As the holiday season draws near, so does the chance to market your offerings to holiday shoppers. To ensure successful end-of-year sales, it’s important to plan effective campaigns that will entice shoppers to buy from your business. This means getting innovative and thinking beyond the “traditional” holiday ad campaigns and promotions consumers are used to seeing.
To help you do this, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council each share one overused holiday marketing trend they’d rather not see this year. If you want your business to stand out, avoid these tired approaches and try something fresh.
Young Entrepreneur Council members think companies should stay away from these holiday marketing trends this year.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.
1. Fluctuating Prices
I’ve noticed that businesses are dramatically changing their prices between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I honestly think this trend is a waste of time. You can see powerful results by keeping a consistently low price through the weekend. Changing all of your pricing for days that are less than a week apart costs valuable time and resources that could likely be used elsewhere. – Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights
2. Red And Green Color Schemes
Enough of red and green! I love Christmas, but seeing the same colors in all the advertisements year after year not only bores me and makes me a little dizzy, but it also confuses me. I think that almost all companies are wrong on this point because their products end up looking like those of the competition. It’s the perfect time for companies to attract attention by looking totally different. – Kevin Ryan Tao, NeuEve
3. Early Holiday Hours
One trend is trying to create an added sense of urgency by opening on certain days leading up to the holidays at midnight or other early hours. The result of these promotions is long lines in the middle of the night, disgruntled and frustrated customers, a race to get the specific deals they want, arguments, fights, awful customer experiences and bad publicity for the business. This trend needs to stop. – Jonathan Prichard, MattressInsider.com
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4. ‘Buy One, Get One’ Deals
The most overhyped marketing trend going into the holiday season seems to be the “buy one, get one free” deals. In many cases, people simply aren’t looking for a second product, and this method perhaps only really applies to a particular type of shopper. Creating a more focused and personalized offer can pay off much more and will signal to your market that you understand their needs. – Salvador Ordorica, The Spanish Group LLC
5. Premature Holiday Campaigns
I don’t like to see holiday marketing (for Hanukkah and Christmas) around back-to-school time and Labor Day. It’s just too early. You can start planning your holiday marketing during the summer but then not announce it in the fall season. My suggestion would be to start your holiday marketing eight to 10 weeks in advance. – Kristin Kimberly Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC
6. Frequent Email Blasts
Spamming your customers’ email inboxes is never acceptable, but it’s especially terrible during the holiday season. Yes, you’re competing for their attention, but with social media, paid ads and capitalizing on your current customer base and search traffic, it’s the lazy way to get holiday sales. Also, it alienates customers because it communicates a type of desperation many find off-putting. – Emily Stallings, Casely, Inc.
7. Gift Guides
I’m tired of seeing the hundreds of “holiday gift guides” listing the same trinkets year after year. Most people I know are trying to live more simply and yet, around the holidays, there is always a ton of content pushed out by companies that exudes materialism and excess. Companies should try publishing more creative content around the holidays—perhaps a list of ways to give back. – Reuben Yonatan, GetVoIP
8. Repackaged Products
It’s very obvious when some businesses simply repackage their existing offerings with holiday labels and graphics. It shows a lack of preparation and that they aren’t making much effort to connect with customers during holiday events. Instead of repackaging existing products or services, it’s better to create new and perhaps time-bound experiences to win more customers. – Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner
