Holidays are a great time for small businesses to boost their brand visibility and drive sales. To help you make the most of this season, we gathered some top holiday promotion tips from experts who have run successful campaigns. Here’s what they had to say:
Offer Holiday Bundle Deals
One of our most successful holiday promotions was a “Holiday Bundle Offer” that combined website design, logo creation, and SEO services into one package. By bundling multiple services together, we created an irresistible deal that really resonated with potential clients. The result? A 30% increase in leads compared to our usual campaigns.
The secret to its success was timing. The holiday season is when businesses are planning for the year ahead, and many are ready to invest in upgrades. Bundling services added extra value, making it easier for clients to justify the investment. To make the offer even more enticing, we created a sense of urgency with countdown timers and limited availability. This tactic drove conversions by encouraging clients to act fast.
Key Takeaway: Bundling services at the right time and creating urgency can lead to big results.
Personalize Training Programs
During one holiday season, we launched a “Train Your Seasonal Star” promotion aimed at improving the performance of seasonal hires. The goal was simple: help businesses turn temporary employees into standout customer service stars during the busy holiday rush.
What made this campaign work was personalization. We created custom training modules based on each business’s specific needs, focusing on soft skills like empathy and problem-solving. We also offered a certification badge that businesses could proudly display. The best part? Many of these businesses returned after the holidays, not just for seasonal training, but for year-round employee development.
Key Takeaway: Personalizing your services and thinking long-term can lead to lasting relationships and repeat business.
Provide Free Prototypes
One holiday promotion that exceeded expectations was our “Holiday Business Boost” campaign. We offered discounted app-development consultations and free prototype designs for clients who signed contracts during the holiday season.
The key to this promotion’s success was its value—offering potential clients a free prototype allowed them to see their app idea come to life before committing. The timing also played a big role; many businesses were planning for the year ahead and ready to invest in digital solutions. We made sure to promote the offer through targeted emails, social media ads, and personal outreach.
Key Takeaway: A low-risk, high-reward offer, timed just right, can increase conversions and turn leads into long-term clients.
Offer AI-Based Business Health Checks
One of our most successful promotions last holiday season was an AI-powered business health check. We offered a free service, normally valued at $300, to small businesses that signed up before the new year. The results were impressive: a 40% increase in consultations and a 25% conversion rate from free trials to paid services.
What made this promotion successful was its timing and relevance. Many businesses are focused on budgeting and strategizing at the start of the year, so offering a free business health check at that moment aligned perfectly with their needs. The appeal of AI-based insights also caught attention.
Key Takeaway: Align your promotions with the current needs and goals of your target audience, and leverage technology to offer something unique.
Market Pet CBD Products
During the pandemic, we launched a new pet CBD product line, and to our surprise, the timing couldn’t have been better. As pets struggled with the lockdown and their owners’ heightened anxiety, we marketed the products as thoughtful holiday gifts. The response was overwhelming, and we quickly realized how much people care about their pets’ well-being.
This promotion not only boosted our sales but also highlighted an underserved market. We’ve since made it a permanent feature, offering special pet CBD deals for newsletter subscribers and customers who spend a certain amount during the holidays.
Key Takeaway: Look for unexpected opportunities, and be ready to tap into new markets or customer needs.
Create Bulk Purchase Incentives
One of our best holiday promotions was a “Buy One, Get One 50% Off” deal on party lighting during Black Friday. It encouraged customers to buy in bulk, which is a common behavior during the holidays when people are preparing for events or celebrations. We also offered free shipping, which helped drive even more sales.
To make this promotion a success, we carefully selected the right products and price points, then launched targeted email and social media campaigns a month before the holidays.
Key Takeaway: Bulk purchase deals, combined with added incentives like free shipping, can drive up sales during the holiday rush.
Final Thoughts
These successful holiday campaigns share a few common threads: timing, personalization, and creating offers that add real value for your customers. By being strategic and thoughtful in your promotions, you can not only boost your sales during the holidays but also build long-term relationships with your clients.