Start your Business Magazine: How to make sure your Christmas marketing isn't missing the batteries
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14 | syb | DECEMBER 2013 REPORTER FEATURE Christmas marketing is a bit of a balancing act and, there’s a fine line between cool and cliché, but, honestly… one person’s cliché is another person’s cool. So rather than try to give you a lesson in Christmas creative, here’s a run down on some of the practical stuff that makes a massive difference, because, like that amazing toy without batteries, Christmas communications without the basics covered is always a disappointment. Celebrate, don’t sell The first thing to work out is what your Christmas marketing is all about. Unless you’re in retail, the last thing it should be is a sales pitch. In most markets, what you’re aiming for with your Christmas marketing is to simply raise a smile, a little reminder that you’re lovely people. Think about being helpful, saying thank you, and having fun. Christmas is not just for customers Word of mouth and referrals are so important. Even more so in this social media world. So, make sure you’re not forgetting people this Christmas. You should have something appropriate in plan for all of the following groups: • Employees • Suppliers • Referrers • Partners • And, of course, customers and prospective customers If, like so many small businesses, you’ve never quite gotten round to moving this data from individual Outlook folders, LinkedIn contacts, phones, etc. into a centralised database… start now. Get a process in place that makes pulling together the annual Christmas card list less of an ordeal. Get their names right There’s no easier way to show that you don’t really know or care about someone than getting their name wrong. Once you’ve drawn up a list of people and businesses you’re sending Christmas messages to – it really is worth taking the time to check and double check the data. In a business-to-business context, I’d say that an annual data cleanse at the beginning of November is the very least you should be doing to keep on top of this (oops, have you missed that already?). Without the electoral roll to reference against, this is usually a manual process to looking at websites, checking on LinkedIn profiles, etc. A perfect job for a seasonal intern perhaps? Be a helpful elf! We’ve all seen crazy Christmas games, but before you even think down these lines, spend a moment to consider if there’s any practical help people will need. Does the holiday season mean they’ll need to use your systems, products or services differently? A handy guide sent out in early December on how to divert phones, set automated responses for out- of-office systems, etc. is genuinely helpful and also shows you care. You need to let people know when you’ll be open and how to get support in these times if they need it. This sort of helpful communication is far more important than the crazy stuff. In fact, if you’ve missed this out you may well find a customer deeply irritated by seeing you spend energy on elf bowling when they can’t use the stuff they’re paying for. Do people need inbox icing? Managing email is consistently reported as a source of stress… so I really would think twice about Christmas emails that don’t really earn their place in a person’s inbox. Maybe I’m a Scrooge, but honestly, I find the influx of ‘Merry Christmas’ emails coming in when I am desperately trying to clear the decks to allow me to enjoy my break more than a bit of a nuisance. Unless it’s laugh out loud funny, fabulously engaging, or from someone I really feel that I know, it’s deleted from my inbox and my mind in moments. Communication is not just for Christmas Do you have friends and relatives who send you a one-line card each year? Hardly makes you feel special does it? In fact, I find that it reminds me how little I really know them. Don’t be that business. The one who only gets in touch once a year with a hastily bought corporate Christmas card, with your name wrong (and all in lower case because it’s been mail-merged from duff file), and a wonky label with their name and address on the back. Instead, be the business that I actively ask for information from. Information that I read, use and enjoy. When doing your seasonal marketing plan, look at the whole twelve months and find ways to be helpful, friendly and visible at regular intervals. In fact, start with January – how will you be welcoming people into 2014, and how will you help them kick off the year with gusto? I know, I know, it’s hardly the most creatively stimulating list. But, it is the stuff that you need to get right first. Even the very best creative brilliance can’t overcome getting the basics right. Bryony Thomas is described as the MD’s marketing confidante, and is the author of Watertight Marketing (Panoma Press £14.99) – the entrepreneur’s essential marketing manual. www.watertightmarketing.com How to make sure your Christmas marketing isn’t missing the batteries Page14 Reporter News_NEW LAYOUT SYB 06/12/2013 15:38 Page 26
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Transcript of Start your Business Magazine: How to make sure your Christmas marketing isn't missing the batteries
14 | syb | DECEMBER 2013
REPORTER FEATURE
Christmas marketing is a bit of a balancing act and, there’s a fine linebetween cool and cliché, but, honestly… one person’s cliché isanother person’s cool. So rather than try to give you a lesson inChristmas creative, here’s a run down on some of the practical stuffthat makes a massive difference, because, like that amazing toywithout batteries, Christmas communications without the basicscovered is always a disappointment.
Celebrate, don’t sellThe first thing to work out is what your Christmas marketing is allabout. Unless you’re in retail, the last thing it should be is a salespitch. In most markets, what you’re aiming for with your Christmasmarketing is to simply raise a smile, a little reminder that you’re lovelypeople. Think about being helpful, saying thank you, and having fun.
Christmas is not just for customersWord of mouth and referrals are so important. Even more so in thissocial media world. So, make sure you’re not forgetting people thisChristmas.
You should have something appropriate in plan for all of the followinggroups:• Employees• Suppliers• Referrers• Partners• And, of course, customers and prospective customers
If, like so many small businesses, you’ve never quite gotten round tomoving this data from individual Outlook folders, LinkedIn contacts,phones, etc. into a centralised database… start now. Get a processin place that makes pulling together the annual Christmas card listless of an ordeal.
Get their names rightThere’s no easier way to show that you don’t really know or careabout someone than getting their name wrong. Once you’ve drawnup a list of people and businesses you’re sending Christmasmessages to – it really is worth taking the time to check and doublecheck the data. In a business-to-business context, I’d say that anannual data cleanse at the beginning of November is the very leastyou should be doing to keep on top of this (oops, have you missedthat already?). Without the electoral roll to reference against, this isusually a manual process to looking at websites, checking onLinkedIn profiles, etc. A perfect job for a seasonal intern perhaps?
Be a helpful elf!We’ve all seen crazy Christmas games, but before you even thinkdown these lines, spend a moment to consider if there’s any practicalhelp people will need.
Does the holiday season mean they’ll need to use your systems,products or services differently? A handy guide sent out in earlyDecember on how to divert phones, set automated responses for out-of-office systems, etc. is genuinely helpful and also shows you care.You need to let people know when you’ll be open and how to getsupport in these times if they need it. This sort of helpfulcommunication is far more important than the crazy stuff.
In fact, if you’ve missed this out you may well find a customer deeplyirritated by seeing you spend energy on elf bowling when they can’tuse the stuff they’re paying for.
Do people need inbox icing?Managing email is consistently reported as a source of stress… so Ireally would think twice about Christmas emails that don’t really earntheir place in a person’s inbox.
Maybe I’m a Scrooge, but honestly, I find the influx of ‘MerryChristmas’ emails coming in when I am desperately trying to clear thedecks to allow me to enjoy my break more than a bit of a nuisance.Unless it’s laugh out loud funny, fabulously engaging, or fromsomeone I really feel that I know, it’s deleted from my inbox and mymind in moments.
Communication is not just for ChristmasDo you have friends and relatives who send you a one-line card eachyear? Hardly makes you feel special does it? In fact, I find that itreminds me how little I really know them.
Don’t be that business. The one who only gets in touch once a yearwith a hastily bought corporate Christmas card, with your namewrong (and all in lower case because it’s been mail-merged from dufffile), and a wonky label with their name and address on the back.
Instead, be the business that I actively ask for information from.Information that I read, use and enjoy. When doing your seasonalmarketing plan, look at the whole twelve months and find ways to behelpful, friendly and visible at regular intervals.
In fact, start with January – how will you be welcoming people into2014, and how will you help them kick off the year with gusto?
I know, I know, it’s hardly the most creatively stimulating list. But, it isthe stuff that you need to get right first. Even the very best creativebrilliance can’t overcome getting the basics right.
Bryony Thomas is described as the MD’s marketing confidante, andis the author of Watertight Marketing (Panoma Press £14.99) – theentrepreneur’s essential marketing manual. www.watertightmarketing.com
How to make sure your Christmasmarketing isn’t missing the batteries
Page14 Reporter News_NEW LAYOUT SYB 06/12/2013 15:38 Page 26
