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Unwrapped! Seasonal Branding and Marketing Tips for 2016
You might think it is too early to start talking about Christmas, but when it comes to seasonal marketing, it is never too early. There are some brands that spend their whole year planning their Christmas marketing campaigns and rightly so! In 2015, the UK spent over £70bn between November and the end of December so for brands looking to cash in, it really is the most wonderful time of the year.
Although consumers are naturally spending more money, we’ve unwrapped our top tips to help you get a head-start on your seasonal branding.
Prepare your Content
Preparation really is key when it comes to running a successful Christmas marketing campaign and developing a clear and precise marketing schedule for the entire holiday season is vital. This is best done several months in advance and the sooner you start the better. You may be running several product offerings or sales throughout the months running up to Christmas so you need to ensure you have all your marketing assets prepared.
The likeliness is you will use a combination of assets to make up your campaign so allowing that extra time to prepare your assets will be crucial for your business. You need to have a clear idea of your messaging throughout the season so identify keep dates in the calendar.
Black Friday (November 25th) and Cyber Monday (November 28th) are “holidays” that have only just been introduced to the UK from America but already a lot of big brands such as John Lewis, Amazon and Currys are cashing in. Running sales on these days can be a great way to increase sales and raise brand awareness. Bear this in mind and make note of these important dates in your content calendar.
Calendarise your Content
We all know how tough it is to buy gifts for everyone on your list and for many; Christmas involves a last minute dash to buy those last few bits. Help alleviate this annual tradition by starting your campaign early and encouraging consumers to start their Christmas shopping with you. Promote your best sellers early on in the season and make your marketing message loud and clear.
Remember, customers will typically have five interactions with your brand before they make a final purchase decision. The earlier you start your campaign, the more likely your consumers are going to have those five interactions. People might scoff when they see Christmas campaigns in late-October but starting the hype early will inevitably work in your favour. The key here is to market little and often to avoid annoying consumers. Depending on your area of business, you could also consider sharing extra seasonal inspiration.
For those people that are last minute panic buying though, why not offer some last minute gift ideas? Once again, promote some of your best sellers but also the ones that won’t break the bank. This is a perfect way to snatch up those last minute sales.
Manage your List and Target your Audience
One of the best ways to engage with you audience is with personalised content. Sending personalised message will increase the chances of them shopping with you over the festive season. Remember, consumers will be looking for the best possible deal but engaging with them on a personal level might just be the tipping point to help you win the sale.
If you have a CRM database, make the most of it with personalised mailers. If you also have data on your consumers buying habits, use this data to re-engage them by sending them offers on products you think they might like. Tracking customers online can also allow you to re-engage with them by sending emails to remind them about the products they might have left in their online basket.
Alternatively, why not reward your regular customers, it is Christmas after all! Send them a promotional voucher or maybe even a small gift. Not only will it bring you extra business, it will also remind your customers why they shop with you. It will also get your customers talking to their friends and family about you, potentially bringing you in even more sales.
Revisit your Branding for the Holiday Season
Whether you have a physical store or an online store, give your store, website and social media channels a slight rebrand. This will inevitably strengthen your brand’s overall position in the consumer’s mind. We’re not saying you need to overhaul your whole website or store as this isn’t cost effective, but there are a few small things you can do to add some festive cheer with the addition of web banners, in-store promotional materials or social-media posts. After all, nothing gets people in the Christmas mood like the proper decorations and ambience.
Depending on the size of your brand, you may want to produce a new style guide to ensure your colours; fonts and other design elements are on point and this will help with the overall design of your marketing assets and ensure brand consistency across all consumer touch points. Having consistency across all touchpoints will help your consumers distinguish your marketing message from your competitors and consistency makes your recognisable!
So there you have it, a few things to consider help you win those all important holiday sales.
Brand Centurion web-to-print and asset management tool really is the gift that just keeps giving. Store, create and distribute all your seasonal print and digital marketing assets with one, powerful, easy-to-use portal.
We also offer a wide range of print services and seasonal promotional materials to ensure your business is Christmas ready.
For a demo of Brand Centurion or to find out more about our print services, call today on 01293 660722.
Written by Liam Beauchamp for Burst Digital on 10/10/2016
