Sleighbells and snow may not be our thing in SA, but we still love the jollity and frivolity of the festive season. When you are planning your festive season marketing - think summer, think ice cream and family fun. How can you tailor your message to appeal to your specific market and what they are thinking about?

Digital marketing is the way of the future and what makes it so user-friendly is that you can change your message to suit the mood and needs of your customers.

Ask yourself:

• What social media platforms are my customers using?
• Why are they using those platforms (demographics such as age, or they may be an interest group)?
• How do they prefer to receive information about your type of products and services?

Once you have done some research it is considerably easier to create relevant and targeted marketing campaigns.

1. Create Festive Season Google Ads

Google Ads is a great way to tap into the silly season.  Most people are on holiday and in need of gifts and treats. Create a campaign that makes it easy for them to shop from you. B2B companies can also cash in on the shopping spree by offering specials targeted to your clients’ needs during this period, e.g. if you sell security products, a campaign around the increase in shop lifting and how your products can help deter, will be very relevant.

• Use keywords such as ‘gifts for women’ or use brand names.
• Include words such as ‘holiday’, ‘festive season’ and summer.
• Value add e.g. free shipping or gift vouchers for purchases over Rx value.
• Make sure your landing pages reflect the season and feature your special offers.

2. Instagram and Facebook Ads

It’s the first rule of marketing - go where your market is. Instagram is increasingly the place where people happily post their holiday pics, while Facebook is still the largest social media platform… so you should be posting fun holiday ads that will appeal to your market.  Be creative and get festive with pictures of your team dressed in crazy outfits or your favourite recipes made with your products.

3. Don’t forget email!

Holidays, summer and the festive spirit are top of people’s minds so tap into this with targeted emails.

Your email subject line is crucial to whether it gets opened so consider your target audience and be creative.  As with Google Ads and social media campaigns, it’s important to give them a reason to shop with you. Instilling a sense of urgency is a valuable strategy for your subject line. E.g. Last chance to claim your free gift voucher or 25% discount if you order before 15 December!

4. Personalise your message

You have done your research and know who and where your target market is, but most importantly, you know what they are interested in. This is a golden opportunity to appeal to them directly e.g. if your target market is male DIY-ers, then create ads which appeal to ‘fixing the home for the holidays’ or ‘give yourself the gift of that cordless drill you’ve always wanted’.

It is also a good idea to step into the giving mindset and show that you care about what your market cares about. Show your support for the local community or donate a portion of the festive season profits to a cause.

5. Play with Video

There is no better way to communicate a seasonal message than with video. It can be quirky and humorous, emotional and a pull on the heartstrings, or a simple, meaningful message from the business owner.

It also doesn’t have to be a polished, professional production. A decent phone video can be effective if you get the sound and lighting right.

Be prepared to tweak your message or the timing of your ads to get the best results from your campaigns, but most importantly, just get out there and get marketing!