Can you believe that it’s almost that time of year again? Yes, yes, I know today is Halloween and while you may be more concerned with ghouls and goblins and trying to figure out what everyone in the office is dressed-up as today, it’s also a good time to start planning for some special holiday marketing. After all, tomorrow is November 1st and the holidays are right around the corner!
While the holidays are special times of the year for most people, for marketers the holidays offer an additional and unique opportunity to spread some cheer and to let your clients and customers know how much you appreciate them.
Here are a few tips for planning your holiday marketing strategy …
- Start planning today (yes … TODAY)
Decide what special marketing you would like to do for the holidays and plan timelines and timeframes for everything. The holidays will be here before you know it and planning ahead of time can make all of the difference. Start thinking about your goals, what you would like to accomplish, and how best to accomplish them. - Get your mailing list in order!
If you plan to send holiday cards and gifts, or send customized holiday emails, don’t put off organizing and reviewing your mailing lists. Take some time now and review your lists and organize your contacts appropriately. As we get closer to the holidays (and all the additional hustle and bustle associated with them!), you’ll be glad you organized your list ahead of time. - If you plan to send holiday cards, talk to your graphic designer and start generating ideas
Most people and businesses receive many, many holiday cards each year. In order to ensure that your card stands out, you’ll want to be sure that it has a creative design and is well thought out and presented. If at all possible, don’t use “canned” holiday cards. Make your card unique, creative, and meaningful. Of course, good design often takes time, so don’t put off designing your cards until the last minute! - Talk to your printer about deadlines to ensure your marketing pieces are printed and delivered on time
Holiday cards need to be mailed by certain dates each year to ensure that they are received at the appropriate time. Of course, time is also needed for the cards (or calendars, or other holiday marketing pieces you are printing) to be designed and printed too. Mark your calendar for printing and mailing deadlines and work your way backwards to set clear deadlines … and be sure to always leave a few days of extra time for delays or errors too. - Take advantage of discounts by printing early
Many printers offer large discounts for printing holiday cards, gifts and other pieces if you print early. As a matter of fact, many of our printers offer discounts of up to 75% off of holiday cards if ordered and printed in November. Order early and save money!
