What You Need to Know About Holiday Marketing in 2020

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Oct 26, 2020 8:15:00 AM

What You Need to Know About Holiday Marketing in 2020

After a long period of being stuck inside and unable to visit loved ones, people are looking forward to the holidays now more than ever. Many families are eagerly anticipating the upcoming months as the first thing they've really been able to look forward to in 2020. This includes shopping for the perfect gifts as they get into the holiday spirit.

If you want your business to be fully prepared this season, your holiday marketing will need to reflect the times and cater to customers' needs and wants. Here we'll go over some things you need to consider when planning your holiday marketing in 2020.

Adapting to the Times

When preparing your holiday marketing strategies for 2020, keep in mind that there are certain differences to look out for this year. Some of these differences include:

  • Sales are moving to all-digital formats
  • Sales are starting earlier and lasting longer
  • There are limitations for in-store customers
  • Most retailers aren't opening on Thanksgiving
  • Sanitary and safety precautions are being put in place for COVID-19

Preparing for each of these changes can help you remain competitive and meet the needs of your customers throughout the holiday season.

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Tips for Marketing This Holiday Season

As you develop your marketing plans for the holidays, there are certain steps you'll need to take if you want to succeed this year. The following are some helpful tips for how to change your holiday marketing to reflect these changing times.

1. Start Advertising Soon

To get a head start on your holiday marketing campaigns and appeal to early shoppers, you should begin advertising plans early. According to a Deloitte survey, early-bird consumers who begin shopping before Thanksgiving tend to spend as much as $400 more than post-Thanksgiving shoppers. To attract people who are doing their shopping well before the actual holiday season, it pays to advertise as early as October or early November.

For example, you may want to advertise with marketing materials that highlight the benefits of shopping early. People who are considering shopping before the holidays may see your content and ads, leading them to an early sale. Once they're interested in what you have to offer, consumers may not buy from you early. However, you can begin hinting at deals that you plan on offering to customers around the holidays. This will keep them engaged and build excitement around your offerings as the holidays approach.

2. You Need to Cater to the Times

Many consumers are feeling fatigued from the stress resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, election season, and other factors. They also expect businesses to meet their needs as they rely on eCommerce more than ever. Through your holiday marketing, try to empathize with customers and show them that you understand their frustrations and inconveniences. At the same time, you need to make sure your business is prepared to accommodate customers during these unprecedented times.

For instance, your business may still be open on certain days, but you should take the time to make sure there are sanitary precautions in place for in-store customers. In your marketing, you can advertise that you understand people's concerns, which is why you're taking these precautions to give them a safe and pleasant shopping experience. 

3. Be Transparent

People also appreciate transparency in their marketing. Make it clear to your audiences what you're doing to help them enjoy the holidays and stay healthy. A survey from Label Insight found that 94% of respondents were likely to be loyal to a completely transparent brand. Seventy-three percent stated that they would be eager to pay a greater amount for a product with complete transparency.

During the holidays, you can offer transparency to customers by disclosing details about your products they want to know, from ingredients and the eco-friendliness of manufacturing processes. As a result, you'll be more likely to attract customers who may not be as trusting of your competitors.

4. Let Consumers Know What to Expect

You should also make sure your audience knows what to expect when purchasing from you this holiday season. If you are going to change your hours, make them easy to find to prevent any unpleasant surprises. If you're closed on certain days throughout the holidays, this should also be made clear to your audience. In addition to information about hours and days of operation, provide details around the specific safety precautions you're taking to keep shoppers safe from COVID-19 exposure while in stores. 

5. Share Sneak Peeks to Spark Excitement

To build up some excitement around the holidays this year, you may also be planning on a big sale during a specific period. In the days or even weeks leading up to the sale, you can get shoppers amped up by giving some sneak peeks. Offering some early discounts can also encourage early sales and attract more loyal customers as the holidays approach. It's truly never too early to start giving sneak peeks, either. Consider what Walmart advertised back in August and how that may have worked to attract some early attention.

One way to effectively gain and keep customers' attention with digital marketing is to put a countdown on your website or social media pages. As that clock counts down to the day of the sale, your audiences will be ready to jump on those deals.

Learn 5 Ways to Spend Your Digital Dollars Wisely

Get Started with a Comprehensive Holiday Marketing Strategy

When preparing for the holidays in 2020, taking all of these steps will help ensure you're ready to attract and retain customers. If you want to succeed, it's important to get started right away. To help you develop an effective comprehensive holiday marketing strategy, consider working with a media partner. The ideal partner will be able to help you cover every aspect of your advertising campaigns and gear them for success.

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