It might not seem natural, but it’s time to start preparing for the holidays. Maybe you’re not the plan ahead type? Doesn’t matter. With your business, you have to be. Holiday marketing takes a plan.
So you should be talking with your marketing company or department about any specials you plan to offer now. Too soon? Not by a long shot.
Where Is Your Holiday Marketing Planning?
So you want to offer some holiday specials. Or maybe you just want some holiday-themed campaigns. Here’s where you should be right now if you’re doing anything more than saying “Happy Holidays” as customers come inside.
If you want to do something for Halloween, you’re late. But, depending on your marketing company and the complexity of your plan, you might squeak by. Thanksgiving? You’re about on target if you start right now. Started yet? Ok, now you’re late. Christmas, Channukah, and the other winter holidays? That you can get ahead of.
Ok, It’s Not That Grim
Am I having a little fun with you? Sure. But I’m trying to make a point.
Marketing takes planning, especially if you want to be creative or coincide sales, theming, and merchandise with your marketing campaign. I don’t always make it, but I like to be about six weeks ahead with my marketing.
It’s not completely rigid. The world moves fast, so I will often replace a planned evergreen post with something new and move the original post to a later date, but believe it or not, structure breeds creativity.
Why? Because stress doesn’t.
Stress and Your Brain
Stress is not the friend of creativity.
Our brains evolved in an environment where the best response to stress was fight or flight. It really helped when you were getting chased by a tiger. But, when you’re trying to devise a creative marketing campaign and adjust all your company’s merchandising on the fly? Not so much.
Punishment
That’s doubly true if the stress feels like punishment. My background is in behavioral psychology. It’s the discipline used to train everyone from fighter pilots to rats in a maze.
If you were to boil it down to a few sentences (which is ridiculous), behavioral psychology says this: Stimuli tend to make a behavior more or less likely. Anything that makes a behavior more likely is rewarding. Anything that makes it less likely is punishing. Of course, there’s also the neutral option.
Behavioral psychologists are unanimous that punishment stunts learning and creativity. Think about it. If you were treated poorly in class, you were less likely to raise your hand and might even have difficulty concentrating.
The one thing punishment is good at is stopping a behavior. It’s awful at teaching a new one or learning anything. By its nature, punishment stifles a response.
That’s why rewarding behavior is the best way to teach anyone anything.
So what does that have to do with marketing? A stressful environment where people are more likely to snap at each other and less likely to be happy is often also a punishing environment.
Creating a Creative Environment
If you’re doing your marketing, making the environment conducive to creativity is imperative. The same is true if you’re handing it off to a marketing department or a marketing company.
So what does that mean? It means you need structure and space. They might seem like opposing forces, but they’re not.
A strong structure in a building allows for a lot of space. And a structured work environment allows the space for creativity to flow.
How the Marketer Stole Christmas
So now, let’s get into the meat of it: holiday marketing. Holiday marketing might seem cynical. People dig at Hallmark (and America in general) for commercializing everything.
And to some extent, they have a point. Unfortunately, holiday marketing can be a shameless money grab.
But it doesn’t have to be.
We can probably all remember being touched by something “commercial” around the holidays. It all depends on your audience and how it’s presented.
There’s also no reason you can’t be your authentic self in your holiday marketing and express your own and your company’s values.
The key is doing so in a way that is creative and doesn’t alienate your customers.
Holiday Marketing Practices
Holiday marketing isn’t much different than regular marketing. But it’s also like holiday cooking; you might do it all the time, but there is more pressure on holidays! Don’t worry. Here are just a few guidelines to help get you started.
Be Yourself
Not a Christmassy guy? Don’t like Halloween? Don’t force it—authenticity matters. Maybe do a promotion that fits you, not what you think is expected.
Be Fun (Unless That’s Not Yourself)
Ugly Christmas specials? Yes! Discounts if they bring in a latke for Channukah? Why not!
Have fun with your promotions. If you have a sense of humor, flex it. It doesn’t have to be a silent night.
Be Respectful
Even if you don’t take holidays seriously, some people do. So be respectful. Don’t promote your brand with anything that will hurt someone’s feelings. That’s not good for anyone.
Don’t Overstretch Yourself
We’ve created a national holiday of the day after Thanksgiving, where people will leave dinner early to fight each other over a TV set. Is that your thing? That’s cool.
But if it isn’t, or your business can’t afford a massive discount, don’t do it. Sometimes the best marketing isn’t about saving money. It’s about appreciation.
Like I say about all marketing, it’s about what makes you special. So why do you love your customers, and why do they love you?
Use those as prompt questions, and then add a holiday angle with which you, your employees, and your customers can have fun.
So there you have it. Those are a few tips for your holiday marketing. It’s both easier and more difficult than you might think.
It’s easier because it can be what you make it. But it’s harder because it still takes planning, preparation, creativity, and consistency.
As always, if you can, hire a pro. If not, have some fun and come back for more pointers!
Itís difficult to find experienced people for this topic, but you seem like you know what youíre talking about! Thanks