What role does content marketing play for start-ups?
Theresa Imre, Managing Director of the successful digital farmers’ market markta.at, reveals in the current podcast what digital content marketing has achieved for her start-up.
When the team asked me to share my holiday marketing tips for this year I honestly thought “Predicting things in 2020 … what a great idea …” But hey, let’s give it a try – here are my 5 tips to make your seasonal marketing stand out in 2020. You can blame me in January if my predictions didn’t come true.
Holiday Marketing Tip 1: Start YESTERDAY!
During the first lockdown, we’ve all learned that deliveries occasionally take a bit longer than usual. And we don’t want to risk dad’s new smoothie maker arriving late for Christmas, do we? That’s why consumers are planning to start Christmas shopping earlier than usual, and that’s why YOU shouldn’t wait until Black Friday or Cyber Monday to start your holiday social media campaign.
Furthermore, my assumption is that the current crisis will impact the length and complexity of customer journeys, as consumers simply have more questions than usual.
- Will we be able to visit our loved ones?
- Will we be able to hand over our gifts in person or will they be dispatched upfront?
- Can we meet them for a punch at a Christmas market?
- Will there even be Christmas markets? (yes, for us Austrians that’s important ;))
And the recurring question of what to gift gets even trickier to answer without having the option of strolling through the lovely decorated shopping streets. Browsing will take place online this year, which brings me to my next tip:
Holiday Marketing Tip 2: Stay close(d)?
Another thing you should consider in your holiday marketing plan is that a huge part of the customer journey will take place online this season. Customers will go buy online, rather than shop in physical stores (if at all).
The number of search queries for “available near me” or “curbside pickup” has exploded during the first lock-down period this year and I expect this behavior to continue. Therefore, make sure to prepare your business accordingly, offer online alternatives where possible, vouchers and always keep your Google profile up to date, including information about opening hours, pick-up options etc.
Holiday Marketing Tip 3: Hello Boomer 😉
Not only has the frequency of online shopping increased but also the number of first-time digital customers did.
This makes a frictionless user experience across devices and age groups essential. Also, providing additional assistance will be vital and might give you a competitive advantage: Being there to answer questions and offering support in order to avoid additional sources of uncertainty. My recommendation here is to put a special focus on Community Management and customer support this season, besides providing a flawless shopping experience.
Holiday Marketing Tip 4: Actions speak louder than words.
Christmas has always been the season of giving back. This year has been tough for most of us. So please stay away from overloading consumers with empty promises. Give them a real reason to buy. Something they can relate to. Communicate your purpose! (We have tips on that too.)
With more choices than ever before, consumers can align their purchase decisions with companies that have ethical practices and shared beliefs.
Source: “Be ready for 5 shifts in shopping behavior this holiday season” by Think with Google
COVID-19 outbreak has shown that people expect brands to react with action, not just marketing gestures.
Source: Edelman Trust Barometer, Special Report: Brand Trust & the Coronavirus Pandemic, SP, March 2020
You might think “I need to focus on sales, not brand image at this time of the year” and I fully agree. But focusing on value- and purpose-driven communication doesn’t mean neglecting sales. Rightly done, it simply provides you with an additional argument to close your deal. Show them the difference you’ve made, the actions you’ve taken, the initiatives you’ve started and showcase the products that prove it.
Building your holiday content marketing around those topics will not only drive sales but also make your community talk and thereby boost your organic reach and indirect sales at the same time.
Which leads me to my next and last tip:
Holiday Marketing Tip 5: Support each other
2020 wasn’t easy and many will try to give it a positive spin towards the end. So how about instead of facing the highest competition ever – once for all – we team up with other local businesses or like-minded corporations to maximize results on both ends? Just give it a thought, here are some stats that might help you with that decision 😉
All the best for your Q4 holiday marketing strategies and campaigns. In case you are looking for advice or support, you know where to find us.
Let us elevate your holiday marketing
Read other articles connected to content marketing
The Ultimate Content Marketing Checklist
Step into the arena and own your content marketing! We share our expert tips so you can get the best content marketing results in 2021.
How to make your holiday marketing campaigns stand out
The holiday shopping season starts earlier this year. With all the safety precautions people are taking, we’ve got the tips you need to make your holiday campaign shine.
