The holiday season in New Zealand coincides with summer—a time when people are more active, spend more time outdoors, and often take extended breaks.
As December and January approach, having your marketing strategies in place is crucial to maximising engagement and sales during this peak period. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through essential marketing preparations, address common challenges, and provide actionable solutions to help your business thrive.
1. Prepare Your Promotional Products for Summer
Promotional products are an effective way to keep your brand visible during the summer holiday season. Items like branded beach towels, eco-friendly water bottles, and sun hats are particularly relevant. However, many businesses struggle with last-minute ordering, selecting the right products, and ensuring their promotional items resonate with the New Zealand summer vibe.
Why It’s Important:
In New Zealand, the summer holidays are synonymous with outdoor activities, making this an ideal time to distribute promotional products that enhance your brand’s visibility in public spaces.
Challenges and Solutions:
- Last-Minute Rush: To avoid delayed deliveries, start planning and ordering your promotional products well in advance. Early preparation allows you to secure your preferred items without the stress of the holiday rush.
- Product Relevance: Choose items that align with the summer season and will likely be used by your clients. Products like sunscreen, reusable drink bottles, or beach totes not only offer utility but also keep your brand in front of your customers.
- Sustainability: Opt for eco-friendly products made from sustainable materials. This will not only reflect well on your brand but also appeal to the growing number of environmentally conscious consumers.
For more tips on selecting the best promotional products, check out our Guide to Eco-Friendly Marketing Materials.
Ready to order your summer-themed promotional products? Contact us today to explore our wide range of options!
2. Optimise Your Vehicle Branding for Maximum Exposure
Your vehicle is a moving billboard, especially during the holiday season when foot traffic is high. Branded vehicles are a cost-effective way to increase visibility and reinforce your brand throughout the community. However, ensuring that your vehicle branding remains impactful can be a challenge.
Why It’s Important:
During peak holiday traffic, your branded vehicle has the potential to reach thousands of people daily, making it a powerful tool for brand visibility.
Challenges and Solutions:
- Outdated Branding: Regularly assess your vehicle’s current branding. Faded or outdated graphics can send the wrong message. Consider refreshing your vehicle’s appearance with vibrant, summer-themed designs that catch the eye.
- Maximising Visibility: Plan your routes strategically to ensure your vehicle is seen in high-traffic areas such as shopping malls, holiday markets, and beaches. Partnering with local events can further enhance your brand’s reach.
- Limited Reach: Engage with local events or community activities where your vehicle can be prominently displayed. This not only increases your brand’s exposure but also associates it with positive, community-focused events.
Learn how to enhance your brand’s visibility with Effective Customer Communication Strategies.
Is your vehicle ready for the holiday rush? Contact us today to update your branding!
3. Develop a Robust Social Media Strategy for the Holidays
Social media offers a unique opportunity to engage with your audience during the holiday season. However, maintaining consistent engagement and creating content that stands out can be difficult.
Why It’s Important:
With more people spending time online during the holidays, a strong social media presence can drive traffic to your website, boost sales, and build brand loyalty.
Challenges and Solutions:
- Consistency: Develop a content calendar for December and January to ensure your social media channels remain active and engaging. A mix of promotional content, interactive posts, and customer-centric updates can keep your audience engaged.
- Standing Out: Leverage the New Zealand summer by creating holiday-themed content that resonates locally. Share tips on summer activities, run photo contests with a “Kiwi summer” theme or showcase how your products enhance the holiday experience.
- Low Engagement: Incorporate interactive elements such as polls, giveaways, and user-generated content. For example, run a “Summer Giveaway” where participants share their favourite summer moments to win branded merchandise. This encourages participation and increases brand visibility.
Discover more ideas in our Ultimate Guide to Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses.
Need help with your holiday social media strategy? Contact us today to get started!
4. Craft Compelling Newsletters for Increased Engagement
Email newsletters are a direct line to your audience during the holiday season. However, standing out in crowded inboxes requires strategic planning and engaging content.
Why It’s Important:
Newsletters are an opportunity to communicate directly with your audience, offering them exclusive deals, valuable content, and a personal touch during the busy holiday period.
Challenges and Solutions:
- Crowded Inboxes: To stand out, craft newsletters that offer genuine value. Start with a warm holiday greeting and follow up with exclusive offers or insightful content like a “Summer Essentials Guide” featuring your products.
- Low Engagement: Segment your audience to personalise your newsletters based on their past behaviour or preferences. Tailored content increases the likelihood of engagement. Include limited-time offers or early access to sales to create a sense of urgency.
- Reader Interaction: Enhance your newsletters with interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, or links to holiday-themed content on your website. Encourage readers to engage by asking questions or prompting them to share their holiday plans.
Internal Link Opportunity:
Check out our Best Practices for Email Marketing to learn how to boost your campaign effectiveness.
Let us help you craft compelling holiday newsletters. Contact us today to learn more!
5. Communicate Your Holiday Hours Effectively
Clear communication of your holiday hours is essential to avoid confusion and ensure your clients know when they can reach you. However, many businesses struggle with effectively communicating this information across all platforms.
Why It’s Important:
Accurate and consistent communication about your holiday hours helps manage customer expectations and ensures they know when they can access your services.
Challenges and Solutions:
- Inconsistent Messaging: Ensure consistency by updating your holiday hours across all relevant platforms—your website, social media profiles, Google My Business, and in-store signage. Consistent messaging reduces confusion and keeps your clients informed.
- Last-Minute Changes: Be proactive by planning for any potential changes in your hours due to unforeseen circumstances. Quickly communicate these changes through your most active channels, such as social media or SMS notifications, to keep your clients informed in real-time.
Internal Link Opportunity:
Read our article on Effective Customer Communication Strategies for more tips on keeping your clients informed.
Clearly, communicating your holiday hours is key to maintaining customer trust. Make sure all your channels are updated!
Additional Tips for Holiday Marketing Success
- Holiday Promotions: Attract more customers with special holiday promotions or discounts. Bundle deals, free shipping, or limited-time offers are particularly appealing during the gift-giving season.
- Website Preparedness: Ensure your website can handle the holiday traffic surge by checking e-commerce functionality, improving site speed, and ensuring a seamless user experience. A good example is the company Bliss Baskets, which offers an easy-to-visit website.
- Customer Support: Prepare your customer support team for higher volumes of inquiries. Ensure they are well-trained and consider setting up automated responses for common questions to improve efficiency.
Ensure your website is holiday-ready with our Website Optimisation Checklist.
Conclusion
Preparing your marketing for the December and January period is essential for maximising the holiday season’s potential. By addressing key challenges—whether it’s selecting the right promotional products, creating engaging social media content, or clearly communicating your holiday hours—you can ensure your marketing strategy is ready for success. Don’t wait until the last minute; start preparing now to make your business shine during the busiest time of the year.
Ready to get started? Contact us today to prepare your marketing for the holiday season!
About The Why Marketing
Founded by Geoffrey Campbell in 2019, The Why Marketing specialises in providing tailored marketing solutions for SMEs in Tauranga, New Zealand, and the broader North Island area. With a focus on strategic planning, brand management, and digital marketing, we act as your Virtual Marketing Officer, delivering in-house and outsourced services designed to meet your unique needs. Our ethical approach and commitment to quality ensure that we deliver results that matter. Let’s build something great together.
