Article by Entreprenuer Magazine. 

Article by Entreprenuer Magazine. 

We have officially entered the holiday season! October through January is filled with holidays from Halloween to New Years. As a small business, you can take advantage of this joyful time by taking your marketing efforts to the next level. There are many different ways a small business can celebrate (and profit from) the holidays, so let’s jump right into to our extensive guide. Read the article recap below or link to the full article.

Customer Appreciation

1. Holiday cards:  Send out personalized holiday cards to your most loyal customers. While your customers expect to receive a Christmas card from their grandparents, they aren’t expecting one from your small business. This will be sure to leave a positive impression and shows that you truly appreciate your loyal customers. 

2. Kid-friendly fun: A great way to capture customers is through their kids. Hold a kids’ contest like a make-your-own-ornament contest or holiday coloring contest. You can give away one big prize or give everyone small prizes, like halloween candy or swag. 

3. Entertainment:  Not just the kids need to be entertained while they are out shopping. Think about hiring musicians or a DJ to play in your store or outside your restaurant to attract customers and get them in a joyful mood.

4. Giveaways:  Who doesn’t love free stuff? Show your customers how much you appreciate them by giving away useful items with each purchase, like good-quality wrapping paper or ribbons for gift wrapping. You could also give away nice gifts with purchase, that can serve as stocking stuffers. Customers will be more likely to buy so they can receive the free gift. 

5. Perks:  Use perks to stay competitive during the holiday season. Draw in customers with perks such as free shipping, gift-wrapping options, double loyalty points or guaranteed-before-Christmas delivery dates.

Holiday Sales

6. Black Friday:  Black Friday is one of the biggest sales of the year, so you should take advantage of this day too. As Mashable states, “Using whatever data-driven analytics you’ve got access to, figure out the products that are most in-demand for your target market, and then give your customers what they want: A deal they can’t find elsewhere.”

7. Small Business Saturday:  A sales day dedicated to small businesses cannot go unnoticed. Reward customers who shop local with special deals and offers on Small Business Saturday.

8. Cyber Monday:  Cyber Monday has become one of the most profitable days for businesses selling online. In order to provide your customers with the best possible experience on this day, ensure that your website -- both desktop and mobile -- is optimized in the weeks leading up to these holiday sales. 

Special Publicity

9. Partnerships:  Partner with other local businesses by putting their coupons in customers’ shopping bags, and have them do the same with yours. The more variety in participating businesses the better, as customers are probably in need of many different holiday supplies (e.g. food, gifts, decoration).

10. Local publicity: A great way to get some local publicity is by getting listed in local holiday gift guides. This could be in the form of a local magazine, or a local blogger sharing their “Top 20 Gifts For Your Mom." Compile a list of relevant media outlets and bloggers and reach out with a free sample.

11. Decoration:  There’s something magical about a store window filled with a beautiful holiday display. It’s also a great way to promote your business to casual passersby. Find some time to add beautiful holiday-themed decor to your storefront to get into the spirit. Even online businesses can add some festive flair by adjusting their website design to match the season.

12. Charity:  People in the holiday spirit like to give back to a good cause. As a small business, you should consider giving back to your community during the holiday season. You can add a charitable element in various ways. Maybe you donate a small portion of your proceeds to a local animal shelter, you might set up a donation box in your establishment, or you could organize a toy drive in partnership with surrounding businesses. You’ll get customers in the door, while also promotion a charity and your own business.

Now it’s time to map out your small business’ holiday marketing strategy. You can start by picking one or two options that most suit your small business and go from there. The holiday season can bring your business a lot of good, in terms of revenue, new customers and publicity.

For more details, read the whole article at: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/302718

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