Avoid the Panic with Some Pre-Christmas Planning

This week it certainly seems that the short but ever so pleasant heatwave has long been and gone and the lack of beer festivals provide a clear reminder that summer is quickly coming to an end. No doubt your inbox is flooded with colleagues and clients returning from annual leave. But this year, instead of feeling the holiday blues, try to hold onto the positive spirit of summer and tap into the potential of the rest of the year and dare I drop the word, Christmas! Here, I’ve shared my simple steps for planning a successful, panic-free Christmas campaign and ensuring your agency can provide you with the support you need between now and the end of the year.

Get your preparations underway

If you’re not already doing it, get those campaigns you’ve been pushing to the end of your list underway now. There is no time to waste in terms of developing a plan so you won’t miss seasonal opportunities. Ensure you allocate time with your agency in order to hit your deadlines. Although getting into the festive spirit may be the last thing on your mind, find some inspiration from the world of retail where Christmas and summer go hand-in-hand. You’ll thank our advice later!

Define your goals

Before you start putting up the office tinsel, think about what you are trying to achieve. The key to any marketing campaign is a clear objective. Are you trying to boost your sales, raise your brand awareness or go viral? Defining your goals will help you to determine the type of activity, offer and messaging for your campaign.

Understand your audience

Once you know your goal, the next step is to understand your audience and the way they interact with your brand. You may choose to target one specific group or try to target a group of audiences at once, the key is to remember to keep the message relevant. After all, we have all heard the famous quote “if you try to sell to everyone, you’ll end up selling to no-one”.

Choose your channel

At this time of year, there will be a lot of content, competitions and offers that you need to outshine. Running a successful Christmas campaign heavily relies on preparation as this way you can adapt the message or extend it to a new channel if needed before the time runs out. After you have defined your goal, target audience, message and channel established, it is time to move on to the fun part of writing the copy, designing the artwork and adding bells and whistles.

Don’t panic

Putting it into action is relatively straightforward, the hardest part is getting started. By getting your plan in motion now, you’ll optimise the time for bringing your ideas to life. Your Christmas campaign will be tied up with a bow in no time!

- Marianna Jendrolova, Account Executive, Realia Marketing