The holiday season, from Thanksgiving, to Black Friday, Christmas and New Year’s Eve, is one of the most dynamic periods in the business calendar. It’s not just about riding the wave of seasonal spending; it’s an opportunity to turn the holiday season into business growth. While many businesses focus solely on holiday sales, you can make strategic moves to set your brand apart and create lasting customer relationships that drive revenue year-round.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to turn the holiday season into business growth with smart strategies, effective tactics, and growth-oriented opportunities.
1. Set Clear Holiday Goals Beyond Just “Selling”
Before diving into holiday campaigns, take a step back to think about your overarching goals. Sure, sales are essential, but if you want to turn the holiday season into business growth, your strategy needs to go beyond immediate revenue. Think about what you really want this season to achieve—whether it’s growing your customer base, boosting brand awareness, or building social media engagement.
By setting clear, strategic goals, you’ll design a holiday approach that generates lasting benefits well into the new year.
💡 Tip: Set SMART goals—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, instead of just saying, “Increase sales,” aim for, “Grow email subscribers by 20% through exclusive holiday offers.”
2. Build Your Audience: Email List Building and Lead Generation
One of the best ways to turn the holiday season into business growth is by building your email list. With people actively shopping and seeking deals, they’re more open than ever to signing up for updates and exclusive offers. Here are some creative ways to attract new subscribers during this high-engagement season:
Offer Exclusive Holiday Deals for Subscribers Only: Create exclusive discounts or early-access sales for email subscribers. Promote these offers through your website, social media, and other channels to drive sign-ups. Make it clear that by joining your email list, they’ll get unique perks they can’t access elsewhere.
💡 Tip: Use phrases like “Get early access to our holiday sale—sign up to be the first to shop!” or “Subscribers get 20% off all holiday gifts!” to make the offer irresistible.
Host a Holiday Giveaway or Contest: Giveaways are an excellent way to grow your list quickly, as people love the chance to win something special. Choose a holiday-themed prize, whether it’s a popular product, a bundle of items, or a gift card. Encourage people to sign up with their email to enter the contest, and give bonus entries for sharing with friends or on social media. This approach not only boosts sign-ups but can also increase your reach organically.
💡 Tip: Run the giveaway for a limited time to create urgency, and be sure to promote it across multiple channels to maximize visibility.
Create a Holiday-Themed Lead Magnet: Offer a seasonal freebie in exchange for an email sign-up. For instance, a holiday gift guide, festive recipes, a downloadable holiday shopping checklist, or tips for stress-free holiday planning can all work well. Make it valuable and relevant to your audience, so they’re excited to sign up and receive something useful.
💡 Tip: Place a pop-up or banner on your website promoting the lead magnet, and make it easy for visitors to opt-in with just their email address.
Add a Holiday-Themed Exit-Intent Pop-Up: Capture visitors before they leave your site with a holiday-themed exit-intent pop-up. These pop-ups detect when someone is about to exit your site and can encourage them to subscribe with a seasonal offer, such as a 10% discount on their first purchase or early access to holiday sales.
💡 Tip: Use festive language and imagery to catch their attention, and keep the form simple—name and email are often enough to encourage sign-ups without overwhelming them.
Promote Your Email List on Social Media with Festive Content: Use your social media channels to highlight the perks of joining your email list during the holiday season. Share festive posts or stories that showcase subscriber-only benefits, such as early access to sales, special discounts, or even exclusive holiday content. Consider a pinned post or a story highlight dedicated to encouraging followers to join your list.
💡 Tip: Engage followers by asking them to comment or share posts, offering a small incentive if they subscribe to your email list.
Launch a “12 Days of Deals” Email Campaign: A “12 Days of Deals” campaign is a fun, engaging way to grow your list. Subscribers receive daily emails over 12 days, each featuring a special holiday offer, deal, or exclusive content. Not only does this format attract new sign-ups, but it also keeps your brand top-of-mind throughout the holiday season.
💡 Tip: Promote the campaign across your website and social media to create buzz, and remind people they’ll miss out if they’re not on the email list!
Partner with Other Brands for List-Building: Consider collaborating with another brand that shares your audience but isn’t a direct competitor. Together, you can run a co-branded holiday giveaway, bundle your products, or share each other’s email lists through a mutual promotion. Cross-promotions introduce your brand to a new audience, driving additional email sign-ups from people already interested in what you offer.
