Tips for creating a holiday marketing calendar
Plan ahead
Consider intent, consumer behavior, and expectations
Adjust for local markets
Support with operational readiness
Measure, analyze, and adjust
Plan ahead
It takes time to build a strategic list of holidays and events along with the campaigns to support them.
Launching holiday campaigns too close to the holiday itself can cause undue stress and mean you miss out on traffic from early shoppers. According to the recent Shopify-Gallup Holiday Shopping Pulse survey, 41% of respondents said they plan to start holiday shopping in October or earlier. Start your holiday marketing iceland mobile database planning as early as possible and ideally plan campaigns by the quarter preceding each holiday.
Note that some holidays may not fall on a consistent date. Ramadan, for instance, is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and culminates in Eid al-Fitr, but it spans different dates every year according to the Gregorian calendar.
The end-of-year holiday season remains the biggest push for holiday marketing efforts, but consumer behavior during this season is changing.
Not only are consumers starting to shop earlier, but getting a deal is more important than ever. In a survey for Shopify, 72% of consumers said they’re more likely to shop during BFCM this year to get more for their money. They are expecting brands to deliver the deals, with 71% saying it’s important for a brand to communicate with them about their offers ahead of BFCM.
Support the development of your holiday marketing calendar with relevant research and a thorough understanding of your buyer personas to craft timely campaigns and messages that will resonate.
Adjust for local markets
Many holidays have global appeal, while others are more regional. Research local markets before launching a holiday marketing campaign in multiple countries or regions.
Mother’s Day, for example, falls on different dates in different countries. Christmas is a winter holiday in the Northern Hemisphere and a summer holiday in the Southern Hemisphere.
If you have a global business, adjust your messaging, translate your copy, use appropriate images, and adjust your offers to suit different markets.