As the festive season approaches, it’s time to deck the halls of your social media with the holiday spirit! eJenn Solutions, Inc., your trusted partner in online marketing, is here to guide you through 12 fantastic social media ideas tailored for your brick-and-mortar business. Let’s jingle all the way to success!
Day 1: The Festive Countdown Begins
Idea: Launch a 12-day countdown on your social platforms. Post something unique about your business each day or offer a special holiday deal.
Blending your branding with the holiday theme creates a memorable and distinctive festive countdown that resonates with your audience. It’s a fantastic way to keep your brand at the forefront of your customers’ minds during this bustling season!
Here are some social media Christmas ideas that might work for your business. It’s a mini social media marketing plan!
Branded Advent Calendar: Create a virtual advent calendar on your social media. Each day, reveal a new post that aligns with your brand’s colors and theme. As an example, consider blue-themed holiday decorations or products in your visuals if your brand is blue.
Daily Brand Stories: Share a story each day that connects your brand to the holiday spirit. It could be the history of your business during the festive season, how your products can be used in holiday celebrations, or just fun facts that incorporate your branding elements.
Interactive Countdown Graphics: Design countdown graphics incorporating your brand colors and logo. Use these graphics consistently across your posts to maintain a cohesive and recognizable look. You can add elements like snowflakes, stars, or Christmas lights in your brand colors for that extra festive touch.
Custom Hashtags: Create a unique holiday-themed hashtag that includes your brand name. Encourage your followers to use it when they share content related to your business. This not only promotes engagement but also increases your brand visibility.
Themed Offers: Align your daily offers or highlights with your brand identity. If your branding emphasizes eco-friendliness, offer a special discount on sustainable products or share tips on having a green Christmas.
Day 2: Decorate Your Digital Space
Idea: Share photos or videos of your store decked out in holiday decorations. Encourage customers to visit and experience the festive ambiance.
This is THE PERFECT time to create a corner, a wall, or something in your place that will encourage people to stop and take a selfie or group photo for the holiday. Make sure your branding (product placement) is showcased tastefully in this social media wall. Ensure you encourage tagging your social sites in their photos and make it easy for them to share where they are in those photos they post!
Day 3: Feature a Product/Service
Idea: Showcase a different product or service each day. Use engaging visuals and holiday-themed narratives to capture your audience’s attention.
Depending on your business or product – flat lays with holiday decorations or if you have the time – stop motion videos can be a really cute idea too!
Day 4: Customer Appreciation Post
Idea: Dedicate a day to thank your customers. Share customer stories, testimonials, or feature photos of regulars with their permission.
This is where you can shine! Take the content that was created on day 2 (social media wall photos) and re-post those. Take some of your reviews and put those on holiday-themed graphics to spread a little more cheer!
Need help getting User Generated Content? Check out our article here: Getting User Generated Content For Your Business
Day 5: Interactive Polls/Stories
Idea: Engage your audience with interactive polls or stories. Ask them about their favorite holiday traditions, or let them choose a special deal for the next day.
Holiday Preference Polls: Create simple polls asking your audience about their holiday favorites. Questions like “Real vs. Artificial Christmas Tree?” or “Eggnog or Hot Chocolate?” not only engage but also give you insights into your customer’s preferences. You can use your branding colors in the poll design for a cohesive look.
This or That Stories: Craft a series of ‘This or That’ stories with holiday-themed choices. For example, “Wrapping Paper or Gift Bags?” or “Christmas Carols or Holiday Movies?” These stories can be visually appealing with images or graphics that reflect your brand’s aesthetic.
Guess the Product Game: Post close-up shots of holiday-themed products you sell and let your audience guess what they are. It’s a playful way to showcase your merchandise and create curiosity.
Holiday Tips Sharing: Ask your followers to share their best holiday tips, whether about decorating, cooking, or gift-giving. Feature the best responses in your stories or posts, giving a shoutout to the contributors.
Festive DIY Challenge: Encourage your audience to share their DIY holiday decorations or recipes. To track participation, you can create a branded hashtag for this challenge, like #BrandNameHolidayDIY.
