Stay ahead this holiday season with these 10 overlooked marketing strategies to boost your sales and customer engagement.
November 27, 2024
10 Overlooked Christmas and New Year Marketing Strategies That Your Competitors Will Use Against You
As the festive season approaches, businesses are ramping up their Christmas and New Year marketing strategies to capture consumers’ attention and spending. With competition fiercer than ever, relying on traditional holiday marketing tactics might not be enough.
To increase sales during the holidays and stand out in the crowded marketplace, you need to leverage innovative strategies that your competitors might be using to outshine you. Here are 10 often overlooked Christmas and New Year marketing strategies that can give you the edge this holiday season.
1. Curated Gift Guides for Holiday Shoppers
Why it matters: During the holiday rush, shoppers often seek guidance to find the perfect Christmas gifts. Tailored gift guides simplify decision-making and can drive higher conversion rates.
The fix: Create gift guides targeting various demographics, such as “Gifts for Him, ” “Gifts Under $50, ” or “Last-Minute Christmas Gift Ideas.” Use real-time site personalization to showcase these guides to relevant audience segments. Promote them via personalized emails, SMS, push notifications, and social media to ensure maximum reach and relevance.
2. Implementing Digital Advent Calendars for Daily Engagement
Why it matters: Digital advent calendars create daily engagement opportunities, building anticipation and encouraging repeat visits to your website.
The fix: Develop a digital advent calendar offering daily deals, exclusive content, or holiday giveaways. Promote the calendar across email marketing campaigns, SMS, pop-ups, push notifications, and social media.
3. Promoting HSA/FSA Eligible Items Before Year-End Deadlines
Why it matters: Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) often have year-end deadlines, prompting consumers to utilize their funds.
The fix: Identify HSA/FSA-eligible products in your inventory. Highlight these items with badges or dedicated sections on your website. Create targeted customer segments who have shown interest in health-related products, and inform them about these options through personalized emails, SMS, and website pop-ups.
4. Interactive Emails with Embedded Holiday Games
Why it matters: Interactive content boosts engagement rates and makes your brand memorable in a crowded holiday inbox filled with Christmas promotions.
The fix: Include interactive elements like virtual scratch-offs cards or holiday-themed quizzes directly in your emails. Engage customers while offering discounts or personalized product recommendations based on their quiz answers.
An interactive AMP email marketing campaign from Bausch+Lomb. Recipients can assemble the puzzle right inside their inbox
5. Offering Flexible Delivery and Return Policies
Why it matters: Convenient delivery and return options can be deciding factors for holiday shoppers, especially for last-minute Christmas shopping.
The fix: Highlight your flexible policies using real-time website personalization. Display banners or pop-ups emphasizing express shipping options and extended return periods, tailored to each visitor’s browsing behavior. Use location-based targeting to show relevant shipping deadlines and options.
6. Leveraging Scarcity and Urgency in Holiday Promotions
Why it matters: Creating a sense of urgency can prompt quicker purchasing decisions during the holiday season.
The fix: Set up holiday marketing campaigns featuring countdown timers for limited-time offers based on time zones. Include a prominent call-to-action button near the timer. Leverage low stock alerts (“Only 1 left in your color”) and social proof (“23 people bought this item today”) on your website and in promotional emails.
A “Place order within 1 hour and we’ll deliver today” floating bar. Blossom Flower Delivery generates 9% incremental revenue through website personalization
7. Launching New Year-Specific Offers Aligned with Resolutions
Why it matters: The transition to the New Year is a prime time to promote products aligned with resolutions and new beginnings.
The fix: Segment your audience based on interests and past behavior to identify those interested in self-improvement or lifestyle changes. Send personalized offers on products like fitness equipment or planners, timed perfectly for New Year’s resolutions. Use omnichannel capabilities to reach customers via their preferred channels.
8. Enhancing Loyalty Programs with Exclusive Holiday Rewards
Why it matters: Retaining existing customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, and the holidays are a perfect time to strengthen customer loyalty.
The fix: Offer exclusive holiday rewards, such as double loyalty points or early access to Christmas sales. Use real-time site personalization to display escalating rewards or discounts based on total holiday spend. Send personalized notifications to loyal customers via email, SMS, and push notifications, encouraging them to take advantage of these limited-time perks.
For every $10 in the December receipt, MIXIT awards 1000 bonus points for purchases in January. Boosting customer loyalty by 90%: MIXIT’s enhanced loyalty program
MIXIT’s customers find out about the holiday promotion through email campaigns. Boosting customer loyalty by 90%: MIXIT’s enhanced loyalty program
9. Hosting a “Holiday Wishlist Fulfillment” Contest
Why it matters: Engages customers and provides valuable insights into their preferences, enhancing your holiday marketing strategy.
The fix: Allow loyalty program members to create a wishlist and enter a contest to win items from it. Promote the contest through emails campaigns, SMS, pop-ups, push notifications, and social media. Collect data on customer preferences to inform future marketing strategies and personalize future offers.
10. Focusing on Post-Holiday Engagement for Sustained Growth
Why it matters: Maintaining momentum after the holidays can lead to sustained sales growth and customer retention.
The fix: Set up post-holiday marketing campaigns targeting gift card holders or promoting New Year clearance sales. Send personalized messages encouraging customers to redeem their gift cards or take advantage of post-holiday deals. Adjust messaging and product recommendations based on customer interactions during the holiday season.
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By incorporating these innovative Christmas and New Year marketing strategies into your holiday campaigns, you can outshine your competitors and build stronger relationships with your customers. Don’t let your competitors outmaneuver you—embrace these tactics to make this holiday season your most successful yet.
Wishing you a prosperous holiday season!