Is it possible to create a smart Christmas marketing plan that brings in customers and doesn’t leave you in the red? There are plenty of great ways small businesses can promote themselves around the holidays on a shoestring budget, both in the store and online, including using creative holiday marketing ideas based on retail trends. So, instead of running deeper and deeper discounts, try out these cheap Christmas holiday marketing ideas.
Preview holiday goods
One cheap Christmaws holiday marketing idea is to get customers excited by previewing limited-edition items you’ll be offering for the holidays. If you impress them with a preview of your holiday inventory, they’re more likely to make a purchase. You can do this on social media (Pinterest and Instagram are great platforms for this) or as a creative email marketing campaign to your customer base. Make sure you create a sense of urgency in your festive season marketing campaigns. If an item usually sells out, language like “limited run” or “only 100 made” goes a long way towards incentivising people to head into your store to snatch one up.
Customise gift cards
Gift cards do double duty: They’re a super-convenient gift option for customers, and recipients tend to end up spending more than the gift card amount, making them one of the most beneficial types of payments for retail businesses into the new year. Those are two good reasons gift cards should be part of your business marketing for the festive season. Go the extra mile and make your gift cards stand out from the pack by branding them for your business. Square can help you feature your custom gift card design that leaves a memorable impression on your customers.
Get online
COVID-19 has changed the shopping landscape for Aussies this year, leading more and more retailers to head to digital storefronts and online selling platforms. Setting up an online store this festive season allows your customers get their Christmas shopping done from home, which has been a growing trend year over year. Australian customers are doing more online Christmas shopping with every season, making having an online store more important than ever. You can link to your online store within your emails and marketing campaigns, so customers can easily purchase their favourite products.
Bank on email and social media
This is the most wallet-friendly way to get potential customers engaged, especially when screen time is at all-time highs. Another creative Christmas marketing idea is to give your email marketing templates a festive theme, then remind people what your business has in the way of gift items. Update your website with a festive backdrop and a special Christmas shopping section. Some festive advertisement examples include putting together Pinterest boards to help your customers shop for everyone on their list. For instance, “What Dad wants this year”. Consider running a weekly Wish List, where you feature one of your shop’s top items and ask customers to share what they’ve got their eyes on.
In this ever-increasing digital world, and with business social media accounts at an all-time high, it’s more important than ever to make your presence known. A large majority of Australians use social media, so make sure to post your festive social media campaigns across all of your platforms. Think of these channels as the best ways to send out timely updates and compelling calls to action.
Reward loyal customers
With customer engagement campaigns, you can come up with lots of creative marketing ideas to email your customers. For example, segment your email list and send messages to loyal customers with special offers, sneak previews, free shipping, or secret sales. Everyone likes to be rewarded for their loyalty, so do what you can to thank frequent customers when you’re creating your business marketing for the holidays.
Join forces with neighbouring businesses
During the festive season, put competition aside and think instead about how you can work together with fellow businesses so that you all reap the benefits with some inexpensive festive season marketing. Partner with complementary stores or restaurants to offer customers a limited-time special. For example, a scoop shop could link up with a gourmet market to offer special discounts on each other’s respective goods.
Whatever cheap Christmas marketing ideas you dream up, remember there’s lots you can do to effectively promote your business on a budget.