The end of the year heralds in more than a month of festive holiday celebrations, including family gatherings, parties, elaborate meals, and, of course, an abundance of gifts.
Unsurprisingly, all of these exciting holiday festivities also mark the most critical time of the year for marketers — the holiday shopping season.
According to the National Retail Federation, holiday retail sales in 2023 reached a staggering $964.4 billion, an increase of nearly 4% from 2022 — and those numbers are only expected to rise.
It’s clear that a solid holiday marketing plan isn’t just important; it’s essential.
But success doesn’t happen overnight. If you want your holiday season to be merry and bright, you’ve got to start marketing now, and you’ve got to be strategic.
Key Holiday Dates to Mark on Your Calendar
Before we dive into the strategies, we need to outline some essential holiday dates — put these on your calendar in red pen. And don’t limit yourself to the big ones, either. While Christmas and New Year’s Day are the heavyweights, several other dates are just as important.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the most significant shopping days of the year. These days mark the beginning of the holiday shopping season; they offer retailers an excellent opportunity to attract customers with limited-time deals and promotions.
Christmas is the pinnacle of the holiday shopping season, with consumers buying gifts, decorations, and other festive items. New Year’s Day also presents an opportunity for retailers to promote products related to celebrations and new beginnings.
Remember the other holidays, too. Hanukkah, Diwali, and Kwanzaa all offer exceptional opportunities to reach a broader audience.
You might also consider smaller events and days, like Small Business Saturday or Giving Tuesday, as they can also drive significant engagement and sales.
By acknowledging and planning for all of these holidays (and any others that may resonate with your target audience), you can cater to a variety of customer segments.
Here’s a comprehensive list of the dates:
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Diwali: Oct. 31 – Nov. 1
Black Friday: the first Friday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 29 this year
Small Business Saturday: first Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 30 this year
Cyber Monday: the first Monday after Thanksgiving, Dec. 2 this year
Giving Tuesday: first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Dec. 3 this year
Christmas: Dec. 25
New Year’s Day: Jan. 1
Hanukkah: Dec. 25, 2024 – Jan. 2, 2025
Kwanzaa: Dec. 26, 2024 – Jan. 1, 2025
Why You Need to Start Building Your Audience Now
Starting well before the holiday season has begun gives you a head start in building a loyal audience ready for remarketing. A pre-built audience is invaluable during the holiday season when competition is fierce and ad costs can skyrocket.
Consumer behavior during the holidays is unique. People aren’t just searching for deals or cheap buys but also for gift ideas, inspiration, and convenience. Build your audience now, and you can study their behavior and preferences, making it easier to tailor your campaigns when the holiday shopping season is in full swing.
Consider adjusting your cookie length duration to more than 30 days. This will ensure you can track and retarget users visiting your site well before the holiday season begins. Extended tracking can significantly boost your conversion rates, given the higher average cart value during holiday shopping. It also gives you more time to gather information on user behavior and preferences so you can refine your marketing strategies. Of course, it keeps your brand at the top of potential customers’ minds as they move toward purchase readiness.
Also, leverage email marketing to build a subscriber list. Offer value through incentives like free guides, discounts, or early access to sales to keep them engaged.
Creating Effective Holiday Ad Sets
Start by gathering data and insights about your audience. This information will help you create more effective holiday ad sets by understanding what types of ads resonate best with your audience.
Different types of ads work for different segments. Imagery-based ads are perfect for showcasing visual products like fashion or home decor, while text-based ads are ideal for services or informational content that requires detailed descriptions. Going deeper, carousel ads showcasing multiple products might work well for e-commerce stores, while story ads could be more engaging for lifestyle brands.
Strategies for Determining Messaging and Promotions
Your holiday promotions can make or break your campaign. Decide now what those promotions will be. Whether you’re offering 20% off, 10% off, or free shipping, your promotions should align with customer expectations and the competitive landscape.
Start by evaluating past campaign data to identify which promotions were most effective. This can give you critical insights into what your customers value and how they respond to various offers.
At the crux of your strategy should be clear and compelling messaging that is concise yet informative while also capturing the true essence of what you’re offering. Highlight the benefits and create a sense of urgency — limited-time offers work wonders during the holiday season.
Examples of successful promotional strategies include bundling products for a higher perceived value or offering exclusive deals for subscribers. Consider incorporating loyalty programs and referral bonuses to incentivize repeat purchases and word-of-mouth marketing.
Segmenting your promotions for different customer groups is another excellent strategy. You can offer exclusive discounts to loyal customers to drive sales and reinforce brand loyalty — while new customers might be more enticed by introductory discounts or bundled deals.
Engaging in Tactical Testing and Data Collection
Start your tactical testing early (ideally, several months in advance of your peak season) to fine-tune your budget allocation. Early testing can reveal which platforms and strategies yield the best return on investment, allowing you to allocate your resources more effectively later on.
For example, if your audience is active on TikTok, spending 10% of your budget on the platform now might be worthwhile to gauge performance. This data will be invaluable when you ramp up your holiday spending.
Another integral step is collecting first-party data, such as emails. Build relationships with your customers by offering value in exchange for their data — think coupons, free shipping, or exclusive content.
Leverage data analytics to refine your marketing strategies continually. The more data you have, the better you can personalize your campaigns, making them more effective. Take advantage of tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or Adobe Analytics to track your performance metrics and adjust your strategies accordingly.
Segmenting Ad Strategies with the 70/20/10 Rule
The 70/20/10 rule is a proven strategy for budgeting your holiday marketing efforts:
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70% for tried-and-true tactics: These are your go-to strategies that consistently deliver results.
20% for leveraging tried-and-true tactics differently: Innovate within your proven strategies to keep things fresh.
10% for experimenting with new tactics: This is where you can test new ideas and platforms without risking your entire budget.
For example, if email marketing has worked for you, allocate 70% of your budget to that channel. 20% should be used to try different email formats or subject lines, and the remaining 10% should be used to experiment with new platforms like Instagram Stories or TikTok ads.
Remember to incorporate A/B testing within these segments to continuously optimize your approach!
Don’t Wait Until December!
The holiday season is a golden opportunity to boost your sales and grow your brand, but early planning and strategic execution are key to a successful holiday marketing campaign. By building your audience, honing your data, engaging in early testing, and using the 70/20/10 budget allocation strategy, you’ll be more in tune with your target audiences and poised to stay ahead of the competition.
It might still be warm outside, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t think ahead to sleigh bells and wish lists. Implement these strategies now and watch your holiday sales soar.
