by Doris Bynum
Now that Thanksgiving is over, our tummies are full and Christmas is now just a few short weeks away, it's time to start your holiday marketing!
Don't you just love the colors, smells, and sights of Christmas? I know I do, but as a business, you should be cautious when creating your holiday themed marketing materials. You don't want your eye-catching design to turn into a design-nightmare! So, I've put together a list of some NO-NO's for your holiday marketing materials!
Don’t: Send the Same Message To All Customers Cookie-cutter brand communication is a thing of the past. Personalization is of utmost importance, and as a brand manager, you should be taking the extra time to personalize your message to different audiences. Modern customers now look for personalization on everything, including content suggestions, deals, and offers. Personalizations should be customized to their interests and purchase history.
Don’t: Overlook Social Media Don't get me wrong, traditional search and display ads are still effective, but social media ads influence a majority of modern customers (both the young and the young at heart). Having a social media presence signifies to your customers that you are indeed a legitimate business, and seeing a brand's presence is an integral part of their buying experience.
Don't: Forget about your competition You've done your research on your competitors once when you opened your business. You need to do it again, but this time you should focus exclusively on the holidays. Find out what your competitors do to attract their audience, and find a competitive edge and use it as leverage.
Don't: Mix red and green! I know it is festive, but have you ever just looked at the two colors together? They are REALLY hard on the eyes. Also, did you know that 10% of the population is color blind?
5. Don't: Use all the themes Unless you want that ugly sweater party look on your marketing, just stick to one holiday theme.
6. Don't: Use Holiday Stock Photos Just don't do it.
Now that we have the NO-NO's out of the way, here are a few DO's you should be doing.
Take advantage of Retargeting Campaigns This time of year, modern customers are hopping all over social media and the internet trying to find the best deals. With retargeting campaigns, you can create personalized ads that show up on devices of those customers who have interacted with your brand recently, so that you don't get lost in the mix of their research.
Utilize Cross-Device Targeting I don't know about you, but I and many modern customers use multiple devices throughout the day, whether that be their mobile phone, laptop/desktop or even a tablet. You need to be targeting customers on all devices this holiday season, that way you can reach them more frequently and enhance their brand recall and ultimately increase your sales!
Offer Special Discounts and Promotions This strategy never ceases to work.
Update your Social Media This includes creating a holiday-themed cover photo and creating special holiday posts.
Put your customers FIRST
THANK YOUR CUSTOMERS!