Ad Agency Holiday Survival Guide: Marketing Tips to Hit Your Q4 Quotas

The holiday season is upon us! Folks around the world are looking forward to some downtime. The budgets are set, they’ve reflected on this past year, and they’ll cruise into 2022. For those in marketing and especially those in the agency world, we know you’re not done with 2021 – not even close.

For many marketers and advertisers like you, the next six weeks will either make or break your clients’ year. You’ve got campaigns, coupons, bundles, and plans B and C for when those don’t work. Hopefully, much of it is automated, but it doesn’t mean you can disconnect.

In this post, we’ll take an in-depth look at the holiday marketing strategies that will help you cruise through your client’s quarter four (Q4) goals and finish the year on top.

How to Make Your Holiday Marketing Campaigns Standout

Every year, the moment Halloween comes to an end, it seems like floodgates open. Holiday marketing campaigns prop up from everywhere without warning, with countless businesses rushing to make the most out of the spending frenzy.

That said, not just any marketing campaign will thrive. Here are tips to make your holiday marketing campaigns stand out:

Starting early

Given the amount of shopping that occurs during the holiday, it isn’t unheard of for deliveries to take a little longer than usual. And you don’t want to risk the family sweaters arriving late for Christmas, do you? Nowadays, consumers start their holiday shopping early, and that’s why you don’t want to wait until Black Friday to begin your holiday social media campaign. Be the early bird and start attracting new shoppers and improve your sales from the word go.

Tap into the online market

Today, more than ever, consumers have embraced online eCommerce purchasing. There are high chances that most customers will shop online rather than in physical stores (if at all). You should prepare your business accordingly—provide online alternatives where possible, vouchers, and ensure that your Google profile is up-to-date, including information about pick-up options, opening hours, etc.

Target the digital boomer

Not only has the number of first-time digital shoppers increased but so has the frequency of online purchases. This makes the provision of a seamless user experience across various devices and shoppers of different ages vital.

Moreover, offering additional help will be crucial and could play a significant role in gaining a competitive edge. Besides providing a flawless shopping experience, focus on customer support and community management during this online festive season.

Use actions instead of words

Instead of bombarding customers with hollow promises, give them a genuine reason to buy—something they can relate to. When you properly focus on value and purpose-driven communication that offers additional arguments, you’ll stand a better chance of closing more deals.

Holiday Marketing Campaign Ideas to Delight Your Customers

Crafting a sound holiday strategy can be tricky, especially given the prevailing market conditions and the changing buyer behavior. But don’t fret. Here are some valuable tips for making a holiday marketing campaign that will inspire your buyers:

Err towards simplicity

You can easily get caught up in the hustle and bustle that comes with holiday planning. Nonetheless, it’s advisable to start small with your holiday marketing campaigns, more so if this is your inaugural season as a brand. The holiday period isn’t an ideal time to try out new approaches with customers, especially if you have a tested and proven marketing technique working well throughout the year.

Make use of content-driven approaches

Incorporating a content strategy element into your Christmas marketing plan can pay off handsomely, especially if SEO (search engine optimization) is taken into consideration. You’ll be able to drive more traffic to your website with optimized web content as customers search for things you sell—even if they’ve already shopped with your business.

Prepare to react and adapt quickly

The holiday season is when the saying “hands on deck” holds more weight. This period necessitates having a responsive workforce on hand to address any issues that may arise on your eCommerce website or in your holiday advertisements.

Get ready for stiff competition

With so many holiday advertisements and promotions during the holiday shopping season, you must develop sound marketing strategies to gain an edge. One way of doing this is by adopting email marketing—it will help draw more customers to your business.

Consider using an influencer strategy

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn have gained prominence as good platforms for increasing brand interactions during the holidays. Ensure that you make your social media presence known by applying an influencer strategy that carries throughout the holiday season.

Never forget about your current customers

There is a likelihood that the people who visit your website will blend new and returning customers, and the purchase path for a new customer is different from that of a returning customer. So, ensure that you make considerations for both when crafting your plan.

Create a real reason to buy

Avoid creating fictitious deadlines. Consumers who make panic purchases have a sense of urgency and buy if they believe something they desire or need will sell out. The holiday season is known for big price cuts, and savvy consumers can spot the best deals.

There is a fine line between creating a relationship with your clever customers and offering haphazard discounts—ensure that you don’t devalue your product to a point where customers deem it cheap.

Ways Holiday Marketing Is Changing for Advertising Agencies

While all marketing changes rapidly, holiday marketing tends to change more than most. This is due to the tremendous competition for the attention of your impulsive or browser customers at this time of year, as well as your client’s propensity to engage in creative marketing initiatives. The holiday marketing campaigns that were prominent in the 2017 holiday season weren’t those that were prominent during that same period in 2020. Some of the significant changes include:

• Black Friday has transformed into a global phenomenon: Black Friday is no longer prominent only in the US but also in other places worldwide. 
• Black Friday is becoming increasingly irrelevant: With numerous sales that span as long as a month preceding Black Friday and the mega discounts on Cyber Monday, the uniqueness of Black Friday is slowly fading away.
• Singles Day is becoming more prominent: Take China’s significantly popular Single’s Day (November 11), for instance. Reports have shown that this day celebrating single people has already eclipsed Black Friday.
• While it was unheard of years ago, currently, numerous businesses and their customers are beginning to question the need for the holiday rush, more so Black Friday. 
• While Black Friday is traditionally the busiest shopping day for physical stores, Cyber Monday has swiftly become one of the busiest shopping days of the year for e-commerce websites. Cyber Monday alone brought in over $10.8 billion in revenue for e-commerce enterprises in 2020. That’s a lot of merchandise, shipping materials, and energy. Are you prepared for the digital rush?

Bottom Line

The holiday season can make or break revenue goals for most B2B businesses. The increased number of clients purchasing online, along with the constant barrage of competition, makes it more challenging to succeed throughout the holiday season. However, by planning ahead of time, optimizing your content, and keeping all kinds of shoppers in mind at all times, you can thrive this joyous season.

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