💡 Tip: Choose a partner whose audience aligns well with yours to maximize the impact of the partnership.
Create a VIP Holiday Club for Subscribers: Make your email subscribers feel special by creating a “VIP Holiday Club.” Subscribers can join for access to exclusive content, early sales, special holiday discounts, or a sneak peek of upcoming collections. This gives your audience a sense of belonging and exclusivity, which can be incredibly motivating, especially during the holiday season when everyone’s looking for a great deal.
💡 Tip: Use language that emphasizes the exclusivity of this club—words like “insider,” “VIP,” or “club” are effective in making people feel they’re part of something unique.
3. Leverage Social Media to Create a Holiday Buzz
If there’s one time of year when everyone’s scrolling their feeds a little more, it’s now. Social media is a prime channel to turn the holiday season into business growth by building excitement around your brand and engaging directly with your audience. Plan your social media campaigns in advance, using festive visuals and engaging captions to stand out.
Here’s how to maximize your social media presence for growth:
Teasers and Countdowns: Build anticipation with countdowns and sneak peeks of holiday offers.
User-Generated Content: Encourage customers to share their holiday purchases using a unique hashtag, increasing brand visibility.
Customer Testimonials and Social Proof: Highlight positive reviews and feedback to build credibility and attract new buyers.
💡 Tip: If you have a team or network of brand ambassadors, activate them during this time to boost engagement!
4. Enhance the Customer Experience with Personal Touches
During the holiday season, consumers look for brands that make them feel special. Personal touches can be the difference between a one-time shopper and a loyal customer, helping you turn the holiday season into business growth.
Consider these customer experience strategies:
Gift Wrapping and Personalized Notes: Offer free or discounted gift-wrapping services or include a hand-written note with each purchase.
Product Bundles and Gift Sets: Create ready-to-gift bundles to simplify the shopping experience.
Fast or Free Shipping: Many holiday shoppers prioritize free or expedited shipping. Offering it on specific purchase thresholds can increase conversions.
💡 Tip: Small holiday extras, like a festive thank-you card or a coupon for a future purchase, go a long way in building customer loyalty.
5. Use Retargeting Ads to Bring Customers Back
Retargeting ads are a powerful way to bring customers back to your site and encourage them to complete their purchases. To turn the holiday season into business growth, invest in retargeting ads on Facebook, Instagram, and Google. These ads remind potential customers of the products they were interested in, helping convert abandoned browsing into sales.
💡 Tip: Use ad copy that taps into holiday FOMO, like “Only a few days left!” or “Get it in time for the holidays!”
6. Encourage Repeat Purchases with Post-Holiday Follow-Ups
The holiday season isn’t just about the initial sale—it’s an opportunity to start a lasting customer journey. After the rush, plan to stay connected with new customers to turn seasonal shoppers into loyal clients, effectively turning the holiday season into business growth.
Some effective post-holiday follow-up tactics include:
Sending a Thank-You Email with a Future Discount: Show appreciation by offering a discount for a future purchase.
Sharing Exclusive Content or Offers in the New Year: Engage holiday customers in January with content that keeps your brand relevant, like new year planning guides or sneak peeks at upcoming products.
💡 Tip: Make sure your follow-up content is thoughtful and useful—think “New Year, New Ideas” guides or “How to Use Your [Product] for a Fresh Start.”
7. Analyze and Plan for Next Year
Once the holiday season wraps up, take some time to review your successes and lessons learned. This period is rich with insights that can shape your approach for next year, helping you consistently turn the holiday season into business growth.
Consider tracking:
Customer Acquisition Sources: Which channels brought in the most new customers?
Conversion Rates for Different Offers: Which discounts or bundles were most effective?
Customer Feedback: Note any common questions, preferences, or pain points to refine your offerings.
💡 Tip: Use this data to start planning early for next year’s holiday season. Having a roadmap lets you build on your successes and improve where needed!
The Bottom Line
The holiday season is a fast-paced, high-stakes time of year, but with the right approach, you can turn the holiday season into business growth. By setting clear goals, building your email list, engaging new audiences, and focusing on memorable customer experiences, you can use the season to fuel sustainable growth.
This is your moment to get creative, connect with your customers on a deeper level, and turn seasonal shoppers into loyal brand supporters. So grab a cup of holiday tea (or a festive latte!), dive in, and make this holiday season one to remember as a stepping stone to future business success.
