How to make sure your Christmas marketing isn't missing the batteries - an article by Bryony Thomas on the things that typically undermine decent seasonal marketing.

1. Page14 Reporter News_NEW LAYOUT SYB 06/12/2013 15:38 Page 26
REPORTER
FEATURE
How to make sure your Christmas
marketing isn’t missing the batteries
Christmas marketing is a bit of a balancing act and, there’s a fine line
between cool and cliché, but, honestly… one person’s cliché is
another person’s cool. So rather than try to give you a lesson in
Christmas creative, here’s a run down on some of the practical stuff
that makes a massive difference, because, like that amazing toy
without batteries, Christmas communications without the basics
covered is always a disappointment.
Celebrate, don’t sell
The first thing to work out is what your Christmas marketing is all
about. Unless you’re in retail, the last thing it should be is a sales
pitch. In most markets, what you’re aiming for with your Christmas
marketing is to simply raise a smile, a little reminder that you’re lovely
people. Think about being helpful, saying thank you, and having fun.
Christmas is not just for customers
Word of mouth and referrals are so important. Even more so in this
social media world. So, make sure you’re not forgetting people this
Christmas.
You should have something appropriate in plan for all of the following
groups:
• Employees
• Suppliers
• Referrers
• Partners
• And, of course, customers and prospective customers
If, like so many small businesses, you’ve never quite gotten round to
moving this data from individual Outlook folders, LinkedIn contacts,
phones, etc. into a centralised database… start now. Get a process
in place that makes pulling together the annual Christmas card list
less of an ordeal.
Get their names right
There’s no easier way to show that you don’t really know or care
about someone than getting their name wrong. Once you’ve drawn
up a list of people and businesses you’re sending Christmas
messages to – it really is worth taking the time to check and double
check the data. In a business-to-business context, I’d say that an
annual data cleanse at the beginning of November is the very least
you should be doing to keep on top of this (oops, have you missed
that already?). Without the electoral roll to reference against, this is
usually a manual process to looking at websites, checking on
LinkedIn profiles, etc. A perfect job for a seasonal intern perhaps?
Be a helpful elf!
We’ve all seen crazy Christmas games, but before you even think
down these lines, spend a moment to consider if there’s any practical
help people will need.
14 | syb | DECEMBER 2013
Does the holiday season mean they’ll need to use your systems,
products or services differently? A handy guide sent out in early
December on how to divert phones, set automated responses for outof-office systems, etc. is genuinely helpful and also shows you care.
You need to let people know when you’ll be open and how to get
support in these times if they need it. This sort of helpful
communication is far more important than the crazy stuff.
In fact, if you’ve missed this out you may well find a customer deeply
irritated by seeing you spend energy on elf bowling when they can’t
use the stuff they’re paying for.
Do people need inbox icing?
Managing email is consistently reported as a source of stress… so I
really would think twice about Christmas emails that don’t really earn
their place in a person’s inbox.
Maybe I’m a Scrooge, but honestly, I find the influx of ‘Merry
Christmas’ emails coming in when I am desperately trying to clear the
decks to allow me to enjoy my break more than a bit of a nuisance.
Unless it’s laugh out loud funny, fabulously engaging, or from
someone I really feel that I know, it’s deleted from my inbox and my
mind in moments.
Communication is not just for Christmas
Do you have friends and relatives who send you a one-line card each
year? Hardly makes you feel special does it? In fact, I find that it
reminds me how little I really know them.
Don’t be that business. The one who only gets in touch once a year
with a hastily bought corporate Christmas card, with your name
wrong (and all in lower case because it’s been mail-merged from duff
file), and a wonky label with their name and address on the back.
Instead, be the business that I actively ask for information from.
Information that I read, use and enjoy. When doing your seasonal
marketing plan, look at the whole twelve months and find ways to be
helpful, friendly and visible at regular intervals.
In fact, start with January – how will you be welcoming people into
2014, and how will you help them kick off the year with gusto?
I know, I know, it’s hardly the most creatively stimulating list. But, it is
the stuff that you need to get right first. Even the very best creative
brilliance can’t overcome getting the basics right.
Bryony Thomas is described as the MD’s marketing confidante, and
is the author of Watertight Marketing (Panoma Press £14.99) – the
entrepreneur’s essential marketing manual.
www.watertightmarketing.com