Holiday Marketing Tips For Your Small Business

This is the most incredible time of the year for folks like us. Everywhere you go brands are fighting for your attention. Whether it be the holiday themed displays at Starbucks, or the clever liquor billboards adorning highways or the Facebook ad asking for a donation. We are in marketing paradise! The good, the bad and the ugly. You might say this is the Super Bowl of marketing! So in this clutter of messaging who wins?

Unfortunately, we won’t know who the big money winners are until the numbers come out in 2013. Sad face. But rest assured there will be winners and losers. If Black Friday was any indication, there will be some BIG winners this year. So how does a product, retailer, restaurant or service, BIG or small, become a winner this holiday season? Let’s start with the basics.

Make sure you’re playing. With all the free (not including man hours) and inexpensive tools in the marketplace to promote your brand you better be doing the best you can to pump your information out! But wait! Before you spend your valuable time ask yourself a few vital questions. Does your website, social media and other marketing tools clearly state what it is you are offering and is it easy for consumers to buy your product? Either in person or online? If it’s hard to purchase or seems confusing your marketing will never work.

Make sure you deliver. Nothing hurts any advertising effort like a product or service that doesn’t perform. Don’t blame us (marketers)  if your receptionist is rude or your employees don’t know exactly what your company does or they can’t close sales. Plain and simple, make sure that when a customer comes in the door or buys your product that it delivers. Nothing can thwart a marketing effort like underperformance.

Don’t get discouraged. “Consistency over Time” can be your friend during a bad holiday season for your product or service. This might not be your year, but if you went down your marketing checklist and still didn’t have the results you were hoping for, don’t turn back, learn and move forward. This is when consumer feedback can come in handy. Listen to what they’re saying and adjust. Get ready for the Spring Sale, but don’t stop pushing your product or service. Don’t give up just yet!

So who is the big winner? You could be! Just remember these simple steps and if you’d like to dissect your marketing efforts there are several tools and resources available online and through company’s like ours.

Just remember, the most important marketing tool you have is your own enthusiasm! So keep up the good work and let’s go make a million!