People these days are starting their Christmas shopping earlier than ever before. In fact, many people have the majority of theirs finished before Black Friday rolls around in the UK on 29^th November. For marketers, it’s essential to be ahead of the game and well prepared for the busy festive season. Here are some tips to help businesses get ahead.

1. Take a holistic view of the holiday season

It’s important to take a holistic view when planning your marketing strategy for the festive season. Businesses should be on the ball from the moment the first decorations appear in store, to the first Christmas advert being aired, all the way through to the end of New Year.

2. Start your campaign as soon as possible

Despite half of UK consumers expressing habitual annoyance with seeing Christmas products and decorations in store before December, research from Retail Choice shows that a quarter (26%) admit to have purchased Christmas gifts before August is over. This is partly due to the rise in online shopping, which has made it easier and more convenient for people to stock up on gifts. Start your campaign early and make sure you hit all those organised shoppers.

3. Make seasonal shopping easy and make customers feel valued

Take some of the stress out of late-season shopping with an omni-channel campaign that gives shoppers the price and promotion information they need, wherever they’re looking. Customers shopping online or on a tablet are looking for an easy, quick and streamlined experience, so be sure you have an optimised check out process.

Businesses should also take the time during the Christmas season to encourage shoppers with special discounts. Make sure you reward loyal customers with exclusive deals and offers.

4. Continue your campaign once Christmas is over

In the days and weeks after Christmas, people increasingly buy for loved ones – and for themselves. For brands, post-Christmas is the perfect time to focus on messaging around shoppers treating themselves as well as promoting sales deals. Creating separate campaigns for these distinct behaviours can help a post-holiday sales spike.

If you’d like to discuss your marketing strategy and look at ways you can stand out and gain customers during the busy festive season, get in touch with Only Marketing.