Your Guide to Building Holiday Marketing Campaigns

The festive months often mark a peak sales period for businesses nationwide. In 2023, holiday retail sales soared to a record $929.5 billion. By crafting an effective holiday marketing campaign, you can take advantage of this season to grow your business.



The opportunities for your brand are plentiful but not easy. With the market full of jingling promotions, most brands struggle to cut through the noise. Don't worry. This guide to holiday marketing strategy will help you send sales soaring as high as Santa Claus's sled.

Start Your Campaigns Early

More and more people check off their shopping lists well before the gift exchange. Half of U.S. consumers intend to start holiday shopping in October or earlier.

Start long before Christmas Eve. The sooner you begin, the more time you have to strategize, create content, and refine your campaigns. Map out your timeline, and build in plenty of time to brainstorm and test.

Invest In Holiday Ads

During the holidays, it's extra important to spend your money wisely. At Optimize, we offer advertising packages tailored to the best platforms for your brand.

Budget for Impact

Many businesses see a dip in online engagement during the holidays. There's increased competition as brands spend more on holiday ads, and the social media algorithms change to reflect increased ad spends and seasonal behavior. Many of your customers are busy with family gatherings and festive fun. They spend less time online, and businesses report less reach on their posts. 

Budget accordingly. During the holiday shopping season, your advertising budget should be a larger percentage of your total spend than in less competitive months. If your ads are strong, you'll recoup additional costs. 

This is also the season when business-to-consumer (B2C) brands see a surge in customer spending.

Choose the Right Platforms and Ad Types

Decide where you want to advertise. What types of holiday ads will most benefit your brand?

If you want to boost your brand with Google ads, try a blend of search and display ads. Text-based search ads appear on search engine results pages (SERPs) and target users looking for specific keywords, capturing immediate interest. Display ads are found on third-party websites. They build brand awareness or remind people who visit your site about your brand.

As for social media, choosing the best platform for your business requires you to understand your target audience. Where do they spend their time online? These platforms let you target your ideal audience based on demographics and interests. Social media posts are also good sources of user-generated content. 

Also, think about where they want to interact with your brand. A retail store with a young audience may do well on Instagram. However, that audience may be more receptive to LinkedIn ads if you offer products or services designed for professionals.

Craft Your Ads Carefully

Use the holiday theme to persuade shoppers to grab their wallets. Think about the success major brands like Coca-Cola have with seasonal content.

Create the right content for your platforms of choice. Visual appeal is key for Meta ads — which includes Facebook and Instagram — so pick your most high-quality images and short-form videos. Then add holiday flair with themed templates from free design tools like Canva or VistaCreate.

In search ads, target holiday-related keywords to grab people shopping for gifts or looking for things to do with their families. Other relevant terms work, too. For example, a business offering financial services shouldn't try to attract people needing "stocking stuffers." But keywords like "holiday budgeting tips" or "year-end tax advice" drive traffic to the right landing page.

Use Email & SMS Marketing

Paid ads allow you to reach new audiences. But your most valuable audience is the one you already own — your existing customer base. Returning customers spend an average of 67% more than new ones.

Leverage email and SMS marketing to engage your subscribers and tell them about our holiday specials. Email is one of the most popular forms of marketing with consumers, and SMS is great at cutting through the holiday noise with a direct message.

Personalized Promotions

Email and SMS allow brands to tailor messages. More than 70% of customers expect personalization and grow frustrated when they don't get it.

Boost engagement and conversion by customizing promotions based on customer history such as past purchases or known interests. Our CRM software, powered by Epicor, streamlines this process for campaigns that appeal to each customer.

Re-engagement Strategies

Email and SMS can re-engage inactive customers. Remind people why they liked you in the first place. Get them to return with limited-time offers or exclusive promotions that spur immediate action.

Review and Feedback Requests

Use the additional business to gather customer reviews and feedback. Reviews help establish credibility and provide insights for improvement. Ask for them via email or SMS after purchases.

Show Your Customers You Care

The holidays are the perfect time to show appreciation. Make customers feel valued and encourage them to stay loyal this season and the coming year.

Holiday Specials and Discounts

In 2023, individuals expected to spend an average of $1,652 over the holidays, paying for gifts, experiences, and other holiday-related expenses. Help them make the most of every dollar.

Think about bundling products or throwing flash sales to spark urgency, or try one of these ideas for creative holiday marketing campaigns:

• Free gift with purchase
• Buy one, get one offers
• Limited-edition holiday products
• Charity partnerships

Whether through fun extras, or donations to a good cause, find ways of giving customers more value this season.

Loyalty Programs

The holidays are a good time to reward your loyal customers and establish an emotional connection through loyalty programs. Give dedicated fans exclusive deals or invite them to a special holiday sale.

Provide Ideas to Holiday Shoppers

Tap into the holiday spirit during this chaotic time of the year.

Gift Cards

Gift cards are a handy option. They give recipients the freedom to choose what they want and make shopping easier for people buying for their pickiest friends and family members. They're also great options for service businesses that don't offer easily-wrapped goods.

Stocking Stuffers

Small, affordable items make great stocking stuffers. You could offer a range of mini products, such as travel-sized beauty items, gourmet treats, or novelties. If you have a brick-and-mortar shop, place these near the cash register to inspire impulse add-ons to a purchase.

Branded Items or Company Swag

Branded merchandise — such as mugs, tote bags, and apparel — makes gifts that help recipients remember your brand. Starbucks holiday cups are a great example.

Holiday Cookbook

A holiday cookbook featuring favorite team recipes showcases your brand's personality and fosters customer relationships. You could sell a physical book or provide a free version online designed to be shared with friends.

Merry Marketing

To craft a successful holiday marketing campaign, start early, invest wisely, and engage customers with fun offers and personalized promotions. These tactics help you create experiences consumers will remember long after the season ends.

You don't have to do everything yourself — particularly when you're celebrating the holiday. At Optimize, we're passionate about helping our clients make the most of their marketing efforts so they can focus on their business.

If you're ready to take your holiday campaign to the next level, schedule your free consultation today and discover how we can support your success this festive season.