A holiday event is a great way to promote your small business, especially if your products are something that can be sent out as gifts. In addition, there is no other time of the year when people are looking for great purchases and deals. So, you need to make sure you hold a fun holiday event, with as many people attending as possible.
Of course, you need to set the theme for your event and work within a budget. Then, you can work with vendors to bring your vision to life. Choose a theme and refreshments which complement your company, and do not seem off-base. Once you have all this set, you need to make sure you market your event well. Here are a few promotion and planning tips to help you.
Send Out Email Invites
Send invitations for your holiday event to your email lists. Retarget old customers as well, and let them know you have something exciting for them these holidays. Talk about the event as a way to appreciate your customers, and make them feel valued.
As for the invite, it should contain all the relevant information, such as date, venue, time, and a short description of what will go on. Its design and color scheme should reflect the festive spirit of your holiday event. So, use the invitation email templates on PosterMyWall to simplify the whole process.
Create a Social Media Event
Set up an event page on Facebook, and a countdown timer on Instagram. Use your social media platforms to create a social media event, and post information about your holiday event regularly. The description of these pages should cover the necessary details like date, time, and venue, but you should also post regularly to keep the hype up.
Also make sure you engage with your audience on social media. Reply to comments and messages, and encourage them to attend your holiday event.
Make Short Videos
Video marketing is an important part of any campaign these days. So, you should make good use of it for your holiday event. Make short teasers, and also make videos which invite people to attend your holiday event. In addition, share behind-the-scenes shots, in order to create hype and show people how much effort you’re putting into the event.
Also have prominent participants make videos stating their enthusiasm about your event, and how people should come by. You can also add video highlights from past holiday events and campaigns to show attendees what you’re capable of.
Get Micro-Influencers Involved
Reach out to micro-influencers in your area, and have them talk about your holiday event on their social media. This will help you reach out to a wider audience, and put more personality behind your marketing efforts.
However, you need to make sure you go for influencers who are authentic, and do not seem too commercial for a holiday event. Go for people who evoke the warmth and comfort of the holiday season.
Bring Other Small Business On Board
Make your holiday event truly fit in with the holiday spirit by bringing other small businesses on board. Whether these are similar or complementary businesses, this will show your willingness to uplift the whole small business community in your area.
It will also help you work on collaborative gift packages and offers to share with your mutual clients. This is a great way to expand your customer base and also create an excellent impression on your visitors. Have the other businesses set up stalls at your event or work with you on refreshments or other aspects.
Offer Early Bird And Event-Only Deals
If your event is ticketed, then you need to generate a sense of urgency. Make sure people know the tickets are limited, and are on early bird sale for a limited time. This will ensure more people pre-book your tickets, and actually show up to your event.
Also encourage people to come to your holiday event by offering special event-exclusive deals and discounts. Let people know they can only avail these offers at the event, so that they are more likely to show up.
Create Special Merchandise
Another way to make your holiday event stand out is to make special merchandise. Offer this exclusive merchandise at this event, and make sure people know they can only get it here. This can include t-shirts, caps, keychains, or some sort of commemorative item. These items should be gift-worthy and also be appealing enough to pull visitors in.
Make sure you also offer special limited edition products and services to commemorate the holidays. Add these as prizes for games at your holiday event, and also put them up for purchase. All of this will increase attendance and boost participation.
To sum up, you can really make your holiday event successful if you plan it well and put your efforts into marketing. So, get started right away and give your visitors an event to remember!