1. Prepare for the Holidays Earlier

With every passing year, the holiday craze begins earlier. This means that businesses must begin their holiday marketing efforts sooner to capture eager early holiday shoppers. 

In addition, consumers are shopping earlier due to supply-chain issues. Worldwide, there are container ships backing up ports. This means that popular products may not make it in time. As a result, shoppers are avoiding extended shipping times and product shortages by opting to buy earlier. 

In short, if you’re just thinking about promoting your holiday specials or services now, you’re already too late. Planning your upcoming marketing is critical to ensuring a smooth and profitable holiday season. After all, who has time during this chaos to schedule social posts or send out an e-blast? We strategically plan all your marketing ahead of time so you can focus on what matters most, running your business.  

2. Update Your Website

Did you know that 76% of consumers search for a company's online presence before visiting their physical location? That's a substantial number of potential customers evaluating your business before they even walk in the door.  

Websites are a valuable business tool. At a minimum, websites are a source of information that lets customers know what your business offers and how to obtain what you sell. When your website contains outdated information and has poor functionality, you risk losing business.  

Having all your information up to date and your website is functioning properly will spare you a lot of headaches. Shoppers will want to stay updated on your latest promotions, hours, and other pertinent information.  

As a digital marketing agency, we take the time to ensure your website is working as efficiently as possible. From a modern design to key functionalities, we make your website a valuable business tool. 

3. Have Your Business be Discoverable in New Places

During the holidays, it's an endless sea of advertisements. From commercials to print ads, you can't escape it. However, these ads are often advertising to a large audience. Many of the people who see their ads may not be the right demographic. It's like throwing a dart while blindfolded! 

But what if you could make your business pop up to people searching for businesses or products like yours? This is where pay-per-click ads (PPC) help your business stand out from the rest. With pay-per-click, you can target relevant keywords that make your ads appear at the top of a search query on Google. What's even better is you only pay when someone clicks. Every dollar goes towards generating relevant leads.  

As a certified Google Partner, we know the ins and outs of pay-per-click. We'll create high-performing campaigns that get the most for your buck. Unlike other agencies, we constantly monitor your campaigns so they're always performing optimally.  

4. Get Social on social media

Social media is no longer just a place to catch up with friends and see cute dog photos (as much as we love that). With its evolution, it's changed consumers' shopping habits and interactions with companies. Consumers can now have more personal interactions with businesses they love and from brands, they've just discovered. 

Consumers now expect their favorite businesses and brands (both local and global) to: 

• Provide updates on new products, restocks, and promotions 

• Answer questions and respond to reviews 
• Be easily shoppable-both in-app and website 
• Create an online community that contributes to greater interaction with the brand 

We help businesses cut through the noise on social media. With carefully curated content, we push beyond a few pretty posts. We focus on the user experience that boosts engagement and sales. We use social media to need to build a community around your business. 

5. Get Creative

The demand from consumers is there. Capturing their attention may be an issue. With the competition so fierce this year, your marketing needs to be creative. Every business is blasting its latest specials and gift cards. What's going to help your business reach your target audience?  

Final Notes 

Putting your eggs in one basket is no longer the most effective strategy. Instead, you need a diverse marketing strategy that is ready for anything. This is a culmination of paid ads, email campaigns, social media posts, and more. 

Marketing earlier will help you content with the competition. It also will enable your business to capture increased holiday shoppers. Make sure your marketing strategy has a strong foundation. Your marketing should create a seamless experience both online and in-person. From e-blasts to social posts, your messaging should be creative and informative to capture the attention of customers.  

In short: 

• Start marketing earlier because consumers are shopping sooner. Be prepared for frustrated customers if gifts don't come in in time.  
• Make sure your website is up to date with your hours, promotions, and in-stock products. Poor load time and other functionalities will hinder the user experience.  
• Utilize paid search ads like Google Ads to reach your target audience. 
• Get active on social media, your audience expects it. Respond to reviews, answer questions, and keep your followers updated. 
• Get creative with your marketing. There's a lot of competition to stand out against.