When to Start Prepping Your Business for the Holidays
When to Start Prepping Your Business for the Holidays
The holidays are a busy time for many small businesses. More calls, more bookings, more chances to grow your company. That’s great news, but it also means one thing: you can’t afford to wing it. So, when’s the right time to start prepping your marketing for the holiday rush? Sooner than you think! And that’s where we come in.
Plan Early and Strategically
You can never start planning your marketing too early. Whether you’re looking to fill up your calendar before winter slows things down or promote a special offer, getting ahead gives you options. Early planning means better ad strategy, more time for SEO to kick in, and a content calendar that actually works for your business (instead of stressing you out last minute).
Define Your Marketing Goals
No marketing plan works without a clear goal behind it. Before the holiday season hits, take some time to figure out what you actually want out of it. Do you want more service calls? More online bookings? More people buying gift cards or engaging with your brand? Whatever the goal is, defining it early helps everything else fall into place.
Ideally, holiday marketing prep should start in August or September. That gives you room to map things out, create promotions, schedule content, and actually get the word out, without scrambling last minute.
Identify Your Target Audience
Knowing who you’re talking to is a big part of hitting your goals. A decking company might be targeting homeowners who want projects wrapped up before winter. A restaurant might be focused on families planning holiday dinners. Your message (and your strategy) changes depending on who you’re trying to reach, and once you lock that in, it’s way easier to create content and campaigns that actually connect.
Optimize Your Online Presence
You want to make sure that your online presence is optimized so that customers and potential customers can find your business.
Website
Your website is one of the many channels customers use to learn about promotions, events, and other information about your business. Once you’ve determined a plan, make sure to update your website with holiday hours and seasonal promotions. It is crucial that you publish your content for these holiday specials well in advance. This gives search engines like Google enough time to put your pages onto the web so customers can find them!
Consider creating a dedicated holiday landing page on your website. This is a great option for you to showcase all your seasonal offerings, making it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for. Blogs and articles that offer tips, recipes, or guides based on some of your other content are another excellent way to reach your target while promoting across different platforms. It can also serve as a way to connect your audience with your other digital platforms, too!
Social Media
Social media is a great way to advertise your business and services. The content you create during this season should be engaging and holiday-themed. Video content can also be a good way to showcase your services or share some fun behind-the-scenes footage of your business during the holidays. Make sure to use popular holiday hashtags when you post to increase the visibility of your posts!
Another great way to grow your engagement on social media is by running contests. Whether you decide on doing a giveaway for a free product or service, gift cards, or other fun branded prizes, you are bound to see more engagement. Encourage your customers to like the post, share it on their social media, and tag others in the comments. This is an effective way to promote your business organically!
Monitor and Adjust Your Strategy
During the season, you want to make sure that you are monitoring your strategy. Track your website traffic, social media engagement, and your important KPI’s throughout the holiday season to see how specific ads are working and how much people are engaging with your content. Use the data from this to analyze which strategies are performing better and then make adjustments accordingly. Another way to improve is to look at sources that provide customer feedback and reviews. This gives you a way to identify what customers are looking for, areas to improve, and a way to build trust with your customers.
Trust The Gratzi When You're Planning For The Holiday Season
When you’re preparing your business for the holidays, it is important to support it through thoughtful planning, setting strategic goals, and consistency. Starting early, defining your goals, and optimizing your online presence is the best way to ensure a successful holiday season. With the right preparation, you can make your business stand out during the busiest time of the year. Not sure where to start? Not to worry, because our team at The Gratzi, Inc. is here to help! Give us a call at 262-764-2012 to get started today!
