4 Steps to Crafting a Successful Holiday Marketing Plan: A Guide for Early-staged Female Founders
Did you know that holiday sales can represent as much as 30% of your total revenue? Or that 79% of shoppers leave their gift shopping to the final two weeks before Christmas? We have heard from so many founders about how overwhelming Q4 can feel, but we are here to assure you that it doesn’t have to be. There is so much opportunity that lies in the holiday season and you have come to the right place to tap into your Q4 potential! Although we are gearing up for the holiday season, these strategies can also be applied any time of the year, and for any business, whether you are a product or service.
In this blog post, we're going to guide you through the steps needed to create a well thought-out holiday marketing plan. From setting specific goals to understanding your customers' needs and crafting personalized strategies, we've got you covered. As a special gift, you can find a full class on this topic, Mastering the Art of Holiday Marketing, on the Her Brand & Co. platform for FREE by creating your account here! Now let's jump right in and make your holiday season a resounding success!
Step 1: Set Clear and Realistic (yet ambitious) Goals
The first and most crucial step in creating your holiday marketing plan is setting clear and ambitious goals. Your goals serve as the foundation for your entire strategy. Take a close look at your historical revenue data, especially the last 3 quarters and last year’s holiday season. This will provide valuable insights into what you can shoot for this quarter.
Now, it's time to create a SMART goal for your holiday season. Your goal should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). For example, your SMART goal for Q4 could be to achieve $10,000 in revenue which looks like x number of products/services, based on historical data and your past Q4 performance. Make sure your goal aligns with your overall business objectives.
Step 2: Identify Leading Strategies
To achieve your holiday season goal, you need to identify your leading strategies. Leading strategies are the tried-and-true methods that have a direct impact on revenue. These are the activities you should double down on during the holiday season. Examples of leading strategies include direct outreach, email marketing, word of mouth, and partnerships.
It's essential to focus on strategies that have proven effective for your business. Avoid trying new tactics during the holiday season, as you may not have sufficient time for experimentation. Instead, leverage what you already know works and find ways to optimize and personalize these strategies for the season.
Learn more by watching our COO and Co-founder, Mari Milenkovic, talk through identifying holiday marketing strategies in more depth, just create your free account here to access this class!
Step 3: Personalize Your Campaign
Personalization is key to successful holiday marketing. Your customers expect you to understand their needs, pain points, and desires. Personalization goes beyond using their first name in an email; it's about tailoring your offers and messages to resonate with each customer individually.
Start by analyzing your customer data. What have they shown interest in? What objections do they have to buying from you? Use this information to create personalized campaigns that address their specific concerns and desires. Craft holiday-themed subject lines and visual content to tap into the festive spirit and increase engagement.
Step 4: Setting the stage with KPI’s
Picture your marketing strategies as pieces of a puzzle. Now that you've gotten the above steps assembled, take it a step further and identify the metrics that will show you how well each piece fits. What are KPIs, exactly? Key Performance Indicators are specific metrics that indicate how successful your strategies are. They act as your guiding stars during the holiday season, illuminating the path to success.
For instance, if you set a goal to increase your email marketing's conversion rate during the holiday season, your KPI would be to see a noticeable uptick in conversions compared to your regular campaigns. Now, if this is your first time setting KPIs, you might be wondering, "What should my benchmarks be?" or "How do I know if I'm on the right track?" That's absolutely normal! This provides an excellent opportunity to establish your baseline metrics, and as you gain experience, you can fine-tune your expectations.
Embrace the festive season with a growth mindset
The holiday season offers tremendous opportunities for growth and connection with your audience. As an early-stage female founder, identifying and implementing leading strategies will be the cornerstone of your holiday marketing success. Remember, these steps can also be implemented at any point of the year, not just the holiday season, how practical is that?!
Dive into more holiday marketing details on how to leverage Q4 and more with our masterclass, Mastering the Art of Holiday Marketing. Create your free account and have the Her Brand & Co. marketing educational platform at your fingertips.
