well-defined goals, your brand may struggle to boost sales during the holiday period, rendering your ecommerce marketing ideas ineffective.
Create S.M.A.R.T goals.
S.M.A.R.T is an acronym representing specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based objectives. Here’s an example illustrating the concept:
Original Goal: More sales
S.M.A.R.T Goal: Increase overall gross profits between October & December 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.
Having the goal of increasing sales is excellent, but the crucial question is: how do you plan to achieve that?
One approach could involve boosting your conversion rate. Another strategy might be to elevate your social media activity or collaborate with an influencer. Whichever method you choose to reach your goals, it’s essential to ensure that it aligns with and supports your S.M.A.R.T goals.
2. Customise your packaging
We all recognize the significance of personalized gift packaging for your brand.
Packaging is the sole element that directly reaches 100% of your customers and marks the initial step in crafting a memorable unboxing experience.
During the Christmas season, employing distinctive packaging for your products adds an element of luxury and sophistication. When paired with a Christmas edition product, it can create a sense of exclusivity around your offering.
Furthermore, Christmas-themed packaging provides added convenience for your customers. Holiday-themed mailing boxes or packaging bags eliminate the need for additional wrapping, contributing to a more efficient and eco-friendly solution. This approach also aids in reducing the surge in packaging waste typically observed during this time of the year.
3. Place stocking fillers & impulse buys strategically
The majority of your sales during the holiday period are likely to involve customers purchasing gifts for others. Considering that individuals often have more than just one person on their gift list, and the prevalent trend of online Christmas shopping for its convenience, the significance of your “stocking filler” products becomes even more pronounced.
Contemplate strategically positioning budget-friendly products in sections of your website where customers can effortlessly add them to their cart. For instance, incorporate a ‘people also bought’ or ‘you may also like’ feature at the bottom of a page, especially after a customer has added a product to their cart. This encourages additional purchases and enhances the overall shopping experience.
4. Update your imagery
Ensure that anyone visiting your web store, blog, or social media pages is well aware of your Christmas promotion. Taking inspiration from Crate&Barrel’s example from a few years ago, employing a clear and eye-catching banner communicates the message that you have a promotion underway. In this case, it highlights the savings customers can enjoy during the festive season.
Additionally, remember to refresh your social media imagery to align with the promotion and maintain consistency across all platforms. This visual continuity helps reinforce the festive message and engages your audience effectively.
5. Pay attention to the novelty days
Throughout October, November, and December, there are numerous dates that can be leveraged for promotional opportunities. For instance, in China, November 11 marks ‘Singles Day.’
If you have a substantial customer base in China or a significant number of past customers who are Chinese and residing in other countries, these niche holidays present unique opportunities. By actively recognizing and participating in smaller, more niche celebrations, you can engage with specific demographics, foster loyalty among a niche audience, and tailor promotions to their preferences. This personalized approach enhances the overall customer experience and strengthens your brand’s connection with specific segments of your audience.
6. Offer free shipping
In today’s market, buyers have come to expect free shipping, whether it’s for a small bottle of beard oil or a kitchen bench. This expectation is particularly pronounced in 2023, especially during the holiday period.
To meet this demand, you might need to adjust your pricing structure to absorb the cost of postage. However, the slight increase in product price is often overshadowed by the appeal of offering ‘free worldwide shipping.’ This promotional strategy, coupled with a robust holiday campaign, can attract numerous last-minute buyers in the week leading up to Christmas. Therefore, it’s crucial to consider providing free express postage up until the latest possible date to maximize the effectiveness of your holiday promotions.
7. Use in-browser push notifications
Christmas presents an excellent opportunity to implement push notifications on your website. These notifications offer a direct communication channel with subscribers, enabling you to convey various messages such as flash sales, updated store hours, or last call for purchases before Christmas.
However, it’s crucial to exercise restraint in the use of push notifications. While they can be a powerful tool, overloading subscribers with excessive information can lead to annoyance. Striking the right balance and utilizing push notifications judiciously ensures that you effectively engage your audience without overwhelming them during the festive season.
