Are you looking for some holiday promotion ideas for your small business?
Well, you've come to the right place! In this blog post, we'll share some great ideas that will help you get the word out about your business and attract new customers.
So, without further ado, let's get started!
1. Share A 'Holiday Gift Guide' To Drive Traffic
The holiday season is a time when people are especially generous, and many businesses find that sharing a holiday gift guide with their customers is a great way to capitalize on this goodwill.
Here are just a few of the benefits that can come from sharing a holiday gift guide with your customers:
Increased brand awareness
Improved customer relations
Heightened social media presence
Increased website traffic
Better search engine ranking
Improved email list growth.
Greater customer engagement
Greater sense of community
Use your blog, email newsletter, or social media channels to share gift ideas for everyone on your customers’ list. Be sure to include items that are available at your store or online shop.
Source: Caitlin Marie Design
2. Early Bird Offer
An early bird offer is a great way to attract customers during the holiday season. You can offer a discount or a free gift for customers who shop early.
This will encourage them to shop at your store before the holiday rush begins. You can also promote your early bird offer on social media and in your local newspapers.
3. Free Shipping Always Gets Attention
One great holiday promotion idea for small businesses is to offer free shipping. This is a great way to encourage customers to shop with you. You can offer free shipping for orders over a certain amount, or for all orders placed during the holiday season.
Be sure to promote your free shipping offer prominently on your website and in your marketing materials.
4. A Holiday Photo Contest
A holiday photo contest is a great way to engage your customers and get them involved with your business. It’s also a great way to generate some holiday cheer and goodwill toward your business. Here are some tips on how to run a successful holiday photo contest:
Create a contest hashtag and promote it on your social media channels and in your store.
Encourage customers to take photos of your products or in your store and post them to social media using the contest hashtag.
Select a prize that will be appealing to your target market.
Pick a deadline for the contest and announce the winner on social media and in your store.
5. Display Discounts, Promotions, And Offers On Your Website
Your website is the perfect place to display all relevant discounts, promotions, and offers. By having a dedicated page or section for these deals, you make it easy for customers to find them and take advantage of them.
Plus, you can use this space to cross-promote other products or services that your business offers.
Creating a dedicated landing page for each seasonal promotion may seem like a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be. You can use a landing page builder like Unbounce or LeadPages to create beautiful, effective landing pages in minutes, without needing any design or coding skills.
Once you have created your landing page, promote it through your usual channels (social media, email marketing, etc.), as well as any seasonal or holiday-specific advertising campaigns you are running.
6. Have a Generous Holiday Giveaway
If you’re looking for some fun and festive promotion ideas for your small business this holiday season, why not try a holiday contest or giveaway? Offering your customers the chance to win prizes is a great way to get them excited about your products or services, and it can also help increase foot traffic and sales.
To get started, come up with a holiday-themed contest or giveaway that will be relevant to your business. For example, if you own a clothing store, you could offer a gift card as a prize for the best holiday-themed outfit. Or, if you own a restaurant, you could offer a free dinner for two as a prize for the best holiday-themed decoration.
Once you’ve chosen your prize, promote your contest or giveaway through social media, your website, or email marketing. Make sure to include all of the details, such as how to enter and when the deadline is. Then, sit back and wait for the entries to come in!
7. Make Holiday Shopping Experience Memorable
The holidays are a crucial time for small businesses. In fact, according to the National Retail Federation, holiday sales account for 20 to 40 percent of many retailers' annual revenue. If you want a piece of the pie, you need to start promoting your business now.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Make Your Store Festive
Decorate your storefront and make it look inviting. Use lights, garlands, wreaths, and other holiday decorations. This will catch shoppers' attention and make them want to come in and check out your products.
2. Give Out Holiday-themed Promotional Items
People love freebies, so give out holiday-themed pens, mugs, ornaments, etc., with your business name and contact information on them. This is a great way to promote your business and get people thinking about you during the holiday season.
3. Have Special Sales Or Discounts
This is a no-brainer—everyone loves a good sale! Have special sales or discounts on popular items to get people in the door (and spending money!).
8. Social Media Content Should Be Festive
Warm up your social media presence this holiday season with some festive content that speaks to your brand identity. Whether you post photos of your products in seasonal settings, share tips for holiday gift-giving, or simply wish your followers a happy holiday, make sure your content is engaging and on brand.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Post photos of your products in seasonal settings (e.g., a coffee mug on a snowy windowsill)
Share tips for holiday gift giving (e.g., 10-holiday gifts for the coffee lover in your life)
Wish your followers a happy holiday with a branded image or video (e.g., a holiday-themed logo)
Run a social media contest with holiday prizes (e.g., a $100 gift card to be used at your store)
Feature holiday discounts or promotions on your social media channels (e.g., 15% off all coffee purchases from now until Christmas)
9. Offer Free Gift Wrapping
Offer free gift wrapping with every purchase during the holidays to create a sense of anticipation and excitement for your customers.
This small gesture can go a long way in showings patrons that you appreciate their business.
You can also use this as an opportunity to upsell larger or more expensive items by offering premium gift-wrapping services for an additional fee.
Source: Boscov's
10. Collaborate With Influencers In Your Niche
As a small business, you may not have the budget to compete with the big names in your industry when it comes to advertising and promotions. But that doesn't mean you can't get creative and find ways to get your name out there. One way to do this is to team up with influencers in your niche.
