How to Prep Your Small Business for the Holiday Season
The holiday season is right around the corner (i know, i know… its not even Halloween yet…), and for small business owners, it’s both an exciting and hectic time. 🗓️
Whether you’re a solopreneur, a creative service provider, or running an online shop, the key to a successful holiday season lies in thoughtful planning and authentic engagement with your audience. To help you stay organized and make the most out of the holidays, I’ve put together a few tips that will keep your marketing fresh, your clients feeling appreciated, and your services top of mind.
Create a holiday marketing plan
The holiday season is one of the busiest times for businesses to promote their products and services, so standing out requires intentional and creative strategies.
Create a holiday-themed campaign: People are in the festive spirit, so use this as an opportunity to align your business with the season. Whether it’s updating your branding with some seasonal elements (a festive logo or color palette), running a holiday giveaway, or launching a limited-edition product or service, make sure your campaign feels timely and fresh.
Prepare your social media calendar: Your social media strategy should reflect the holiday season’s excitement. Think about running a countdown to the holidays, a “12 Days of Gifts” promotion, or sharing behind-the-scenes holiday prep. Incorporating relevant hashtags, offering exclusive discounts, and collaborating with other small businesses can further increase visibility.
Holidays to keep in mind:
Thanksgiving (Fourth Thursday in November): Promotion Ideas: Show gratitude to your customers with a special “Thank You” sale, offer discounts, or send personalized thank-you notes. You could also align your promotion with giving back to the community (e.g., donate a portion of proceeds to a cause).
Black Friday (Day after Thanksgiving): Promotion Ideas: Offer limited-time discounts, bundle deals, or flash sales. For service-based businesses, consider a one-day-only sale on consulting packages or holiday prep services.
Small Business Saturday (Saturday after Thanksgiving): Promotion Ideas: Promote the value of supporting local businesses and offer special deals to encourage customers to “shop small.”
Cyber Monday (Monday after Thanksgiving) — Yep another one… Promotion Ideas: Ideal for online businesses, Cyber Monday promotions can include exclusive online offers, digital product discounts, or limited-time service packages.
Christmas (December 25th) & Hanukkah (Dates vary): Promotion Ideas: Create giftable packages, offer gift cards, or run holiday-themed marketing campaigns. Consider offering early-bird specials for people buying gifts or services for loved ones.
New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day (December 31st & January 1st): Promotion Ideas: Help your customers or clients prepare for the new year with a “New Year, New You” promotion. For service-based businesses, offer packages geared toward new year planning or goal setting. For product-based businesses, create a “Year-End Clearance” sale or new year prep bundles.
Holiday cards & gifts (with a personal touch)
The holiday season is a perfect opportunity to nurture relationships with your existing clients and customers by sending personalized holiday cards or thoughtful gifts.
Send Custom Holiday Cards: Sending a personalized card is a small gesture with a big impact. Whether you work with a graphic designer (I happen to know a few!) or use a service like Canva to create your design, holiday cards can be a reflection of your brand’s personality and values. Bonus points if you handwrite a note of gratitude!
Tip: Make sure your card design is cohesive with your branding, and avoid generic messages. Mentioning a specific project or collaboration from the past year makes the card even more meaningful.
Consider Small, Branded Gifts: You don’t need to go overboard—thoughtful, branded gifts like a custom notebook, a calendar with your work, or even a personalized ornament can keep your business top of mind in a meaningful way.
Offer Limited-Time Holiday Packages: Consider bundling your services in a way that’s enticing during the holidays. For example, if you’re a designer, you could offer a discounted brand refresh package for businesses looking to start the new year with a new look. (Hit this is something i might be doing…) As a marketing strategist, maybe you offer a “New Year Marketing Prep” package to help businesses set goals for 2024.
Offer Gift Cards for Services or Products: If you offer services that people can give as gifts (think branding, social media management, or creative consulting), consider offering gift cards. A gift card for your services can make for a thoughtful, unique present. If you sell a product, gift cards are a must!
Don’t forget to stay organized
Lastly, while preparing for the holiday season can be a whirlwind, it’s important to stay organized and remember to take care of yourself along the way.
Set clear deadlines: From client work to launching a holiday campaign, set clear deadlines for yourself and your team so things don’t feel rushed at the last minute. Create a holiday checklist of tasks that need to be completed by certain dates—this will help keep you on track.
The holiday season is a time to connect, celebrate, and grow. By preparing early, getting creative with your marketing, and offering thoughtful touches like personalized gifts and cards, you’ll set yourself up for success. Most importantly, take the time to enjoy the season—both as a business owner and as someone who deserves a holiday celebration too.
