social media holiday marketing tips

1. Schedule

• Directly on Facebook

• Viral Tag for Pinterest and/or Twitter (14-day free trial, afterwards plans start at $29/month)
• HootSuite for Twitter
• At the moment, you cannot schedule on Instagram, you must post in real time.

2. Use Facebook Ads

• Like Ad targeting your email database, website visitors, competitor and local pages
• Promoted Posts (not boosting!) targeting your current likes (if you don’t sell online, target your likes who live within 25 or 50 miles of your city).
• Website Ad (clicks or conversions) if you sell online. Target current likes, email database, website visitors.
• Social Edge members log in and go to the Facebook Ads Training Course to learn more about how to set up ads, create your budget, best practices and success stories.

3. Educate Consumers about Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday (SBS) is YOUR day and a day for consumers to rally and support local businesses. This is a newer movement, so there’s still a lot of education and promotion that needs to be done. Thankfully American Express created SBS and puts marketing dollars into promoting this day, but it’s important you’re talking about it online and in-store too. Social Edge members click here to watch the Small Business Saturday webinar to learn more about the day and how to make it a success for your store.

small business saturday

4. Show Staff

Behind the scenes posts are the most relatable, are a way the online audience gets to know you better, and typically receive the highest engagement (likes/comments). Have fun with this! If it’s been a crazy busy day and you’re literally lying on the floor of your store, have someone take a picture (or take a selfie!) and share how you’re feeling and how thankful you are for all the shoppers who came in.

5. Use Local Hashtags. On Twitter and Instagram (especially Instagram!) use your town/city/state as a hashtag. For example, if I had a store in Temecula CA, I’d use the following hashtags:

• #temecula
• #temeculaca
• #socal
• #california
• #murrieta (city near Temecula)

6. Be Helpful

Consumers are busy this time of year, just like you. Brainstorm ways you can help them whether it be outfit ideas, recipes for parties, holiday décor made simple, gift ideas for men/daughters/wife/husband/sister/etc. and then post to social media outlets.

holiday marketing tips

7. Make Graphics Stand Out

Social media is a visual platform, so try to make almost all of your posts into an image. Example: you have new holiday store hours, take a picture of a display in store/window display/front of store and on top of the image add text that says “Now open on Sunday’s!” or “Extended Holiday Hours”. Use Canva.com or Picmonkey.com to make these kinds of graphics on a computer. Use Word Swag (for iPhone only) to easily create catchy images using your phone (especially great for Instagram users).

walk on water facebook

8. Find Ways YOU Can Stand Out

Now’s a very competitive time of the year since all retailers are fighting to get in front of holiday shoppers. Get creative on how you can standout from the retailer down the street or big boxes. Some ideas: fun pictures, video slideshows, host an event with a local influencer/celebrity as your guest of honor, video of staff dancing/singing, giveaways and contests.

holiday email from country outfitters

9. Use Email Marketing

Proving to be one of the best channels to make a sale (whether selling online or generating foot traffic), create emails featuring new items, sales and events. Social Edge members click here to learn more about making your holiday emails more effective by reading: 9 Email Marketing Tips for the Holiday Season.

And don’t forget to collect email addresses of everyone who is in-store or on your website (for websites use something like PopUp Domination). Give an incentive for joining your email list like $ or % off the consumer’s next purchase to increase the number of people who join your list.

10. Follow Potential Customers

Not in the creepy way, but in the social media way. This takes additional time, but find potential shoppers on social outlets and follow them/network with them. This is a great way for you to build YOUR following and increase exposure, especially on Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. To find these users, go to competitor and local pages and follow their followers and search for local hashtags. Before following, visit each person to make sure they’d be someone who would buy from you, and make sure they’re active on that platform (have updated in the past couple of weeks).

I know this is a very busy time of year, but try to not only remember these tips, implement them to make this your most holiday season yet!

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