Stop Procrastinating on Holiday Planning! Here’s Why
I don’t have my tree. I haven’t thought about lights. And I haven’t bought any presents yet. It’s August after all and the winter holidays are the last thing on my mind. Sort of.
Since we work in the charitable sector, we need to start thinking about holiday season now. Yesterday actually, would have been better. If you don’t start marketing early, you’ll miss people. But you really shouldn’t start without a plan.
Do you have a holiday marketing plan? Have you thought about your AdWords yet? Do your DM, email, and other channels support each other? Where are you with your planning?
According to Google, in 2011 the majority (80%) of shopping and purchasing took place in early December, but a significant amount took place from October until after the holiday season. As for mobile shoppers, they were happily buying stuff earlier and more frequently, and more of them continued purchasing after the holidays. While this study applies specifically to product consumers, you can expect that donors are doing the same. After all, donors are philanthropic consumers.
It’s even more important this year than last year that you have a strong online and smartphone/tablet-friendly (not all organizations need this right now, depending on how your donors are accessing you online) presence during the holiday season. Here’s why:
• More than 2 in 3 people will be shopping for gift ideas before they start spending money.
• Over 80% of people say that online research will impact their gift choices
• More people than ever are using tablets and smartphones to help them shop (in 2011, it was 77% and 54% respectively, and it’s only increasing)
You already know that your supporters and could-be supporters expect you to be online. You want to make sure that you’re there even when they aren’t searching you out specifically. Stay top of mind. Be there when they’re looking for that perfect gift for the person who has everything, or the hard to shop for in-law. Market that brilliant symbolic giving catalogue of yours!
If you need a hand with your holiday campaign, get in touch with us. From creating a symbolic giving catalogue from scratch, to helping with your holiday creative or strategy, we can help. Simply give us a call or send us an email: 416.588.7780 or info@hjcnewmedia.com