Just in time for the holidays, here are five tips for giving your customers something to celebrate this season.

Holiday marketing seems to be earlier and earlier each year.  Walk into any big-box store and Christmas trees and stockings are already adorning the aisles within hours of Halloween’s last trick-or-treaters.  While launching holiday marketing campaigns earlier may spark the holiday spirit sooner, it is not necessarily the key to engaging more prospects.  Timing is important, but developing the right message and knowing how to reach your audience are also vital components of your holiday marketing efforts.  Here are five tips to keep in mind as you launch your holiday marketing campaign:

1. Get into Giving – Thanksgiving and the holidays are a perfect time to give back to customers and the community. Ignite your own giving spirit with a holiday specific giveaway. Whether it is something as large as a project with Habitat for Humanity or a customer targeted giveaway for a new remodel or design service, holiday giveaways are a great way to gain new customers and engage social media followers.  Make sure to encourage viewers to share content, and don’t forget cross-marketing if partnering up with another organization.
2. Cash in on Limited Time – The holidays only last for one fast and furious season, and so should your holiday offerings. By putting a time limit on your discounts or complimentary services, you are creating a sense of urgency and motivating customers to “act now” while being aligned with the timing of the holidays.
3. Use Holiday Keywords – You use keywords to optimize your website and social posts, and your holiday marketing campaign should do the same. During the holidays there are a number of popular keywords that are searched, and for the purpose of SEO you can and should incorporate them in your content. Terms such as “Holiday Gift Guide”, “Gift Ideas” and “Black Friday Deals” are just some of the keywords that have the potential for increasing traffic to your holiday landing page.
4. Get Visual – We all know ‘tis the season for shopping, and that means there will be a lot of browsing and image viewing online. For this reason, up your game on image-heavy social platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest. While users are posting holiday selfies and searching for decorating ideas, your ad can be strategically placed to display your top landscaping ideas for the season or feature your latest remodel and most requested design and build services.
5. Host a Party – In addition to your own office party, consider hosting an open house, meet and greet or other holiday party where you invite your warmest leads or most loyal customers. The party doesn’t have to be lavish or break the bank, rather it can be a cocktail social at your showroom or local restaurant looking to attract new customers and increase dining traffic.

While many holiday marketing efforts can easily get lost in the mix and holiday hoopla, your business can still be a standout; from giveaways and holiday parties to keywords and targeted social media ads, you too will have something to celebrate this holiday season.