Holiday Marketing Tips for Small Business Owners
The truth is, the holiday season can be intimidating to small businesses. With so much competition out there, it's hard to know where to start in order to compete. The answer? Marketing. It's absolutely essential to make sure your marketing strategies are top-notch, so here are some ideas from the Summit Chamber of Commerce for creating a successful holiday marketing plan this season.
Use Social Media to Engage Followers
Social media is a great way to connect with customers and create a relationship with your brand. This holiday season, try using social media to engage with customers by asking them questions, sharing behind-the-scenes content, or offering exclusive deals and promotions. For example, you could host a holiday-themed Twitter chat or Instagram takeover. These are all great ways to get customers involved and excited about your brand.
Partner with Your Favorite Local Charity
One of the best ways to show that your business cares about its community is by supporting a local charity. There are many ways to do this, but one idea is to partner with a charity and donate a portion of your sales to them during the holidays. Not only will this make your customers feel good about supporting your business, but it will also help give back to those in need during the holiday season. Plus, it's a great way to get some free publicity for your business!
Put Together a Well-Designed Gift Guide
If you sell products, one way to stand out this holiday season is by creating a gift guide. This is a great way to showcase your products and show customers how they can be used as gifts. Be sure to include photos and descriptions of each product, as well as links to where customers can buy them. There are plenty of tools that can help you add pages to a PDF in seconds, free of cost. You can then post your gift guide as a PDF on social media, in emails, or even on your website.
Choose Holiday Packaging
This holiday season, make sure your packaging stands out from the rest by using festive colors or designs. You could even include a handwritten note from you or an employee! This personal touch will go a long way in making your customers feel appreciated. And if you really want to wow them, consider adding some extra goodies like discount codes or free samples in their order. They'll be sure to remember your thoughtfulness when they're shopping next year.
Find Creative Ways to Reward Loyal Customers
One way to show your appreciation for customers this holiday season is by rewarding them for their loyalty. If you have a loyalty program, consider giving away bonus points or discounts on purchases made during the holidays. You could also send out special holiday cards or gifts to your best customers. These gestures will be a sincere way to show them how much you appreciate their business.
Create Fun Events Like Giveaways or Contests
Giving away prizes is always a great way to generate excitement around your business. This holiday season, try holding a contest or giveaway on social media or on your website. You could ask customers to post photos of themselves using your products, share their favorite holiday memories, or even come up with creative gift ideas featuring your products. Be sure to promote the contest heavily so that as many people as possible are aware of it. And don't forget to choose some great prizes that will really excite people!
The holidays are a greatly important time for small businesses because there is so much potential revenue up for grabs. But with so much competition, it's important that you find ways to make your small business stand out. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do! From engaging with customers on social media to holding giveaways and contests, there are lots of great marketing ideas that will help put your small business in the spotlight this holiday season.
If you’re ready to grow your business with the help of great local resources and partnerships, join the Summit Chamber of Commerce.