The last quarter of the calendar year is a hectic, yet very profitable time for businesses. Marketing efforts are amplified to align with the holiday season. And while this is a very exciting time, it can also be difficult to create a campaign that cuts through the noise. Here’s a quick guide for beginning marketers on creating a holiday campaign that’s cause for celebration!

1. Get in the spirit!Brands benefit from aligning their messaging and visual identity with the holiday and connecting with their audience. The holidays present a great opportunity to communicate brand values with a custom hashtag. Trouble coming up with a hashtag? Companies can repurpose popular holiday sayings and integrate into their company name or tagline. And if nothing meshes, make the hashtag an earnest, personal message to your  target audience. Spritz Tip: Update your logo with holiday colors (orange & black for Halloween, red & green for Christmas, red, white, and blue for 4th of July, etc). This can be in turn used in all digital & print marketing materials.
2. Check your calendars – check them twice.
   
   Brands should plan out all holiday efforts at least 2-3 months in advance. This provides ample time to order any promotional items, make reservations, and, most importantly, avoid the headache of congested & over-priced holiday deliveries.Holiday gifting campaigns & loyalty rewards programs are great ways to incentivize consumers and acknowledge affiliate partners. Time is needed to successfully execute these initiatives during a stressful holiday period. Your customers are frantically looking for last-minute purchases to make their holiday festivities complete, and it’s a good time to step in and offer a solution. Spritz Tip: Boost product promotions and giveaways 2 weeks in advance of the holiday via boosted Facebook posts.
3. Guide your customers.
   
   An easy way to reach your audience during this time is to give them a written guide on how to “survive” a certain holiday. Everyone looks for tips to make holidays and events run smoothly, so it’s great to give your brand’s personal insight on how to make it an unforgettable occasion.By packaging holiday tips with a product or service, brands subtly integrate their services with holiday customs and practices. For example, to celebrate Halloween, a Spritz restaurant client coordinated a holiday campaign through e-blasts and social media inviting customers to wear a costume to their establishment in exchange for a free item. Spritz Tip: Share all your tips through a social media series with your hashtag. Another option is compiling a blog (like this one!)

Holidays are stressful, but are great opportunities to make memorable experiences for many customers. Brands can cut through the holiday clutter with the proper alignment & planning.