Christmas Marketing for Small Businesses: How to beat the Big Brands

The seasonal rush is almost upon us, and all the major brands will have been perfecting their Christmas marketing campaigns for months now. So how can small businesses with limited resources compete with the multi-million budget Christmas advertising campaigns of big brands? Here are some Christmas marketing ideas for small businesses that you can put into action now.

1. Tap into the Christmas Spirit on Social Media

The festive season is often a time of heightened emotions with the major retailers’ advertising campaigns focusing on feelings of good will, kinship and family values. Small businesses’ Christmas advertising can easily emulate the warming values of these campaigns.

Connect with your customers by tapping into the festive spirit of goodwill. You could offer some Christmas freebies, voucher codes or incentives. Or show your customers the human side behind your brand by sharing some of your personal Christmas traditions or favourite seasonal recipes.

2. Christmas Marketing for Small Businesses should embrace Community

One edge that small businesses have on big brands is that they’re able to connect with local or online communities on a more intimate level.

If you run a local business, get yourself involved in any local festive events – be it Christmas markets, charity fundraisers or even Christmas events run by schools or local social clubs. You could even team-up with another local business whose products or services complement your own. Offer bundled deals and promote each other.

There’s no reason e-commerce and other online businesses can’t create some Christmas community of their own too. You could support a charity fundraiser like Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day. Share images of your employees in Christmas jumpers and encourage your customers to do the same. Perhaps even run a competition on social media to find the most spectacular Christmas jumper.

3. Send seasons greetings the old fashioned way

It’s an oldie but a goodie: keep in touch with clients and partners by sending personalised holiday cards. Whilst the internet has made it much easier to distribute holiday cards to huge databases of customers and business partners, it’s also made the gesture much more impersonal. If you have the time to send printed Christmas cards with a short handwritten message you’ll be showing your clients that they mean much more to you than a name on a database entry.

4. Get Creative with Holiday Décor

Spruce-up your shop front or website with some seasonal decorations. It doesn’t have to be on a par with Harrods’ or Selfridges’ Christmas displays, but a few snowflakes and stars can really help to build the right atmosphere for this time of the year.

Online, you could add seasonal graphics to your company logo or use photo editing apps to add some festive cheer to images your post on Social Media.

5. Christmas Advertising on Billboards is for small businesses too

There’s no reason why small businesses can’t advertise on the same billboards, bus stop panels and digital OOH panels that the big brands do. Just stay ahead of the game.

Research has shown, as the busy Christmas season starts to get nearer, the major brands begin booking up all the best outdoor advertising panels. This means that if you want to attract your prospects’ attention during November, December and January, now is the time to make sure you won’t miss out.

Many successful SMEs select the best billboards and bus shelters around this time of the year, before it’s too late. The earlier you start, the more likely are to be seen in the best locations. You’ll benefit from the huge potential that outdoor advertising gives you – more visits, more traffic, more sales.

It’s easy to check the availability on our website, and find something suitable for you. Simply login today and discover what’s available in the upcoming months. Just register or login to have a look at our map and pick the perfect panel for you.

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