5 Easy Hints with to Take Your Holiday Campaign to the Next Level

The holiday season has already started. People have been preparing for this magical and one of a kind day in a long time. However, the holiday season is not only about setting everything up for one day in December. If you run a business, you should think about preparing your company for the holiday season in advance as well.

It takes some time to prepare a good social media campaign which will bring you mensurable benefits. Thus if you had not started planning yet, I recommend you to do it right away. What is more, with our useful tips and advice you can easily handle all the marketing activities that will boost your performance before the festive. Spare few minutes on this article and you will certainly save a good deal of time later.

1. Surprise your clients

Have you ever wondered why everyone likes Santa so much? He has been always portrayed as an good-natured and  generous old man who every holiday gives the presents away to all well-behaved children. Thus, it is not surprising that people associate him with happy atmosphere of holiday.

How can you gain similar positive attitude towards your company? Play a Santa and surprise your clients with gifts they have dreamed of. Use Internet monitoring in order to get to know what social media users really want to receive and then spring a surprise on them. I can guarantee that they will share this on their profiles, but you may also create a viral footage in which you will show how it has been done.

Last holiday, a Canadian low-cost airline, WestJet conducted a similar campaign which sets an excellent example of a real-time giving. The WestJet Christmas miracle put a smile on more than 250 guests on two Calgary-bound flights who made their wishes before departure and were given longed-for presents after landing. Check out the video below too see more details.

2. Emotions generate interactions

Social media users are more willing to interact with contents that tap into their emotions. The majority of the most influential entries in the Internet include controversial, funny, hear-warming or sad stories. Many studies proved that messages which carry stronger feelings encourage people to express their opinion and to show a concern. People love those images that bring back positive and good feelings. If the advertisement appeal to enjoyable moments, it will be shared more likely.

The holiday season is a special time when people are more susceptible to contents that play on heartstrings. It is the perfect moment to open a heart to your clients. Give them something moving, that will stick in their mind for a long time and remind them about your brand. Let the good and warm memories of holiday be associated with your campaign. This way you can increase the possibility of your viral marketing success.

The perfect example of a company that melts people’s hearts every year and thanks to that racks up sales during a holiday season is a chain of upscale department stores – John Lewis. Annually, the brand releases anticipated short ads that have already become the unofficial kick-off of the festive period. The number of views of John Lewis’ videos has been increasing from year to year and the 2014 #MontyThePenguin video has already hit 17 million views!

What is more, every year the company engages famous artists just at the right time in their careers. Singers feature in the ads with a catch, moving song, which boost the effects of the campaign. All these elements have an impact on the huge success of John Lewis’ strategy which is considered to be one of the most memorable content marketing campaigns. All the creations are signed as #MontyThePenguin.

3. Give your clients a special experience in social media

Engage your clients in different kinds of activities related to the festive season that will both remind them of your brand and keep them in a happy, holiday mood. Provide them with a unique and personalized experience online that they will share with others. It can be a dedicated digital platform or social media network where a user can interact with your communication channels and share magical moments with beloved.

Coca-Cola is one of the most experienced companies in this field. Together with John Lewis’ commercial, Coca-Cola’s “Holidays are Coming” advert with loved trucks is the sign of the holiday season opening. However, this year’s campaign – “Give A Little Happiness” presents different acts of kindness among families, friends and strangers as well. What is more, it engages people to share wishes, follow the Christmas Truck Tour and gift relatives with a limited edition Christmas glass bottle. It all can be found on the specially designed platform. The Coca-Cola’s digital extension of the campaign enhances excitement and engagement online.

 4. Listen to your clients and be direct

People appreciate when brands treat them individually. It makes them feel special and unique. However, it is not very easy to manage all your social media networks, especially in the busy holiday season. Thus, I highly recommend social media listening with a help of Internet monitoring tools. Such support will let you easily get insights in your clients’ needs just before holiday season.

Naturally, when you get to know their attitudes and opinions, you should interact with them. It is not always about promoting links to your websites in order to generate sales. Sometimes you might need to help people solve their problems or just simply thank them for their interest in your brand. I can assure you that they will appreciate and you will be richer with new brand ambassadors. As I mentioned in the subheading, you should be direct, so responding from personal profile is better than from a company profile. You can also use private messages to individualize your communication with each and every client even more.

5. Time is crucial

Social media is the environment where everything happens swift. Someone posts an information in the Internet and within minutes in can be spread among thousand or even millions of people. Thus, you should always react fast to any discussion about your brand or products. Immediate response very often spares you from unnecessary effort and obviously is welcome and appreciated by clients.

The time has also another dimension, I want to discuss. Holiday marketing campaign should be extremely well thought-out to avoid pratfalls and guarantee you a big success. Thus, plan everything thoroughly in advance and if you had not started yet it is a high time you did.

 Conclusion

Holiday season is an excellent time to rack up your sales. People are disposed to spend and consume much more. They are responsive to emotional content, so remember to include them in your campaign. Videos with touching moments and heart-warming music will attract consumers. Impact of audio and film effects is invaluable. Numerous studies have been conducted and results clearly indicate that impressions of a brand can be manipulated by music and video.

Nevertheless, the crucial factor in a marketing campaign during a festive season is planning. Take time and your resources into consideration and get down to work ahead of time. Make sure that you can give your clients an individual and unique experience in this magical time. And last but not least, your clients appreciate personalized service. Thus, listen to their needs and respond directly, using private messages and your private profile as well.