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Holiday marketing is important because it lets you stay connected with your ideal prospects and clients.
It is also useful for getting your message heard during a time when most people are busy with the holidays. Keep in mind you’ll also be competing with:
- Holiday promotions
- Season and holiday sales
- Holiday deals
- Special offers, including Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and holiday shopping.
To get noticed you must stand out from the crowd.
When done correctly, holiday marketing can be a highly effective part of your overall marketing strategy. It allows your message to be heard and for you to be remembered after the holiday season!
Today you will learn holiday marketing tips including how to connect and get noticed, so you can ultimately attract and serve more ideal, profitable clients.
Holiday Marketing Strategy
Who is your ideal client?
The first step in creating a successful holiday marketing plan is knowing the type of client you want to attract.
This is important because your plan and message will be very different depending on the client’s demographics. For example, you wouldn’t use the same message to attract more traditional women (homemakers and wives) as you would male CEOs.
What do they love?
Once you know who you want to attract, the next step is to determine what they love and hate.
The best way to find this out is to simply ask them, and then deliver on it.
Here’s a real example for you: An advisor knows that his female clients and their partners love pie. So, for the holidays, he offers them a selection of pies to choose from. These were initially hand-delivered, but now his clients come by the office to pick them up. At last count, he had given away over 300 pies for the holidays!
But before you begin a tradition, make sure you can keep it up year to year. Once your client receives a special gift that they love, they will likely expect to receive it again.
Make your actions count
If you plan to send out a holiday card, then make it count. Remember that the goal is to engage your audience so they don’t forget you or the services you offer.
A picture of you with them is ideal if that is possible. If not, then send them something they value. Examples may include a picture of their favorite vacation spot, toy, or even a quote. And always include your tagline along with your required disclosures on your card.
Holiday Humor
If you have time, consider sending a Thanksgiving card with a heartfelt message or some humor to make them laugh. For inspiration, check out the Butterball® Turkey Talk-Line™ for funny stories to share.
These include a woman who buried her turkey in the snow because she didn’t have enough room in the freezer, and then called the hotline to help locate it. A father once called wanting to know how to best thaw his turkey. The operator heard running water in the background and was told that he was bathing his two children and decided to put the turkey into the bathtub with his children to thaw it.
One woman called because her Chihuahua was stuck inside the turkey and she couldn’t get it out! Another woman decided to clean her turkey with bleach and wanted to know how to get the bleach out of the turkey.
The stories go on and on and your clients will love them!
When to send a card
If you prefer to send a holiday card, send it by the end of November to ensure it gets noticed. Waiting to send out a holiday card around Christmas almost guarantees that your card and message will have less impact. This is because so many holiday cards are received at this time that yours may be overlooked.
Also, consider a New Year card if you still want to get noticed but can’t make the November deadline.
Wishing your prospects and clients a “Happy New Year” and a wonderful year ahead goes a long way, and improves your chances of getting noticed and remembered.
In today’s episode, you will learn:
- The holiday marketing strategy process. In addition, I will show you the best time of year to execute your strategy.
- How to connect and get noticed.
- What to do to grow your business during the holiday season.
- How advisors and entrepreneurs use lead generation strategies. Specifically, what advisors and consultants did to grow their revenue by 30-150%.
- What you need to do to be remembered.
- How to make an impression and get noticed.
- The steps to ensure you are remembered and even get “shelf life.”
- The best ideas for creating connections during the holidays.
- Why most advisors and consultants fail in their marketing efforts.
- How to create an attraction marketing strategy that brings your ideal prospect to you.
- The simple follow-up step that keeps you top of mind.
- Why relationship marketing is so critical. And more importantly, how to create connections with your prospects and clients.
- The marketing plan that allows you to leverage your time so you can focus on high-value activities.
- What you should avoid doing.
Holiday Marketing Ideas
Send a card
We covered this simple and inexpensive idea already, but it’s a great one!
You can see the third-party tool we use here: Relationship Marketing Demo
You can use the system here: Holiday Cards & Gifts
The best cards we have sent include pictures of my family. This is especially important if you serve affluent women and their partners.
Holiday gift giving
While this is more expensive, it can be a great way to show your prospects and clients that you care.
Before sending out champagne or chocolates, make sure you know what your ideal prospects and clients want or need.
While most people may think of traditional gifts, take a minute to get creative! You can offer holiday gift wrapping, babysitting, dog sitting, and even holiday shopping as a service.
Another creative idea is to donate to a favorite charity on behalf of your clients*. During your research, ask your clients to name their three favorite charities.
*If you make donations on behalf of your clients, I recommend saying “on behalf of the clients of ABC Coaching or Advisory Firm” instead of using the client’s name.
Holiday parties and events
The holiday season is a great time to host an open house at your office, home, or alternative location.
In-person events or parties are ideal and a great way to connect on a deeper level. They let your clients know that you care and allow you to get to know each other better.
If you have elderly clients or want to be cautious during flu season, then consider hosting a virtual party instead. You could hire a comedian, magician, musician, or singer to perform for everyone in the comfort of their homes.