Get Seasonally Inspired!
Now that autumn has finally arrived and winter is not so far behind, these seasons bring many opportunities for businesses to run effective and creative marketing campaigns, especially tailored to the holidays. Expert marketers know the importance of planning your company’s marketing calendar far in advance (at least a quarter or two!). However, some companies choose to plan their marketing content a full year ahead of time. Since we all know how time flies, this will give you enough time to think of unique and clever ways to promote your brand whilst using annual events or upcoming festivities as inspiration. For those of you who haven’t planned out your Q4 plan for this year, now is the time to get started.
Mark Your Calendar and Plan Ahead
The first thing to do when planning your upcoming marketing campaigns is to map them out on a calendar, whilst keeping in mind various holidays, seasonal events (such as sport tournament kick-offs, school breaks, etc.), your target audience, and of course, the best billboard locations to place your advertisements. Once you’ve planned your annual calendar, it makes it easier for you to start strategising, budgeting, and organising your campaign. Perhaps most importantly, by planning in advance, you’ll also avoid last-minute stress!
Winter’s Highlights
So, what elements about the winter season can inspire your business’ next marketing campaign?
- Jolly Holidays – The beauty of the last few months of the year is, despite bringing cold weather, they also bring us many fun holidays that people look forward to all year round such as Halloween, Hanukkah, Eid, Christmas, Kwanza, New Year, and more. Seek out a little inspiration in these holidays by studying their history and meaning to find an effective way to incorporate elements of them in your advertising.
- Vacations – Most people dream of escaping the cold winter days in exchange for time in the sun in a warm holiday destination. Holiday planning is a common practice during the cold seasons, too, so why not look for ways to incorporate this concept into your campaign?
- Winter Sports – Winter sports are highly anticipated and unmissable to sports fans, especially here in the UK! Football, for example, is a huge part of people’s evenings and weekends and perfect for businesses to revolve their advertising around.
- Warm and Cosy – The best thing about the cold weather in winter is looking forward to being warm and snug indoors. The winter ignites thoughts of warm drinks, blazing chimney fires, comforting blankets, and so on. Incorporating the concept of cosiness and homeliness in your marketing campaign could warm people’s hearts.
- Christmas and New Year – Christmas and New Years are undoubtedly some of the most popular and highly anticipated holidays of the year, right? Planning to advertise around these two holidays is a good way to boost your sales and increase your customer base, especially for retail businesses as everyone is gift hunting and ready to spend money on their loved ones. Start your advertising at least a couple of months ahead so that your campaign can be live long enough for your advert to have an impact on your audience.
Suggestions to Include on Your Billboard Advert:
- Hashtags – Include hashtags, perhaps related to the holiday season or your special promotion, to encourage your billboard advert’s viewers to visit your social media accounts for a bit of fun and engagement. This will allow you to lure your current and future customers to connect with you online, too.
- Special Deals and Promotions – During the holidays, many businesses run extra sales to get customers through the door. It’s essential to keep your business top of mind by offering a holiday deal or two. Showcase your special holiday promotions on an impactful billboard for all to see. This will incentivise them to visit your business with your products as the primary items to purchase on their holiday wish lists!
- QR Codes – Displaying a QR code on your billboard advert will help those driving or walking by to easily and rapidly access your business online when they don’t have the time or means to stop and jot down your contact details. They’ll also allow you to share more information about your business or services in a central location online. QR codes can be extremely practical when you’re running a special seasonal competition for your customers to enter.
Get In Touch
Need some advice on how to plan your marketing efforts around the coming holidays? Get in touch with us to book your free marketing consultation by calling us at 020 7112 8624 or emailing sales@billboardmedia.co.uk.
