Audit previous campaigns.

This one is a given. If you haven’t done this already, review your previous campaigns to learn what worked, what didn’t, and why. Then make is an ongoing practice to review campaign performance not just at the end of the campaign but throughout the campaign to adjust, optimize, and improve. 

Reuse content strategically.

Break up a blog post between video scripts and social media posts or reuse a marketing email in your social media advertising. It might seem cheap to you, but it actually helps make your brand image across channels more uniform.

Partner with a nonprofit organization.

Get in the real spirit of the holidays by partnering with a nonprofit organization that’s aligned with your brand’s values and mission, something your audience can really get behind. 

Lead with content.

Consumers have seen the same holiday campaigns year after year, and they’ve learned to ignore them. What they want during the holidays is content that teaches them, informs them, entertains them, and connects them with people around the world.

Create real urgency.

Consumers aren’t stupid. You can’t just say, “Don’t miss out,” and make them feel a sense of urgency. Unless there’s a genuine reason for them to buy now, they’re not going to. A limited-time discount, limited edition product, or limited-time partnership with an entity they care about can create real urgency. 

Diversify your strategy.

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” That phrase refers to the likelihood that your basket will get squished, and your eggs will be ruined. Don’t invest all your marketing resources in one channel, one funnel, or one approach. Mix it up to protect your investments. 

Plan early.

Don’t try to cram all your holiday marketing and planning in at the last minute. Consumers aren’t impressed by slapdash advertising and copy/paste content. Your competitors have already started preparing for the next holiday season, so you should have started by now too.

Don’t spam.

Like any other time of the year, your audience will stop listening to you the second you start spamming them. The holidays don’t give you a magical pass to spam without consequences. Send only valuable content at reasonable intervals if you don’t want to end up canceled by a spam filter. 

Remember your loyal customers.

It’s easy to get carried away with new customer acquisition, but remember that the bulk of your revenue likely comes from repeat customers. Work some loyalty perks into your holiday campaign to ensure your customers are thinking of your brand this time of year.