7 Must Follow Holiday Marketing Tips - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

7 Must Follow Holiday Marketing Tips - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Tis the season for Starbucks red cups, Coca Cola polar bears, the majestic Clydesdales, and more. The  holidays are a marketers dream come true. If you play your cards right, Q4 can be incredibly profitable for you and your business. 1. Dont make assumptions. Dont just assume that your customers delight upon hearing Christmas greetings.  Be sensitive to the beliefs of others. Dont force your celebration down their throats. At the same time, know your demographic. For example, if you work for a Catholic based charity; religious connotations in your holiday marketing campaigns would be expected and acceptable. Understanding who you are, what you want to represent, and the temperature of your audience will make sure your campaign resonates with customers. 2. Go where the people are. As with all marketing campaigns, make sure youre using the right outlet for your message. For example, if youre running a week long special, you can afford to send out an email promoting this deal. But, if its a three hour discount,  send out a mass text campaign  or post on social media. These two methods are instantaneous, and will encourage the most offer redemption. Know where your customers are living, in a digital sense, and make a home there. 3. Respect differences in beliefs. As I first stated, dont assume that everyone celebrates the same way you do. On top of that, once differences do arise, show respect for the beliefs, traditions, and customs of others. If your customer base is one huge melting pot, than choose to celebrate the majority  holiday of you and your staff, while being aware of  other preferences. When applicable, recognize these differences, in an effort to show youre globally minded. 4. Make the most of old traditions. Dont be afraid to capitalize on current traditions. If its not broke, dont fix it. One of the longest holiday traditions? The Christmas tree. Plan a marketing campaign around a custom thats already stamped itself in the minds of the consumer.  People will recognize this symbol, and immediately  develop associations with your campaign. 5. Start your own traditions. Make room for new traditions. With new traditions comes the opportunity to solidify your brand in an evergreen way. For example, the Coca Cola polar bears have become an iconic symbol for this corporation; especially around the holidays. In fact, if you dont see these symbols, it doesnt even feel like that time of the year. One of the best examples of a new tradition that has swept the nation? Elf on the Shelf. 6. Dont overspend. Word of mouth marketing escalates around the holidays. The holidays bring people together.  When people are together, what do they do? Talk. They exchange first hand accounts about what products theyre using, where  theyre going, who theyre following the list goes on. Who wouldnt want their product or service to be a part of those  conversations?  Take the main stage this holiday season by focusing on memorable campaigns. Memorable campaigns usually possess  one or more of the following elements. The Me too! factor (people relate your campaign to a past experience) A storyline that incites emotion or a reaction (nostalgia, laughter, etc.) A way to  share their own story or contribute to the campaign (share your favorite holiday recipes) 7. Note what works and what doesnt. Your holiday marketing campaigns wont always resonate. Every year, try a new angle until something sticks.  Once you find a campaign that takes off, follow this same direction  every year.  Maximize the storyline. Make your efforts cohesive and apparent. Above all else, you must see the holidays as a time of  opportunity. People expect to come face to face with marketing messages this time of year. This 60 to 90 day period is a perfect time  to position your brand.