Season’s Greetings from an Out of Office Marketer

The end of the year is considered the “busy” season for marketers all across the land. The end of Q3 and beginning of Q4 are especially marked by trying to meet KPIs for those big initiatives of the past year while planning for the next calendar year that’s peeking at you from around the corner. 

After the laptops are shut, the turkey is in the oven, and the egg nog is poured, giving your marketing (and your hard-working marketers) a complete break is an easy thing to do. 

“Let’s pause during the holidays; no one else is working either.”

“The holidays are the slow season for us since budgets for the next year are already pre-determined.” 

They might say. 

Well, I’m here to tell you that now is the time to put fire beneath your feet like you’re about to be placed on a graham cracker. Now is the time you DO need to be marketing. 

Don’t stress—I’ll tell you why. I’m not saying your team needs to work so hard that you have to skip out on any family traditions. As a marketer, I’ll tell you how you can make your marketing go further and more effectively this holiday season. 

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So, why should you market during the holidays? 

People spend more time online during the holidays 

We are all used to constantly plugging into work through phones or emails. And because we live in constant information overload, we often find ourselves twiddling our thumbs when we get some time off. For many, twiddling thumbs take the form of scrolling thumbs. People spend more time on social media and the Internet during the holiday than the rest of the year—when the world operates at a million miles per hour.

Decision-makers have more time to research

Think about your boss. Think about your boss’s boss. They’re probably workaholics that are always online. Maybe you are, too. Well, the same goes for your decision-making prospects. Their business slowing down during the holiday season gives them more time to research solutions going into 2025 to ensure a great year. Don’t you want them to research your offerings? That’s why you need to stay top-of-mind and in front of them.

Standing out when competitors stay relatively silent

Some companies do competitor research to replicate some of what makes their competitors successful. This is different. You should market during the holidays because I’d be willing to bet that many of your competitors AREN’T doing it. Aside from the occasional “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas” post, you can provide valuable and engaging content to stand out and build relationships with your prospects. 

Companies are trying to spend their remaining budgets

Many companies spend a little stingy throughout the year to avoid depleting their budget too early. It often results in extra budget at the end of the year. A budget that they could spend on you. Staying in front of them during this period could ensure you get a piece of the pie—and it could continue into the new year and be the start of something new. 

Companies might be procrastinating their planning for next year

Many companies find themselves behind on budget planning for the following year because of procrastination or a large workload. So, while your competitors assume your prospects have already decided where, when, and who to spend their money on, you can capture those last-minute prospects and secure your place in their budget for next year. 

Develop an emotional connection with your brand 

Delivering a message that evokes joy, happiness, or enthusiasm can resonate with your audience. And those positive feelings have been scientifically proven to improve recall. The holiday season is the perfect time to seize the opportunity when the air is filled with these positive emotions to associate yourself with in the minds of your prospects.

Great opportunity for some insightful content

The end of the year offers some insightful and engaging content opportunities. Who doesn’t love a good year-in-review or next year's industry trends report? Talk about positioning yourself as a thought leader. 

Opportunity for personalized, non-salesy outreach 

It’s the season of giving. That’s why you should use this time to reach out to your customers and prospects and provide them with good, old-fashioned, personalized, and non-salesy outreach. Delivering a holiday gift to prospects lets them know that they’re on your mind and that you care—evoking those emotions and feelings we talked about earlier.

Maintain your marketing momentum

The most simple reason to market during the holidays is to maintain consistency. If you stop marketing during the holidays, momentum could be lost. Imagine that you were running ads, had a prospect swimming towards your hook, and you just pulled the bait away. That’s tragic. Think about the lost revenue. 

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Tips to make your marketing successful during the holidays

We aren’t saying your marketing efforts must go around the clock while the kids open presents. What we’re saying is stopping cold turkey (no pun intended) isn’t the right way to go. Just because you’re out enjoying the holidays doesn’t mean you can’t also enjoy a few big, last-minute leads to trickle into your pipeline. There’s nothing better than starting the next year ahead of your forecast. Here are some tips to make the most of your marketing this holiday season. 

Focus on digital

This is a given, considering many marketing efforts are already centered around digital, but in the holiday season, even more so. Whether it be social media, programmatic advertising, or email, you have a better chance than ever to get in front of your prospects and get their undivided attention. They do, after all, have more time than they usually would. 

Automate processes where possible

We know you have a family and festivities to attend. We aren’t asking you to work 40+ hour weeks. If you leverage marketing automation, you can schedule emails and social media posts before you even go on vacation, ensuring consistency through the holidays without losing time.  

Retargeting efforts to stay top of mind

We spend a lot of time prospecting and targeting new contacts and logos. Now, it's time to focus on existing contacts. By leveraging and focusing on retargeting efforts, you can send emails and ads to those who have already engaged with you to close more deals at the buzzer.

Tailor content to the season, make it fun

The holiday season is fun. The holiday spirit normally doesn't include a white paper on streamlining a process. The holiday season is an excuse to be fun and let loose. Post a video thanking your customers. Post a fun year-in-review. Run a holiday-themed poll on social media. Share your favorite recipes. Have an office decorating contest. Play Elf on the Shelf at the office. The opportunities to have fun are endless. People want to work with people. And by posting fun content like this, you prove you are a person—and a fun one.

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