Tag Archive for: Holiday Marketing Tips

A graphic of a man and a woman adding gifts to a giant pile of presents that they will be giving back to the community.

The holidays are the perfect time for giving back to the community. While it is fairly easy for individuals to come up with ideas for giving back through charities, brands can sometimes find the opposite.

“Why”, you ask?

Most brands want to give back to something that they genuinely care about while being aligned with their company’s mission.

But why is giving back to the community so important for brands? Consumers love to support brands that make it their mission to give back to the community. Consumer’s perception of your brand can change for the positive if you can make a positive impact in your community.

During Thanksgiving planning, our clients, Food In Motion, reached out to us to let us know that they wanted to give back to their community. Together we were able to determine causes that were close to them and that aligned with their business. ⁠

Food in Motion partnered with Welcoming Arms, a non-profit organization that gives back to low-income families in Aurora, Ontario. ⁠

For every 10 Thanksgiving Meal Packages sold, Food In Motion donated 1 Thanksgiving dinner to a family of 4. ⁠

By advertising their holiday special and their partnership with Welcoming Arms, Food In Motion was able to surpass their sales goals. All while being able to donate 16 hot Thanksgiving dinners to families in need in Aurora. ⁠

A great place to start when trying to figure out what to donate would be asking your team for their input. See if there are any potential causes that they are passionate about for giving back to the community.

Here’s a list of potential ideas that you, as a brand can adopt for a little holiday give-back this season.

Reach Out To Another Brand With a Similar Mission

Head to social media to find out what other brands share missions similar to yours. Partner up with them to create exciting ideas for giving back to the community. This can also you to grow your network while doing something great for causes you feel avidly about.

Gifts That Give Back

Another great initiative for a holiday give-back would be to purchase client gifts from brands that also support a cause. Bonus points if they are local!

Not only will you be supporting another company but you will also be playing an active part in helping them achieve their ‘giving back’ mission.

Donating Your Services Or Products

Yes, you can also give away free products or services to those in need. Ask yourself if there are families/businesses in the community who were impacted by the pandemic that can benefit from your product or service. Work with your team to see what you can do to help support them, without spreading yourself too thin (especially if you are donating a service).

There are many ways to give back to the community this holiday season So, if you are unsure about how you can do an authentic holiday give-back, contact us today to set up a call where we can go over causes that are important to both you and your brand while helping you figure out a give-back plan that is sustainable for your business.

holiday marketing game plan thanksgiving, christmas, black friday, cyber monday, newmarket, aurora, york region, uxbridge

The official first day of fall has come and gone, even though the scorching weather didn’t get the memo!  As soon as the leaves start falling, and pumpkin spice everything hits the shelves, it’s time to start thinking about holiday marketing.  I’m not talking just about the major holidays in December.  There are a ton of major holidays between now and the end of the year.  I’ve put together a list of the major holidays and some marketing promo ideas.  Keep reading to see my Holiday Marketing Game Plan.

While I am personally in favour of waiting until after Remembrance Day on November 11th to start marketing for December holidays, it is important for businesses to establish their holiday marketing plans well in advance.  If you plan your holiday marketing correctly, not only can it be a profitable time of year for your business, but you’ll also get to relax and enjoy some of the festivities yourself.

Holiday Marketing Game Plan for Small Businesses

There are a few very important days coming up soon.  Here are some ideas to get your holiday marketing creative juices flowing! Keep in mind your demographic and the goal of the event: is the event to drive sales, create marketing material for your website/social media, or customer appreciation?  Here is a list of all upcoming major holidays in Canada for the rest of 2017.

Thanksgiving – Monday, October 9th

While this doesn’t seem like a holiday that will generate huge sales, it provides a chance to show the personal side of your business.  Give thanks to your customers either with special promotions, friends & family discounts, or simply by saying that you appreciate their business.

Halloween – Tuesday, October 31st

This is a holiday to have some fun with.  Depending on your industry, you could hold a variety of contests.  For a child care centre, offer prizes for best costumes.  If you’re in the food industry, you better be all over that Pumpkin Spice Craze (which actually starts September 1st).  You can go big and even host a pumpkin carving contest.

Remembrance Day – Saturday, November 11th

This is also a chance to show the personal and Canadian side of your business.  Try a patriotic promo geared towards veterans, those currently serving in the armed-forces, or even extend it to doctors, nurses, first-responders, etc.

Black Friday – Friday, November 24th

While Black Friday has mostly been an American day, it has traversed across the border. More and more Canadian businesses are getting involved. Popular promos are door busters, spend a certain amount and receive a discount, and cash and carry specials.  Black Friday is a day of sale hunting, and I suggest you start marketing your deals a few weeks in advance, as people will do their homework.

Cyber Monday – Monday, November 27th

Cyber Monday is basically a continuation of Black Friday with perhaps even better deals. It is primarily Internet sales based.  So if you have an online store, you can take advantage of this day.  Why not add an Ultimatum opt-in form where they will receive an additional discount if they subscribe to your mailing list?

What Holidays Should You Promote?

This can be a touchy subject for a lot of people, and especially worrisome for small business owners who don’t want to offend anyone.  My advice is speak from the heart.  If you celebrate Christmas, there’s no reason why you can’t say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!  Take the opportunity to learn more from someone who celebrates a different holiday than you.  Below are the major holidays around this time of year, and I apologize in advance if I missed anything.

Hanukkah – Tuesday, December 12th – Wednesday, December 20th

You can try a variety of marketing tactics for Hanukkah.  Why not do a Hanukkah Facebook Giveaway?  The goal is to gain more followers and grow your audience.  Or try a buy-one-get-one (BOGO) sale.  Feeling creative? Plan out a different promo for each day of Hanukkah.  Make sure you plan ahead for this one!

Christmas – Monday, December 25th

While receiving gifts can be fun, giving is even more fulfilling.  Make a Christmas promotion that stands out from your competitors and gets your target audience in the holiday spirit.  It doesn’t only have to be discounts and special promos, hold contests on Social Media to get your audience engaged.  Again, start marketing this a several weeks in advance, as the closer it gets to Christmas the more we want to relax and most businesses are closed!

Boxing Day – Tuesday, December 26th

Similar to Black Friday, people expect sales and promos on Boxing Day. Try a Buy-One-Get-One (BOGO) sale. It’s a win-win for people who want to give and receive! It is strongest in the retail sector, as most small businesses are closed on Christmas and Boxing Day.

 

Kwanzaa – Tuesday, December 26th – Monday, January 1st

Similar to other holidays around this time of year, Kwanzaa is a celebration of family, culture and community.  Give thanks and spread the message of peace, love and understanding.

New Years – Sunday, December 31st – Monday, January 1st

New Year’s marks the end of the indulgent holiday season and a time for new year’s resolutions.  The health and wellness industries come to mind as very prosperous after January 1st.  Start planning and marketing your New Year’s promos a few weeks in advance to get the word out. These promos can run throughout the month of January.

I hope this blog was helpful in outlining some of the upcoming holidays and some holiday marketing tips.  Even if you do not have a specific promo to run, acknowledging these special days is a way to connect with your followers and audience.  The holidays are a time for spreading messages of joy, peace and love.

If you need help planning your Holiday Marketing campaigns, now is the time!  Call us and let’s rock this holiday season so you can enjoy it with your loved ones too.

We’re here to help!  You can contact us directly, or comment on this blog post.  Sign up for our newsletter for even more tips.  You can find us everywhere online on FacebookTwitter, and LinkedIn.

Until next time,

Deanna