ID3AS Blog
Holiday Marketing 2020
It’s that time of year again! Have you started thinking about your holiday marketing efforts? It’s not too early! While things may look a bit different within your business this year, that doesn’t mean that you can’t still crush your holiday marketing goals in 2020!
Each year, businesses large and small look at last year’s holiday trends, and their personal reports, when planning for the current year’s campaigns. It’s safe to say that much of the data that your business collected in 2019, while important, simply won’t be enough to prepare you for the holiday season this year. So much has changed in our world that businesses everywhere continue to march through unchartered territory almost daily, and that remains the same for holiday marketing plans!
Something that hasn’t changed? The ever-present need to listen to how your customers are responding! How can we take the reins? It's time to look to the consumer. What changes will customers be making this year that you’ll need to plan and adapt to? Are they traveling or staying home? Shopping online or instore? Celebrating together or separate? How consumers operate will determine how businesses need to operate.
The Big 3: Traveling, Shopping, and Celebrating!
2020 has brought many changes to the world, there’s no denying it. However, as business owners and marketers, we don’t have to let the differences control how successful our holiday campaigns are. Let’s take a dive into how you and your business can get creative, and put a different spin on celebrating this holiday season.
Traveling
Reservations for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s are already on the uptick for many travel destinations across the US. In fact, according to one rental management platform, reservations for Thanksgiving are up by 38%, and 40% for the winter holidays!
This is likely due to many Americans wanting to get out of the house, after staying indoors through the pandemic. Families that are working and schooling from home are anxious for a change of scenery and have the extra budget leftover from their canceled summer vacations.
What does this mean for your business? If you’re a home improvement company, now may be the time to start pushing homeowners to get prepared for being gone throughout the cold months. Hotels and rental agencies should start pushing vacation promos and packages for the off-season and next year. And boutiques and restaurants can rest assured that their clientele will be in town this year, as they were in years past.
Shopping
For many households, consumers will be spending during the holidays, no matter what. How can you adapt your store or business to be safe and efficient for you and your customers? Check out three trends that you can expect to see this holiday season.
1. Online Shopping: Do you have an online store? Is it mobile friendly? Many consumers will be shopping online this holiday season. Set your business up for success by creating an online shopping platform that not only holds all of your most coveted products but is also optimized so shoppers can easily shop from their mobile device!
2. Optimize In-Store Experience: Adapting to customers’ behavior is more important than ever, and that includes their shopping habits! Stores will need to continue to prove to shoppers that it’s safe to come in and shop. Consider optimizing your store layout for a quick, in-and-out visit. Have staff available to point customers in the right direction, so they can quickly grab what they’re looking for. Your business can also post products on social media, and encourage shoppers to call in to purchase, and offer curbside pickup!
3. Extra Help: It may be a good idea this season to hire some extra help around the holiday season. Consider shopping assistance, for consumers who are shopping via curbside pickup or delivery. Be sure to prepare staff members with de-escalation strategies, should tensions arise within guests in-store, or online.
Celebrating
How we celebrate birthdays and holidays have changed since the beginning of COVID-19. We can expect that to continue through the holiday season. Traditional family gatherings, church services, and company parties can be expected to be hosted virtually this holiday season.
Expect to see virtual happy hours, office ‘parties’, and holiday celebrations hosted on platforms such as Zoom and Google Hangouts. Get creative this holiday season by creating a customized holiday-themed Zoom background with your business logo, a crafty e-marketing invite to your next virtual event, and more!
Are you feeling inspired to take on the new changes this holiday season with a fresh view? Now is the best time to get started! Contact the experts at D3 for some fun ideas on how your business can continue to stay fluid throughout the COVID-19 pandemic!