So, the Holidays are almost here and… Wait, what? If by holidays you mean Columbus Day and Halloween then yes, that’s right. But Christmas, Hanukkah and the other “holidays-with-a-capital-H” are months away! What’s all this talk about holidays?
Actually, if you are a small business owner, the holidays are going to creep up on you sooner than you think. Now, if you don’t want to mark the holidays in your small business, that’s your call, but why miss such a great marketing opportunity? As a small business owner, the holidays can work to your advantage in many ways. You can use a holiday card, gift or newsletter as a way to reconnect with clients with whom you may have lost touch, or reward loyal clients with a special holiday gift. You can also run holiday based promotions or even host a holiday event. And if you are going to take the time to celebrate the holidays with your clients, now is the time to start planning.
Here are just a few promotional ideas to get you started thinking about how you and your small business want to celebrate the holidays:
- Holiday Cards – These are a great “thinking of you” gift, especially if you have a large number of clients and a tight holiday budget. While some small business owners don’t like to mix holiday wishes with promotions, others have found success slipping in a coupon or flyer. Or, if you have the budget, tuck a gift card for coffee or lunch into your holiday cards.
- Holiday Gifts – If you work with a small number of clients, or feel that you have a particularly strong relationship with some of your clients, buy them a holiday gift. Send flowers or champagne, or buy them a book related to their business. The sky is the limit when it comes to gift ideas. Just make sure you know your client well enough before sending a gift. Champagne may not go over so well with a teetotaler, for example.
- Holiday Email or Newsletter – This is the extremely low budget way to go about celebrating the holidays with your customers and clients, but in these economic times, it may be your only option. Compose a cheerful email or company newsletter and remind your clients how much you enjoyed working with them this year.
- Give Something Away – If you own an ecommerce store, tuck a little something extra into orders around holiday time. Or, if you own a service oriented business, provide a holiday discount between Thanksgiving and New Years. (For many service providers, Christmas can be a slow time of year, so a discount may be just the incentive you need to get your clients started early on those January projects.)
- Host an Event – Do you have a lot of local customers? Invite them to a holiday get together. This works better for larger small business, but if you are a sole-proprietor and think a holiday party sounds like something your customers would enjoy, hold your event on location so that there’s plenty for everyone to do.
Similar Topics:
- Is Your Small Business Ready for the Holidays?
- Client Holiday Gift Ideas Small Business Owners Should Avoid Like a Moldy Fruitcake
- Holiday Gift Ideas for Small Business Owners
- Email Marketing for Small Businesses, Part 2: Know What and When to Send
- 10 Simple, Local Promotions for Your Small Business
What do you think?
What did you learn last year that will help you plan for the holidays this year?
Share your holiday tips!