Story Quizzes: Design quick quizzes related to the holidays or your products. For instance, “Which of these products is our holiday best-seller?” This not only engages but also educates your audience about your offerings.
Customer Tradition Highlights: Invite your followers to share their unique holiday traditions. Select a few to feature in your stories, connecting them to your brand or products. For example, if someone mentions baking cookies with family, you could tie it back to your kitchenware products (if relevant).
Day 6: Behind the Scenes
Idea: Give a sneak peek into your holiday preparations. This could be your team decorating the store or wrapping products for delivery.
Let’s pull back the curtain a little more and take your followers on a journey behind the scenes of your holiday preparations. Here’s how you can add depth and interest to this idea.
Meet the Team: Introduce your followers to the people who make the magic happen. Short video clips or photos with bios of your staff engaged in holiday preparations can create a personal connection. Share their favorite holiday memories or what they love most about working during the festive season.
Making of a Window Display: If your store has a holiday window display, share a time-lapse video of its creation. Highlight the planning, the teamwork, and the final reveal. This not only showcases your creativity but also the effort and love that goes into enhancing the shopping experience for your customers.
Packaging Process: Provide a glimpse of how special holiday orders are prepared and packaged. Showcasing your attention to detail, whether hand-wrapping products or adding personalized notes, can emphasize the quality and care your business provides.
Story of a Holiday Product: Share the journey of a specific holiday product – from concept to shelf. This could include design sketches, selecting materials, or assembling products. It’s a great way to showcase the craftsmanship and innovation behind your offerings.
Decorating Diaries: Create a series of posts or a story highlighting different aspects of your store’s holiday decoration process. Engage your audience by asking for their input on certain elements, like choosing the color scheme or the type of lights to use.
Day 7: Collaborate with a Local Influencer
Idea: Partner with a local influencer for the day. Let them take over your social media or promote your business in their content. This works really well if you’ve been working with influencers already – it’s your chance to give them the spotlight and have them talk about your brand in a holiday/fun way!
Day 8: Host a Live Q&A
Idea: Go live on your platform and host a Q&A session. Talk about your product’s holiday ideas, or have a festive chat with your followers.
This interactive approach humanizes your brand and builds a stronger customer rapport. Here’s how to make your live Q&A a memorable and engaging event:
Pre-Event Teasers: Start building anticipation a few days in advance, post teasers about the topics you’ll cover, and a sneak peek of any special guests or exclusive offers that might be revealed during the live session.
Theme Your Q&A: To keep it festive and relevant, theme your Q&A around holiday topics. This could include holiday shopping tips, gift recommendations from your store, or even holiday decoration ideas if they tie into your products or services.
Interactive Format: Encourage live interaction by asking your audience to submit questions beforehand. Consider including live polls, quizzes, or a live demonstration of a product or service.
Special Offers for Participants: Offer exclusive deals or discounts for those who join the live session. This incentivizes participation and can drive post-event sales.
Collaborate with Influencers or Local Celebrities: Bring in a local influencer or celebrity for added appeal. They can help answer questions, share their experiences with your products, or add an element of fun to the session. (it’s those influencers again … notice a theme here? Great to have!)
Follow-Up Content: Post a summary or highlights of the Q&A on your social media channels for those who couldn’t attend. This extends the life of your content and ensures that the valuable insights shared during the live session reach a wider audience.
By hosting a live Q&A session, you’re not just answering questions; you’re engaging in real-time with your audience, offering them value, and strengthening your community. It’s a powerful way to enhance customer loyalty and keep your brand top of mind during the holiday season.
Day 9: Flash Sale or Exclusive Offer
Idea: Create urgency with a flash sale or an exclusive offer for your social media followers. Promote it heavily on the day, and here are some ideas for promoting it!
Limited-Time Flash Sale: Announce a flash sale that lasts only a few hours. This creates urgency and encourages immediate action. Promote it across all your social channels with eye-catching graphics and countdown timers to enhance the excitement.
