5 Small Business Marketing Ideas for Holiday Season
The holidays are the time to shine for local small businesses! Shoppers love to support local to find that one-of-a-kind gift for loved ones. But the holiday craze gets overwhelming for everyone–people ultimately want two things: (1) gifts they feel good about and (2) an easy process to find it. So as business owners, it’s your goal to get in front of shoppers in a fun and stress-free way that makes them say “Yep, done!” Here’s a few marketing ideas that can help you do just that:
1) Reel/Video Series of Gift Ideas for Specific People
Creating a series is a great way to stay consistent on social media without having to think of new posts! Plus, this content is exactly what people are looking for–everyone has that one family member or friend who’s impossible to shop for. Each week, create a short video offering specific gift suggestions from your business for ‘dads’, ‘moms’, ‘nature enthusiasts’, ‘foodies’, ‘teenagers’, ‘crafty ones’ or other categories. Thinking of gift ideas is often the most stressful part– this shows off your products or services in a fun way that people appreciate.
2) Make Gift Cards More Meaningful
People often shy away from gift cards because they believe them to be impersonal. Up your gift card game with great packaging to make the card feel more special. Better yet, have a few different packaging choices that shoppers can customize themselves. Offer different gift card packages or bundles, i.e. pair the gift card with a product or two with a themed title for the package. Then–post, post, post! Take some nice photos of the full gift card packaging placed under the tree and people will envision it for themselves ;)
source: Warby Parker
source: dieline.come
3) Get on the List
There are plenty of ‘best gifts’ lists on the internet and locally. Written by news outlets, bloggers, or influencers, the list creators are always looking for great new ideas. Don’t wait for them to come to you–ask them if they’re planning a piece like this and suggest something you offer that would be a great fit. Here’s a few local examples from past years:
Rochester Gift Guide | Visit Rochester
Rochester Experiences that Make Great Gifts | Day Tripping Rochester
Food Gift Ideas Foodies Will Love | Democrat & Chronicle
4) Sell More Than Products
Feeling like you don’t have something to offer as a service-based business? Think again! People crave experience gifts hint, hint pay attention if your significant other’s love language is quality time. Whether you traditionally offer services or products, here are some general ideas of experience/service gifts to sell this season:
a year’s subscription of your product or service that comes in a ready-to-gift envelope
tickets to a class you’ll host later in the Winter season
an experience collaboration with another local business you love (date night with drinks at your place and a dessert package at theirs to take home after? all-in-one dinner and a movie package?)
source: Scotch Malt Whisky Club
source: New York Kitchen
5) Go Against the Grain on Black Friday
Black Friday is overrated–the sales aren’t what they used to be, people shop online, and frankly, a lot of people are tired of giving their money to massive corporations that spend millions of advertising dollars on Black Friday. Some of those corporations are catching on and remaining closed for the day in recent years. Yes, there’s ‘Small Business Saturday’, but it doesn’t have quite the same punch as rebelling against the hottest retail day of the year. Host a fun, stress-free event where people can shop–and be ready for them to–but don’t make it the main event. Host a food or wine pop-up, teach a class, or another experience for people to enjoy instead of just saying ‘shop here instead’.
I hope one of these sparks a great idea for your business. Remember–stay true to your brand and promote what feels genuine. If you try something, report back!