For many brands, the holiday season presents a perfect opportunity to drive sales through social media marketing. There are few things as straightforward as the relationship between celebration and sales during this time of the year. However, as digital marketing directors take to the social sphere with their holiday offers, promotions, and messages, the danger of oversaturation becomes very real. In order to prevent this, here are some prudent steps that can be followed to stand out in this crowded period:
•Make it personal: The holidays are an ideal time to reach out to your followers on an individual basis and make them feel unique and valued. Never underestimate the power of unexpected or random acts of kindness. The element of surprise can enhance gratitude, which in turn can create a strong positive association with your brand.
•Show your human side: Additionally, there are few better times than now to let your fans know that your company is made up of hardworking people just like them. It is a great opportunity to post pictures, videos, and messages from your team members, whether a junior employee or the VP of digital, as they take part in holiday shopping, family fun, and celebrations.
•Be genuine: As Christmas has become increasingly commercialised over the years, a certain amount of related consumer fatigue has developed, which makes many particularly sensitive to holiday campaigns running just to take advantage of the season. Thus, this time of year is an especially critical time to avoid being cynical, overly commercial, or corporate in your social media activities. All content, from text to images, should be infused with a real enthusiasm, honesty, and appreciation for everything this time of year represents to people around the world.
•Offer real value: If you are running competitions, or posting content about special holiday promotions, make sure they are a step above the others and provide meaningful experiences that your brand will then forever be associated with. Avoid clichés, gimmicks, and being too slick. Some worthy examples could include last minute travel to see relatives for Christmas or New Year's Eve, catered holiday parties, and all expenses paid trips for shopping at holiday markets in festive locations. For smaller budgets, prizes like sleigh rides, ice skating rentals, and cooking classes focused on baking holiday treats or preparing party foods are all good ways to take part in the joyful spirit of the season.
•Remember others: Keeping in mind the generosity celebrated this time of year, now is an excellent time for promoting charitable donations through your social media activities. You can also bolster these by offering to match employee or fan donations to certain charities. Additionally, it is important not to forget that different countries have different Christmas and New Year's Eve traditions, and that these aren't the only holidays being celebrated at this time. You should tailor content to cover different regions and recognise the diversity of your followers. During December people around the world observe dozens of holidays, including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Saint Nicolas Day, St. Lucia's Day, Las Posadas, and a plethora of winter solstice celebrations like DongZhi in China.
So while this time of year might seem to be holiday overload for some in social media, a bit of sensitivity and originality will go a long way toward ensuring your brand's voice is not only heard, but also appreciated.