Holiday Marketing on a Budget: Big Impact with Small Resources

As a small business, it can feel difficult to compete with all the big, name-brand chains – especially during the holidays. Seeing all the ads and holiday-specific content large companies put out this time of year can certainly make you feel like your voice is being drowned out by the louder, higher-funded campaigns. 

You can still make an impact this holiday season with limited resources though. Your business may not be as widely successful as Target or Macy’s, but you can still have a good holiday season. Here are 5 ways that your small business can conquer holiday marketing on a budget, and possibly even gain loyal customers that come back long after the Christmas spirit has faded in the process.

1. Offer a free service. 

If you have an online shop or your customers have the option to ship products, offer free shipping for a limited time. Depending on what you feel makes sense for your company, you can offer free shipping to everyone on all purchases or set a minimum purchase amount that grants a customer free shipping. 

If your store doesn’t offer shipping, consider offering free gift wrapping. Everyone is stressed about wrapping presents, especially as the big day gets closer. People even pay to have others wrap their gifts for them at the mall and other big shopping areas. Offering gift wrapping for free is a small, inexpensive gesture, but it will be greatly appreciated – particularly by last-minute shoppers!

2. Host a holiday contest or giveaway.

Plenty of stores offer holiday giveaways or contests where customers can win anything from a gift certificate to a box of goodies from the store. This type of promotion adds interest and makes customers more likely to engage with your business. Promoting the giveaway on social media can help grow your business’s following and get more eyes on your page. 

How you carry out the contest and the rules are up to you. You can make it a social media contest where you randomly pick from users who entered or an in-store thing where if you make a purchase you’re entered into the drawing or get a certain product for spending a set amount. This is a fun, exciting way to bring some extra joy to the holiday season that can be adapted to the needs and goals of any business. 

3. Announce or launch a new product or service.

Holiday launches and limited edition, exclusive products aren’t just for big box stores. Whatever you sell, you can create a holiday version that you can offer for a limited time. Seasonal products bring a sense of urgency to the purchase that products offered year-round don’t carry. 

The excitement of a new or changed product – a holiday pattern, scent, or themed twist on your traditional product – paired with the knowledge that it’s only available for a limited time creates a new motivator for clicking purchase. 

 

4. Send personalized emails, texts, or mail pieces. 

We already know how important personalization in emails is, and at the holidays this is definitely something to lean into. Go further than just adding your customer’s name at the top. Add a small detail about the customer or an offer based on their purchase history. 

This sort of personalization can help build brand loyalty and keep customers coming back to your store over competitors. Remember that there’s a person behind each sale and you’re the person behind each product. People crave connection, so make sure you’re not too closed off when communicating with your customers. At the very least, wish them a happy holiday.

5. Get involved with community events and local businesses or organizations.

Communities always have events going on for the holidays, and they’re almost always looking for support from local businesses to carry them out. Check out the upcoming events in your town or neighborhood and see if there are any you think you could help out with. Reach out to whoever is organizing the event and see if you can help. 

You can also consider collaborating with other local businesses or organizations for an event or special product. Getting involved with your local community can help you create connections with other stores and organizations, but it can also strengthen your local customer base. Working with others can help increase brand awareness among locals and incentivize them to want to do business with you because of the ethos you gained in their eyes by partnering with a shop or organization they already know, love, and trust.

These ideas can help you stand out this holiday season and hopefully help your brand gain more loyal customers who will engage with you and bring year-round business.