Essential and Free Marketing Actions in the run-up to Christmas (Part 6)
For many businesses, the weeks leading up to Christmas represent the peak opportunity to generate revenue, followed by a surge from Boxing Day to New Year, as people spend money received as gifts. Optimising your opportunities during this period not only ensures short-term sales are maximised but also creates long-term benefits for future marketing efforts.
This will be a series of six articles, focusing on each one. If you would like to view the entire guide without waiting, which outlines the six essential marketing actions that every business should take, all of which can be implemented in a single day, click here.
6. Partner Up!
To extend your reach without spending money on ads, collaborate with five other businesses that sell complementary products. You already know businesses in your network that fit the bill! The idea is simple: form a group and commit to mentioning each other’s products on social media and newsletters once a week in the lead-up to Christmas. This approach cross-pollinates your followers, increasing everyone's reach to potential new customers. However, it is essential that the products are complementary and that your audiences share similar demographics; otherwise, there will not be any meaningful uplift.
Consistency is key - agreeing on the “once a week” rule ensures the collaboration is structured enough to work. Beyond results, this shared effort can make the run-up to Christmas more enjoyable, as you celebrate experiences and successes together.
Plus: There’s Always More You Can Do
There are many additional actions you could take, such as running paid brand awareness ads targeting specific locations. For example, I am currently setting up a campaign for a client that will display 100,000 ads within a five-mile radius of their showroom for about £50. These short, high-visibility ad bursts can dramatically spike brand awareness.
That said, this article focuses on free and essential actions you can take, so we will save paid strategies for another day.
And Keep It Simple!
Do not get bogged down in details. Create a bullet-point action plan and stick to it. Do not assume your efforts are not working just because your inbox does not immediately fill with sales. Success can take time, but if your data capture is in place, you will reap the rewards year after year.
Actions:
- Collaboration with other businesses selling complementary products to similar markets as your own customer base offers opportunities to cross-fertilise followers and reach a wider but targeted audience in the run-up to Christmas.
- Reposting others’ content gives you more opportunities to post (helping to beat the algorithm) and shows prospects that you are happy to recommend other trusted items that they might find of interest.
- Call up five other businesses (you may know them already) and put together the ‘once-a-week’ promise.
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The ' Essential and Free Marketing Action' guide was written by Elliot Forte of Business Think.
If you have any questions or would like to work with Business Think to improve your marketing performance, please email: info@businessthink.co.uk for more details. Click here to download the full guide in PDF format.
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Elliot Forte is a business consultant and Director at Business Think, bringing over three decades of expertise in consultancy, marketing, and strategic planning. Known for his innovative approaches and practical insights,
Beyond his consultancy role, Elliot is a published author of three highly regarded business books that delve into strategy, leadership, and marketing. His passion for knowledge-sharing extends to academia, where he teaches graduate and postgraduate courses in strategy and marketing at university.
Elliot is also the creator of the Life-Led Business Programme, an innovative framework designed to help entrepreneurs and business leaders balance professional success with personal fulfillment, with a focus on individual well-being.
Based in the picturesque town of Bude, North Cornwall, his consultancy work extends well beyond the region, supporting businesses across the UK and North America.
Photo credit for featured image: Maximiliano I. Pinilla A (Pexels.com)
