Here Are Some Ideas For Marketing During The Holiday Season

The holiday season is in full swing. Thanksgiving is over, we survived Black Friday, and nearly 51 million people made it home after traveling during the break. As we approach the Christmas holiday, everything seems to speed up. Life is normally lived at a rapid pace, but the holiday season feels like you’re running 100 MPH with your hair on fire. Just think about all of your extra responsibilities for the next few weeks:

• Family gatherings
• School events for the kids
• Church activities
• Work functions
• Shopping for gifts

And all of that is added to your busy schedule. But here’s the reality: what’s true for you during this season is also true for your customers. Their schedules also become overloaded. Their finances also get a little bit tighter with the added expenses. And because of these additional pressures, their problems get a little bit worse. When time becomes scarce, we get frazzled. When money gets tight, we get anxious. All of those emotions make everything just a little more difficult.

Guide customers during the holiday season

That’s where you come in. You get the opportunity to show how your company can solve the unique problems that appear during the holiday season. Customers need a way to solve their specific needs this season, and you get the chance to be their solution. But how?Simple: slay their villains. When I work with clients using the StoryBrand framework, we talk about the villain – the source of all problems for your customer. If the villain is gone, life gets so much easier. When it comes to the holiday season, the villains often become time and money. Since both things are in high demand with low supply, it’s easy for people to become overwhelmed during the holidays. Their problems are simply getting worse.

Customers need a way to solve their specific needs this season, and you get the chance to be their solution.

Let me give you an example. One of my clients works with married couples. During a coaching session a few weeks ago, we talked about how they can uniquely serve couples with their content. We decided the client needed to do a webinar called “How to holiday-proof your marriage.” The principles were nothing new, yet they were wrapped in the context of Christmas chaos. People showed up, got a ton of value, and my client was able to reach more people. For married couples, the pressures of time and money magnify other problems. So what once seemed like minor inconveniences turn into major meltdowns. Why? Because the villains are lurking in the shadows making everything worse.

It’s your turn

Knowing the added pressure of bigger villains, you have the opportunity to help your customers slay those villains. You already provide the products and services they need; you simply need to point out how your offerings can solve problems. Despite what people say, we are all trying to survive this time of year. We know the massive demands on our time and resources, so we do whatever it takes to reach the new year. And you’re in a position to help people through this difficult time. Here are a few questions you can ask to discover how you communicate your solutions during the holiday season:

1. What problems are unique to the holidays for my customers? Think about how life gets a little bit harder for people during these next few weeks.
2. What feelings are unique to this season? Emotions run high during this time of year. Some are good, some are bad. Be specific as to what those emotions may be.
3. What causes these issues? As I said earlier, time and money are often the main culprits. Start there, then determine if another villain is lurking in the background.
4. How can I share solutions? This is a tactical question. Maybe you host a webinar, or maybe you write one blog a week that solves a problem and points people to buy your product. As an example, here are some blog posts I’d write if I were a health coach:
5. The Ultimate Holiday Survival Guide To Eating Well
6. 5 Steps To Successfully Navigating Unhealthy Holiday Parties
8. 4 Reasons Why It’s So Hard To Be Healthy In December
10. How To Holiday Proof Your Eating Plan
12. 5 Ways To Make Healthier Holiday Desserts You’ll Actually Enjoy

These four questions can work for any industry of any size. Spend a few minutes thinking about the problems your customers face, and you’ll soon discover practical ways to help people dominate December.