8. Create a digital catalogue with Christmas marketing ideas
Few of us spend time leafing through printed catalogues before embarking on Christmas shopping nowadays. However, a digital catalogue serves as an excellent tool for re-engaging with previous buyers.
Utilizing stunning imagery, well-crafted photos, and quality design allows you to showcase all your products in a manner reminiscent of a physical catalogue, but without the need for printing. Take inspiration from Moore & Giles, who use an interactive catalogue to present their high-quality products to customers who may be uncertain about their preferences.
Consider creating an interactive catalogue, similar to the one above, where each product image serves as a link to the relevant product page. This approach enhances the visual appeal and navigational experience, driving customer engagement during the holiday season.
9. Team up with another small business
How familiar are you with your users? Are you aware of any common challenges faced by all your customers?
Consider this: If you specialize in selling high-end tea, it’s evident that your customers may also be in need of a tea pot.
To broaden your audience, you could explore collaboration opportunities with a craftsperson who specializes in creating handmade teapots. By offering your tea alongside their artisanal teapots and vice versa, you not only enhance your product offerings but also reach new demographics. This innovative holiday business idea has the potential to extend into the New Year, opening up avenues for your business to connect with and captivate a fresh audience.
10. Keep your most popular products stocked
This business tip revolves around straightforward inventory management, a practice often overlooked. While your best-selling and most popular product is likely to fly off the shelves, it’s imperative to ensure it doesn’t run out completely.
Nothing can halt your Christmas campaign faster than having to email customers and explain that the product they purchased is unavailable due to stock depletion. It’s crucial to stay on top of inventory levels to avoid disappointments and maintain a seamless holiday shopping experience for your customers.
11. Create a gift guide
Crafting a straightforward gift guide can be an effective strategy to attract customers to your products that serve as excellent presents. A gift guide essentially comprises a curated selection of items suitable for gift-giving.
To create your own gift guide on your online store, develop a dedicated landing page that showcases these selected products in one accessible location. Promote this product page across social media and other channels to generate interest. With this approach, you’ll likely witness an influx of sales as your customers are presented with a curated collection of products ideal for gifting.
12. Email marketing
Email marketing plays a pivotal role for both ecommerce brands and brick-and-mortar retail stores. However, during the Christmas period, leverage email marketing as a means to guide your email list toward existing promotional campaigns.
For instance, craft an email that highlights your new interactive digital catalogue or another one specifically for a flash sale. Direct the traffic to the designated platform where the promotion is hosted, such as your Instagram profile, where you’ve shared the exclusive discount code.
It’s essential to ensure that any imagery used in your holiday email marketing aligns with the festive spirit, creating a cohesive and engaging experience for your audience.
13. Always have gift cards handy
For customers purchasing gifts for others who may be unsure about what to buy, a gift card becomes a valuable and versatile option. Physical gift cards offer a tangible and personalized touch, while digital gift cards are more convenient and environmentally friendly.
If your business provides gift cards, it’s crucial to ensure that visitors are aware of this option when they begin their shopping journey on your site. This could involve featuring a simple graphic on the homepage or incorporating a link in your website navigation menu that directs users to a dedicated landing page specifically focused on gift cards in your store. Creating visibility for this gifting solution enhances the customer experience and encourages those uncertain about their choices to opt for a gift card.
14. Host A Giveaway
Hosting a giveaway is an effective strategy to place your product directly into the hands of customers while also creating opportunities to increase social media followers. Typically, giveaways have eligibility requirements, such as liking the post, sharing it on your story, and tagging friends.
An example of this tactic in action is Slip pillowcases, which utilized an Instagram giveaway to garner significant visibility for both their social media presence and brand. This approach not only engages existing followers but also attracts new ones, fostering brand awareness and expanding the reach of your products or services.
Conclusion
With Christmas approaching, it’s crucial for you and your brand to be well-prepared. The Christmas marketing ideas outlined above serve as inspiration and guide you toward essential channels to target.
Additionally, consider investing in social media and content marketing to address customer concerns and elevate seasonal sales. Leverage email marketing as a valuable ally during Christmas to enhance sales and foster engagement with your audience. Ensure you have the right tools for the job to make your holiday marketing efforts a success!