The 12 digital marketing dos and don’ts for a holly jolly Christmas

December is fast approaching and before you know it, wine will be mulling, sleigh bells ringing and cash registers jingling as harassed consumers rush to complete their Christmas shopping. Make life easier for them by ensuring your festive marketing adds real value to their shopping experience – and make life easier for you by gifting yourself that all-important tool: a strong strategy that ensures you capture the spirit of Christmas authentically, as well as capitalising on increased seasonal buyers. From getting people in the festive mood to elevating engagement to spiking sales, here are the 12 digital marketing dos and don’ts to think about this Christmas.

Christmas Do’s

Do… have a strategy in place

So, how will you *actually* make those sales? Shape your strategy by reviewing last year’s figures (what sold well, what didn’t) and your target audience (what’s relevant to them right now), considering your email and social campaigns and deciding on your offers.

Do… plan ahead

Aim to get everything in place by Halloween (we know, Halloween is ridiculously early but you’ll thank us when you see those winter sales roll in!). Plus, you can capitalise on the growing trend for celebrating Halloween in the UK, and roll the Halloween hype straight into ‘silly season’. Check out how to juice up your digital marketing NOW to make your Christmas 2022 sales sparkle for more ideas.

Do… take advantage of early bird buyers

Many buyers will have already started on their Christmas lists, so take advantage of those early birds by getting ahead now (see above!). A lot of this pre-shopping is done on mobile while people do their research and compare prices, so reward these users with a voucher or discount code to make the purchase there and then.

Do… give back to your loyal community

’Tis the season of giving after all, so say thank you to your loyal customers by scheduling in a giveaway, competition or advent calendar and offering special discounts and promotions. People love getting something for nothing. The gesture will appeal to shoppers’ nature of ‘bagging a bargain’ and highlight how generous you are as a brand.

Do… make it easy for your customers

Give them a nudge in the right direction by creating a Christmas landing page. Or, customise your website to ensure that if you do have a Christmas collection, it’s front and centre. Make it as seasonal as is suitable for your brand and feature appropriate products and services.

Do… be you!

Don’t be afraid to buck the trend if that’s what works for you and your brand. Have fun, make your digital marketing memorable and craft campaigns that work for you. Inject some humour that resonates with your audience and tap into their emotions to inspire them to share your content.

Christmas don’ts

Don’t… bombard people with bland festive messaging

Please don’t overegg the eggnog! Think about your content and ensure it adds real value. Yes, people want to hear about your festive products and services. But, no, they don’t want random gifs of pugs dressed as elves just ‘because it’s Christmas’.

Don’t… forget your loyal customers

O come all ye faithful: your long-term brand supporters are going the distance with you, so a gesture of thanks can go a long way. Let them know via email how you’ve been doing over the last year, thanks to their valued custom. Pop in a discount or voucher to entice them to buy from you again.

Don’t… be tempted to slash prices

Heavy discounts might be a good way to drive those quick sales, but think about your long-term goals. You want your brand to be associated with quality, not basement bargain bins. Your brand image is paramount – exclusive, modest discounts that thrill your customers are fine, but 50% off across the board, for example, cheapens your product and prompts shoppers to wonder if your goods are really worth the regular price tag.

Don’t… forget to be inclusive

Christmas isn’t the only holiday at this time of year. Smaller events, such as Hanukkah, Free Shipping Day, Small Business Saturday and food-related days can also be celebrated. Use Google Analytics to discover which holidays are most likely to resonate with your audience.

Don’t… neglect your retargeting strategy

Only focusing on new customers means you’ll miss out on converting the warm leads who know, like and trust you. Established customers who have already visited your website will be familiar with your brand and more likely to respond to your retargeting ad campaign, resulting in higher sales.

Don’t… forget to relax

The months leading up to Christmas can be overwhelming for any e-commerce brand, from small businesses to household names. Don’t take it too seriously, though. Scrooge vibes are a real buzzkill – schedule in time to rest, ensure you indulge in the odd mince pie in the run-up to Christmas Eve and take time out to enjoy the festivities when it’s all over.

Since we’re all about planning ahead, why not get ready for 2023 with our Uncovering Opportunities workshop? Book your free discovery call to learn more about our digital marketing services.