Holiday Marketing: What We Learned Last Year
Last December, we shared 25 great holiday local store marketing ideas (one for each day leading up to Christmas) to inspire you and help drive sales to your business! This year, as we head into the 2015 holiday season, we present to you our top tips for engaging holiday marketing activities. Some of the examples are simple, some are silly and some require a little bit of planning – but over all, they all abide by the following “rules,” if you will. Read on and get planning!
Make it Easy
If we learned anything, it was that in order for customers to want to participate in your holiday events or promotions, you need to make it easy for them to do so. If they have to work too hard, they’ll likely lose interest. Make gifts ready to grab and go, and event ticket purchase or online charitable donations seamless. Dogfish Head Brewery made giving a gift to the beer lovers in your life easy, and Pure Concept Salon put a pedicure in a jar (below).
Give Back
Speaking of online charitable donations, giving back was a huge theme for many small business holiday promotions this year. Many customers are looking for ways to make charitable contributions this time of year, so if you can help them decide to donate to YOUR charity – even better! Toy supplier Squishable automatically donated a toy to a child in need for every one that you purchased – awesome! One of our favorite ideas of the season came from Meadhall, a bar that took giving back to the next level with their “12 Brewers of Christmas” promotion!
Make the Ordinary Extraordinary
Customers can do their holiday shopping mostly anywhere these days. They can do all of their shopping online, buy Christmas trees at the hardware store, or head to a big box store to get everything on their list. What makes many small businesses stand out is their attention to detail. Customers feel welcome and special when they walk through these business’ doors. Merrifield Garden Center had freshly popped popcorn and punch for their customers to enjoy as they picked out their Christmas trees, and Carmargo Trading Company put out a festive display of hot apple cider and cookies. 
Cross Promote
Working with complimentary local businesses ensures double promotion for your event or promotion. We like how Red Barn Mercantile partnered with a local blogger and author for their holiday party, and how Roofer’s Union partnered with local brewers and a local charity for their Tacky Christmas Sweater Party (below).
Don’t Price Your Customers Out
It’s important to appeal to a wide variety of your customers during the holidays- not just the ones with deep pockets! We like how Jack Rose Dining Saloon is putting on a pre-New Year’s Eve shindig (at a more affordable price), and how Calvert Woodley offered wine samplers at a variety of price points (below).
What did you learn this holiday season? Share with us in the comments section below!
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