Holiday Tips for Digital Marketers

The holidays in 2020 don’t look like any holiday in recent memory, and not for very happy or fun reasons. As if the holidays weren’t stressful enough on their own, we have to deal with a deadly virus, lockdowns, stay-at-home orders, quarantine procedures, our family members’ opinions about all of the above and a contentious election that doesn’t seem to want to end. Don’t look at these as problems—but as opportunities. Here are some of our tips for digital marketing in this weirdest holiday season ever.

Offer Some Deals

Although Black Friday is looking less and less like the insane rugby scrum of years past, it is still A Thing. If there’s one thing we associate with Black Friday, it’s getting those amazing deals. You might think this kind of strategy only makes sense with retail, but it can work for digital marketers, too. You could offer a discounted rate for one of the services you offer. Or a coupon code that accomplishes the same thing; gate it off with a form and capture some information. If prospective clients are interested in your discounted services, that’s what we call a “solid lead.”

Be Clever, But Don’t Get Cute

Some brands, like Coca-Cola, can get away with big, fuzzy polar bears rolling around in the snow to sell their sugar drink (we call it pop in West Virginia). And when you have a hundred years of name recognition and you solidified how Santa Claus looks in marketing across the entire world for the rest of time, you can get cutesy, too. For the rest of us, just stick to the facts. Be clever as you like, but don’t get too sugary, and don’t try too hard to appeal to young people. That’s evergreen advice, and it’s extra important when toys and candy and cookies are on everybody’s mind.

Lean on Email and Automation 

Your messaging doesn’t need to slow down too much while you’re sipping eggnog, spinning the dreidel, lighting the candles, prepping for a fast, or ordering Chinese food with your dog. And you don’t have to be on the stick (or at the keyboard, if you’re not a pilot) prepared to make a correction. Most people aren’t going to be sitting in front of their computers or visiting their favorite websites for new content; rather, this is a perfect time to engage them where they are: scrolling social media and reading email. The great news about those avenues is that you can write your messages early and schedule them to roll out at predetermined times. Just make sure nothing newsworthy happens that might make your messaging seem tone-deaf.

Get Started Early

The holidays are a week away and you haven’t done anything yet! You haven’t planned anything! It’s okay, we’re digital marketers. Everything we do is last minute, right? No, of course not. You plan every single move you make down to a task list parceled out to each member of your team, long before anything is ever needed. 

Okay, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle, if you’re lucky, and you have time to think about what you want to do. The truth of the matter is that the holidays are all about anticipation and the delight of the expected unknown. This is an opportunity for you to tease your audience with some of the cool content you plan to roll out or that coupon code we talked about earlier. You probably shouldn’t start teasing your Black Friday deals in July, but early is good.

It’s Okay to Be Sincere

Your employees love each other, even if they fight like siblings sometimes. Your clients think you’re doing a great job, and you’re thankful for the ability to provide them a service. The holidays are also about love, acceptance, and gratitude. Don’t be afraid to show that side of yourself to the people who matter to you. We could all use a little more joy in 2020. You might be surprised how far a little “I appreciate you” message can go in spreading more of that holiday cheer.

If you’d like to get some of that delicious holiday cheer of your own (or the digital marketing variety), get in touch with us today!