Influencers are people who have a large following on social media or other platforms. By teaming up with them, you can tap into their audience and get your message out to a larger group of people. This can be a great way to promote your business, especially during the holiday season.
There are a few things to keep in mind when teaming up with influencers:
Make sure they align with your brand. You want to make sure their audience is interested in what you have to offer.
Do your research. Take some time to learn about their audience and what kinds of content they engage with.
Be clear about your goals. What do you hope to achieve by working with this influencer? Make sure you are both on the same page before moving forward.
If you're looking for some holiday promotion ideas, teaming up with an influencer could be a great option for your small business!
Small businesses have to get creative to compete with the big boys during the holidays. Here are some unique and low-cost ideas to promote your business this holiday season!
11. Use Dedicated Landing Pages For Seasonal Promotions
While your regular website is a great place to promote your small business, you can make the most of seasonal promotions by using dedicated landing pages. This way, you can ensure that visitors to your site are presented with relevant information about your latest seasonal offer, without having to navigate through your entire site.
Creating a dedicated landing page for each seasonal promotion may seem like a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be. You can use a landing page builder like Unbounce or LeadPages to create beautiful, effective landing pages in minutes, without needing any design or coding skills.
Once you have created your landing page, promote it through your usual channels (social media, email marketing, etc.), as well as any seasonal or holiday-specific advertising campaigns you are running.
Source: Pagefly
12. Create A Sense Of Urgency For Flash Holiday Promotions
"It's the most wonderful time of the year!" We all know this popular holiday tune, and for small businesses, it couldn't be more true. The holiday season presents a great opportunity to embrace your company's marketing efforts and bring in some extra sales.
One way to do this is to utilize a countdown timer on your website or in your emails leading up to a certain holiday promotion. This creates a sense of urgency and can prompt customers to take action before it's too late. Plus, it's a fun way to get people excited about your upcoming sale or event.
Here are some tips on how to use a countdown timer effectively:
Choose an appropriate time frame. Depending on what you're promoting, you'll want to choose a time frame that makes sense. For example, if you're running a holiday sale, you may want to start the countdown a week or so before the sale begins.
Create an engaging copy. Along with your countdown timer, make sure to include some engaging copy that will get people excited about your promotion.
Make it visually appealing. Use colors and imagery that are associated with the holidays or your brand.
Include a call to action. Be sure to include a call-to-action so people know what they need to do next (e.g., "click here to shop now!").
13. Printed Holiday Cards
Printed holiday cards offer a unique opportunity for small businesses to connect with their customers, clients, and employees. Unlike eCards or social media posts, printed cards can be kept and displayed as a physical reminder of your business. Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Personalize your cards. Include a handwritten message or signature from the owner or manager to add a personal touch.
2. Use high-quality paper and printing. Spend a little extra to make sure your cards look professional and sleek.
3. Get creative with your design. Consider using festive colors, company-themed illustrations, or photographic images related to your products or services.
4. Take advantage of offers for bulk discounts. Many printers offer significant discounts when you order large quantities of cards. This is a great way to save money if you plan on sending out a lot of cards.
5. Use postal tracking services. This can help you ensure that your cards arrive on time and also give you the ability to track down any that get lost in the mail.
14. Offer Special Holiday Returns Policy
The holiday season is a busy time for businesses, and it can be tough to keep up with the increased demand. One way to help ease the pressure on your customers (and yourself) is to offer a special holiday returns policy.
This will give your customers the peace of mind that they can shop with you without having to worry about the hassle of returning items if they need to.
Here are a few ideas for creating a special holiday returns policy:
Offer extended return periods. If you normally allow 7 days for returns, consider extending this to 14 or even 30 days for items purchased during the holidays.
Waiverestocking fees. If you charge a restocking fee for returns, see if you can waive this fee for holiday purchases.
Allow store credit instead of refunds. This can help reduce the number of refunds you have to process, and it also gives your customers flexibility in how they use their credit.
Give gifts with purchase. Include a small gift (like a holiday decoration or treat) with every purchase made during the holidays. This will help spread some cheer and show your customers that you appreciate their business.
15. Launch a Holiday-Themed Email And Social Media Campaign
If you want to really get into the holiday spirit, consider launching a holiday-themed email and/or social media campaign. This is a great way to connect with your customers and spread some holiday cheer.
You can use festive images and graphics, holiday-themed messaging, and even special discounts or promotions to get people excited about your small business. Just be sure to plan and execute your campaign well so that it doesn't come across as spammy or sales-y.
16. Participate in Local Vendor and Holiday Fairs
One great way to participate in the holiday season as a small business is to sign up for local holiday fairs. This will put your business in front of lots of potential customers who are already in the holiday spirit and looking to do their shopping.
You can promote your products or services, and even offer special holiday discounts or promotions. This is a great opportunity to get your business name out there and build some brand awareness.
Conclusion
Promotional activities are a great way for small businesses during the holiday season. It will help them stay afloat financially, by attracting new customers and keeping old ones coming back again. The above-mentioned promotion ideas can make a difference if utilized properly and smartly.
We also help businesses with branding and marketing. If you are looking to promote your brand, we can help you with that. Get in Touch.