The Nice List: 7 Must-Dos for a Successful Holiday Marketing Campaign
1. The Early Bird Gets the Worm
Procrastination kills good marketing. The best holiday campaigns start planning months in advance — think summer, not Halloween.
Starting early allows your team to plan content, set clear KPIs, develop creative assets, and allocate ad spend in a way that aligns with your goals and budget.
For example, an IT services provider might begin promoting year-end infrastructure audits in September, while a pharmaceutical brand may launch its “wellness gift” campaign before flu season hits. A credit union offering holiday loans or special credit card rewards needs time to develop and deploy across channels before members finalize their holiday budgets.
Your promotional calendar could include:
- Pre-holiday buzz (September to November)
- Holiday rush: Black Friday through Small Business Saturday and Cyber Week
- December urgency push for last-minute buyers
- Post-holiday sales and service wrap-ups
The earlier you start, the more opportunities for year-end revenue and a solid start to the new year.
2. Know Your Audience — and Segment Accordingly
The holidays mean different things to different people – so ditch the one-size-fits-all messaging.
Different demographics, industries, and customer types have different needs, pain points, and priorities during this time of year. The more granular your understanding of those segments, the more relevant and effective your messaging will be.
For instance, associations may want to target members who might renew for the next year with a “renew now, get a bonus webinar” offer. An IT managed services firm might segment clients based on service tiers, sending end-of-year security upgrade offers to premium clients and basic audit services to new prospects. E-commerce businesses can segment high-spenders versus discount-seekers for different promotional tiers.
Review data from past holiday campaigns to identify:
- Who converted (and how)?
- What channels were most effective?
- What messaging drove the most engagement?
Using this data, build tailored segments in your CRM or marketing platform and create campaigns that speak directly to each one.
3. Leverage Omni-Channel Marketing
Relying solely on one channel — whether it’s email, social, or digital ads — limits your campaign’s reach and effectiveness. Today’s customers live in a multi-device, multi-platform world. Your campaign should follow your customer from inbox to Instagram to in-store.
Think:
- Email: Send valued-packed personalized content, not just salesy blurbs.
- Social media: Run festive contests, share behind-the-scenes stories, and promote seasonal offerings.
- Paid search and social ads: Capture new audiences or retarget old ones.
- Landing pages: Laser-focus on action with tailor-made pages for each campaign or product.
- On-site promotion: Showcase banners, pop-ups, or blogs on your website.
- Print materials: Spread in-person awareness at local service and retail businesses.
With omni-channel marketing, consistency is key. Make sure your visual branding, tone, and promotions are aligned across every channel.
Also, don’t forget mobile. If your landing pages, website, or email aren’t mobile-friendly, fix it now – like yesterday.
4. Offer Real Value — Not Just Discounts
Consumers are flooded with holiday deals, but what they really want is value — which doesn’t always mean slashing prices. For professional service providers and mission-driven organizations, “value” might look like access, exclusivity, or added convenience.
Service Examples:
- A managed HR service could offer a free compliance checklist or mini consultation for businesses preparing for Q1 hiring.
- A health and wellness center might roll out a “Beat the Holidays” package that includes stress-reducing services like yoga classes, hydration therapy, or energy-boosting IV treatments.
- An optometrist’s office might roll out a “Use Your Benefits Before They Expire” reminder campaign with bundled appointment incentives.
Retail and E-commerce Examples:
- Free shipping or gift wrapping
- Loyalty program perks
- Buy-one-give-one charitable tie-ins
- BOGO gift card deals
The goal is to make the offer feel timely, relevant, and worthwhile.
5. Tap Into Emotional Storytelling
The holidays are an emotional time. Smart marketers tap into that emotion and create campaigns that connect on a human level. But, the challenge is how to sound heartfelt without feeling too Hallmark. The trick is focusing on stories that are real, relevant, and tied to your brand’s purpose.
Examples:
- A credit union could highlight charity-in-action, giving back to their community thanks to the generosity of their members.
- A nonprofit or association could feature stories of impact and gratitude from those they’ve supported throughout the year.
- A logistics firm might tell the story of how their services saved the holidays for a customer – making sure everything arrived right on time.
- An IT firm could spotlight their cybersecurity services, showing how they saved Santa’s network from a Jack Frost ransomware attack.
6. Use Social Proof to Build Trust and Engagement
Don’t just say your product is great; show it. Before people buy, they want to know that others like what you’re offering.
Especially during the holidays when decision fatigue sets in, showcasing positive experiences can be the difference between do or die.
Tactics to try:
- Highlight customer testimonials across your landing pages and emails.
- Share user-generated content on social.
- Run a seasonal contest: “Show us how you celebrate with [your product/service] for a chance to win!”
Social proof is especially powerful for professional services where buying decisions are significantly trust-based and where credibility matters more than catchy slogans.
7. Create a Sense of Urgency
The season is short. Make your offers impossible to ignore.
Whether it’s a limited-time offer, countdown to delivery cutoffs, or a low-stock alert, customers respond to deadlines. But artificial urgency can backfire and diminish trust.
Better ways to build urgency:
- Use real shipping deadlines for holiday delivery.
- Promote early-bird specials (“Book your year-end consult by Dec 15 for priority scheduling”).
- Time-box your offer windows (“3-day holiday bonus ends Friday”).
Even service-based businesses can apply this by offering first-come, first-served perks or tiered rewards for early action.
This is an opportunity to:
Credit Unions
At the end of the day, great holiday marketing is a mix of strategy, timing, creativity, and knowing your customers. Do the prep. Deliver value. Keep it human, and your customers will reward you with clicks, loyalty, and yes, sales.
