Show That You Care
It is always great for any brand’s image to show they are committed to diversity, inclusivity, and the betterment of the environment. Displaying your stance is something you should do often regardless of the season.
However, the 2021 holiday season is a good time to show you care about the environmental and social issues your audience cares about.
You can post about your favorite charities or about your donations to local ones. You can even deliver presents to underprivileged children or disadvantaged communities and share the joy. If you have a diverse group of people working in your company, maybe post a “rainbow coalition” of your employees.
If your brand is cutting back on its carbon footprint, maybe show some statistics of how it’s making a positive change in the world.
However, you must remember that these are sensitive issues, and you have to be extra careful when you market them. Many mega brands have fallen into this trap, and they never came out the same. Just make sure your motivations are sincere and not just a marketing gimmick.
Most people and customers can tell when a brand is “diversity washing” or “greenwashing” their audiences easily.
Engage Through Conversations
This is something you want to start doing immediately if you want to reap its benefits in time for your 2021 holiday marketing.
Engaging audiences with conversations on social media not only increases your customer engagement but also helps ensure that social media algorithms show your posts on top to those who “liked” or commented on your previous posts.
Almost every social media platform uses algorithms to connect people with brands that their users engage with. Simply put, conversations help get your posts in front of audiences more often.
For increased engagement, you can post questions ahead of the holidays asking your followers what they like most about a certain holiday, what their favorite holiday tradition is, or what they want from their holiday season.
Although, you must remember that a conversation is a two-way street. Therefore, you have to stay on top of the comments, whether positive or negative. Simply asking questions and then ignoring the answers will not help. In fact, it creates a negative impression of your brand rather than a positive one.
If you cannot find the time or resources to engage with your audiences, conversations may not be your thing. For those who can, starting now will ensure you get maximum results when the time comes to launch your 2021 holiday marketing campaigns.
Incorporate Loyalty Programs
If you have any experience as a marketer, you know how great loyalty programs are and how well they work. They are a tried-and-tested marketing strategy that yields excellent results. Hence, incorporating them into your 2021 holiday marketing campaigns is a no-brainer.
It can truly give you the competitive edge you need this holiday season. You can design separate marketing campaigns for your loyal customers or give them special treatment in your existing ones. You want to give them the perks they deserve for their loyalty.
If you can create a seamless and exclusive experience for them, you will likely end up with more sales and more loyal customers, who will continue to benefit your brand and business long after the holiday season is over.
Prepare Your Website
Your website is the home of your business and the face of your brand. It should be dynamic without compromising on your core brand image. Any website worth visiting repeatedly is one that’s changing or updating constantly.
Adding a holiday theme to your website that targets your audiences is a nice way to show your holiday spirit and highlight your holiday offers. You just need to make sure the changes are attractive and do not hinder the user-friendliness of your website.
There is such a thing as overdoing it, and you do not want to change the things your visitors love about your website. Often brands go for things like special holiday countdown clocks or holiday-themed landing pages to avoid excessive changes on their website.
You will also want to consider some very practical things before you get carried away. Your website must be prepared to handle the increased holiday traffic to ensure visitors and customers have a smooth experience, and you must also ensure that all changes are responsive on mobile devices.
If you can deliver a seamless, holiday-themed website experience without compromising on practicality and function, your website may just be the highlight of your 2021 holiday marketing efforts.
Avoid Excessively Promotional Messages
Holidays are hectic, and people are bombarded with promotional messages everywhere they look. Whether it’s email, social media, print media, or even the office message board, there is always someone promoting something for the holidays.
This is why your marketing messages need to find a balance and not come off as too promotional. Of course, you still need to market your products and promote your brand. You are a company that needs to generate revenue after all.
However, you must do it in a smart way.
Think of creative marketing messages that deliver your ideas without complicating or exaggerating the pitch. A simple yet effective technique is to acknowledge the difficulties around the holiday season and highlight the efforts you are making to overcome them.
You can also focus on the things that have always made your brand great. Audiences appreciate that a brand isn’t being overly promotional or changing its messaging and sticking to its guns during a time when everyone else is going crazy.
You can easily promote your brand, market your products, and run all your 2021 holiday marketing campaigns without excessive marketing messages and with simple, positive holiday traditions. It is a great way to add authenticity and sincerity to your brand and marketing campaigns.