Social Media Exclusive Offer: Develop an exclusive offer to your followers. It could be a special discount code, a buy-one-get-one deal, or a gift with a purchase. Make sure it’s a compelling offer that they wouldn’t find elsewhere.
Early Access for Followers: Give your social media audience early access to a holiday sale. This rewards them for their loyalty and gives them a sense of exclusivity.
Surprise Bundle Deals: Create special holiday bundles of your products or services at a discounted price. Promote these bundles as perfect gift solutions, ensuring they align with the festive theme.
Interactive Deal Reveal: Engage your audience with an interactive post where they can ‘unlock’ a special deal. This could be through a fun quiz, a poll, or a creative challenge. Once unlocked, reveal a unique promo code for their use.
Partner with a Local Charity: Add a charitable component to your flash sale. For instance, a portion of the sale’s proceeds could go to a local charity. This incentivizes purchases and showcases your business’s commitment to the community.
Tease Upcoming Offers: Use Day 9 to tease future holiday offers. This keeps the momentum going and ensures continued interest in your social media channels beyond the flash sale.
Live Sale Event: Consider hosting a live sale event on platforms like Facebook or Instagram. Showcase your products, offer live-only deals, and interact directly with your audience. This adds a personal touch and can significantly boost engagement.
By strategically planning and executing these ideas, Day 9 can become a major highlight of your 12-day campaign. These tactics are designed to boost sales, deepen customer relationships, and enhance your brand’s festive image.
Day 10: Share Your Playlist
Idea: Day 10 is all about the power of music to spread holiday cheer. Sharing your store’s holiday playlist can create a warm, festive atmosphere for your customers. However, be sure to navigate the legalities of using music in a business setting.
Knowing the proper licensing when using platforms like Spotify in a business environment is important when sharing any playlist. If you want a Spotify business account – check out a company like soundtrackyourbrand.com as a resource.
It’s a great time to ask your customers their favorite songs or to share their playlists. Go further and have your team member share their personal playlists for the season.
Day 11: Community Engagement
Idea: Use this day to highlight your community involvement. This is a great time to give back! Speaking of giving back, don’t forget to share charitable events or local causes you support during the holidays.
This is pretty self-explanatory – partner in some way with your favorite charity. Offer a percentage of sales to that charity, etc.
Day 12: The Big Finale
Idea: Day 12 is the grand culmination of your festive social media campaign. This day should leave a lasting impression, wrapping up your 12-day journey with a memorable event or offer that solidifies your brand in the hearts of your customers. Here’s how to make Day 12 truly special:
Host a Grand Event or Sale: Organize an in-store event or a major online sale. This could be anything from a holiday party at your store to an online event with special deals. Ensure it’s big, exciting, and something your customers would not want to miss.
Exclusive Offers for Loyal Customers: Show appreciation for your loyal customers by offering them exclusive deals or early access to new products. This rewards them for their loyalty and encourages others to engage more with your brand.
Collaborate with Other Local Businesses: Collaborate with local businesses for a joint event or promotion. This can be a great way to expand your reach and show your community spirit.
Year-End Reflections and Highlights: Share a video or post reflecting on the year, highlighting the best moments, achievements, and how your customers have been a part of your journey. This can create an emotional connection and set the stage for continued support in the coming year.
Sneak Peek into Next Year: Tease what’s coming in the new year. Showcase new products, services, or exciting changes, and give your customers something to look forward to.
Social Media Recap: Create a montage or a series of posts recapping the highlights of the past 12 days. This is a great way to revisit the best moments and keep the momentum going.
Create a powerful end to your campaign by making Day 12 a blend of celebration, gratitude, and anticipation for the future. It’s about leaving your audience with a sense of joy and connection and looking forward to continuing their journey with your brand.
Final Thoughts:
Remember, consistency and engagement are key to a successful social media campaign. Use these ideas to connect with your audience, drive traffic to your store, and enhance your online presence.
Happy Holidays and Happy Marketing!
Crafted by eJenn Solutions, Inc. – Your Guide to Online Marketing Success.
