Are you already falling a little behind on your holiday marketing? A whopping 49 percent of marketers begin their holiday marketing before Halloween, so if you haven’t got anything solid planned yet, you’d better get a move on. According to the NRF (National Retail Federation), 20 to 40 percent of yearly sales for small and mid-sized retailers take place in the last two months of the year, so the holidays are an important time to market your brand as well as your products and services. Here’s how:
1. Be the solution.
The holidays and year-end are a great time to position your business as a problem solver. Whether your customers have left important tasks until the end of the year or are looking for an important, unusual gift, you need to position your brand as one that can help consumers solve their challenges and problems.
2. Be socially conscious.
Consumers today want to feel good about their purchases, especially during the holidays. Market your brand so customers know their purchases are contributing to a greater good, whether you hand out gift bags made from recycled paper or donate a percentage of your sales to charity.
3. Be a giver.
What better way to help customers remember your brand than by adding something extra to their purchases? Consider free promotional items such as calendars for the New Year, stocking stuffers for kids, energy bars or reusable water bottles to help shoppers get through the holiday rush—all items with your business logo on them, of course.
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