5 Things Brands Should Do To Prepare For Christmas
Tis the season to spend, spend, spend! Not that we need a reason…
Even before social media marketing became so popular, companies knew that the ramp-up to Christmas was a great opportunity to get their product or service in front of as many potential customers as possible. The only thing that has changed in recent years is that we now have so many more ways to do that!
As we all know, COVID restrictions brought about a huge increase in online shopping. According to Retail Week, about 48% of all shopping took place online during 2020’s “golden quarter”. And most economists are predicting similar results – or bigger boosts – this winter. As a brand, you simply can’t afford to be caught unawares by the season!
Here are some of our top tips to make sure you reach the right people at the right time during the holiday season:
- It’s never too early to prepare for Christmas:
That can mean a lot of different things depending on your goals for the season. For some brands, it can mean gathering audience data in order to effectively target potential customers, or working with your designers to adjust logos and other imagery to add a bit of holiday sparkle.
- Do the work now to save time later:
It can feel strange to finalise festive details while the sun is shining but trust us – you’ll thank us later! Make sure the whole team is on the same page so that you’re all working towards your goals for the season. Request permission to use UGC in advance so there are no delays when the time comes to share them on your official accounts. And make sure to schedule all your content in advance for days when the team might not be available – like December 25th.
- Remove any barriers to conversion:
The biggest mistake you can make in sales is to reach your target audience only to have them fall at the first hurdle in the purchasing process. Making sure your website or shopping platform is easy to use is something your team should be reviewing throughout the year – not just at Christmas – but it’s especially important right now. How many steps are there between a customer seeing your Instagram ad and actually clicking “buy”? Remove as many of them as possible.
- Highlight the ways you are giving back:
Customers expect more from their favourite brands these days. They want to know that their money isn’t just going into the pockets of a wealthy CEO. If you are implementing sustainable and eco-friendly practises in your production make sure people know about it! And remember that Christmas is a time of giving, so share information about the charities or community groups you support, and let your customers know that their money is contributing to a better world.
- Provide a positive outlet for seasonal stress:
Sales are important, but you have ads for that! Use your organic posts for more entertaining and relatable content that can centre around the characters, events, and history of Christmas. Stay positive but remind your audience that we’re all in this together. And give them a few extra perks to keep their spirits up, like offers, competitions, and discounts.
It’s already December, so we hope your social media team has been hard at work for months now! But don’t worry, we’ll be doing this all over again next year – there’s plenty of time to get it right.
Written by our copywriter Katie Dennison