Best Practices & Marketing Inspiration for Christmas and New Year Eve

Why This Matters

• Huge Opportunity: Christmas, New Year’s, and holiday resolutions are super important moments to boost sales and build a stronger connection with your audience.
• Beat the Competition: We’ll explore ways to spot—and outsmart—what other brands might do this season.
• Maximize ROI: Use competitor insights to shape your own promotions, messaging, and content without guesswork.

Important Reminder: Don’t Copy Blindly

When you see a competitor doing something, don’t just copy it. You never know if it’s even working for them!

Instead, reverse-engineer their ideas.

Figure out the “why” behind their campaigns so you can tweak those insights for your own strategy.

Best Practices & Content Ideas per Period

1. Christmas

1. Deadlines Matter: People care about delivery dates, so let them know when they must order to get their gifts on time. Hihglight those shipping cutoffs in every holiday email—especially mid-December when everyone’s in a rush.
2. Last-Minute Gift Cards: After your shipping window closes, promote gift cards and instant downloads. Many brands ramp up last-minute gift card campaigns from December 21 onward.
3. “How-To Gift” Messages: If your products aren’t obvious gift choices (like plants), show customers how your offer can become a special present. Offer tutorials or quick tips that explain gifting options.
4. Lifestyle & “Feel-Good” Content: Lean into the holiday spirit. Share winter decorating ideas, travel tips, or creative ways your products make the season brighter.
5. Warmth & Cheer: Even if you’re not promoting a product, send a heartfelt holiday message. Show people behind your brand—this is a prime opportunity to deepen emotional connections.

2. Winter Season

• Winter Sales & Bundles: Everyone’s dealing with cold weather, travel, and dryness. If you sell skincare, winter wear, or anything that helps people handle chilly months, highlight that.
• Seasonal Essentials: Make a clear link between how your products solve winter pain points or boost winter fun (like hydrating lotions, cozy apparel, or travel-friendly gear).

3. New Year’s Eve

• Engage & Celebrate: Launch a festive campaign showcasing what people might need for parties or gatherings. Fashion brands often do this, but any brand can create a New Year’s “look” or checklist.
• Invite Conversation: Ask questions like “Where will you celebrate?” or “What are your New Year’s plans?” to spark comments and interaction.
• Music Playlists or Fun Extras: Share a New Year’s Eve party playlist or a quick round-up of last-minute party ideas. This positions your brand as a fun, helpful resource.

4. Winter Solstice

• Short & Sweet Message: The solstice usually happens around December 21, which is right between shipping cutoffs and Christmas Day. It’s a nice moment for a “thinking of you” email or a reminder about gift cards if shipping is no longer possible.
• Build Goodwill: Focus on connection. It’s a special day to send a friendly note without pushing sales too hard.

5. New Year’s Day

1. Resolutions: Show how your products or services help people keep popular resolutions—whether it’s fitness, self-care, organization, or learning something new.
2. Year-in-Review: Share what your brand achieved this past year. Show genuine pride in milestones and thank your customers for being part of that journey.
3. Sneak Peek: Let them in on future launches or upcoming surprises. It creates buzz and keeps your audience excited about what’s next.

6. Dry January (and Other Resolutions)

• Challenges & Gamification: If it fits your brand, run a challenge to help people stay on track. This works for cooking, fitness, or any habit-forming goals.
• Check-Ins: Don’t just launch a resolution-based campaign. Follow up. Ask your audience how they’re doing and offer more tips or motivation.

Finding Best Practices, Examples & Inspiration

Panoramata is a platform that tracks and stores emails, ads, landing pages, and more from thousands of brands. It’s like a massive swipe file:

• Search & Filter: Look up specific keywords like “Christmas,” “20% off,” “New Year resolution,” or anything else. Narrow it down by industry, language, or promotion type.
• Study Competitor Timelines: See exactly what your competitors sent last year around Black Friday, Christmas, or New Year’s. Check if they repeated certain promotions or tried something brand-new.
• Website Snapshots: Panoramata can show you what a brand’s website looked like during past holidays, so you can spot changes in messaging, banners, or design.

Using a tool like Panoramata saves you time. It’s a straightforward way to see what worked for others, then adapt the best elements to your own brand.

Next Steps

1. Plan Your Holiday Calendar: Start by deciding when to talk about deadlines, last-minute gift cards, or holiday tips.
2. Send Consistent Reminders: Keep reinforcing that last-day-to-ship date in every email during December.
3. Engage, Don’t Just Sell: Encourage interaction, share helpful tips, and let your audience see the human side of your brand.
4. Use Past Campaigns for Inspiration: Whether it’s from your own archive or a competitor’s, analyze what actually drove results.

Have a wonderful holiday season, happy selling, and here’s to an amazing New Year!