The document provides tips for businesses on effective holiday marketing strategies that are either "naughty" or "nice". Naughty strategies to avoid include email overloads, tenuous festive links, limiting marketing to Christmas only, and bombarding customers across multiple channels. Nice strategies recommended are themed communications incorporating values, saying thank you with no strings attached, treating staff well, and making data-driven decisions on relevant gifts and promotions. The overall message is that businesses should embrace the festive spirit and avoid naughty tips to ensure a happy return on marketing initiatives.

1. The Naughty and Nice List
“Marketing is telling the world you’re a
rock star. Content Marketing is showing the
world you are one.”
Robert Rose

2. It’s that time again!
Love it or hate it, the holiday season is a massive opportunity for
businesses.

3. Failing to acknowledge the season at all
would be the biggest mistake—no business
wants to come across as a Scrooge!
But what marketing tactics should you be
using to ensure your products and services
make their way into your customers’
stockings this year?
Be sure you’re on the right list—we’ll be
checking it twice!

4. Naughty:
Email overloads

5. Yes, there is an increase in marketing emails
over the holiday period – but that doesn’t give
you free reign to spam your customers.
• Send fewer, more targeted emails.
• Use statistics based on previous emails.
• Adapt to relevant holiday promotions.
• Craft marketing messages that will work.

6. Nice:
Themed communications

7. To put together an effective campaign that
sticks with your customers, you need a story.
• Choose a festive theme, like the 12 days of
Christmas.
• Incorporate your values, like kindness, family,
and generosity.

8. Naughty:
Tenuous festive links

9. Sure, themes are a great idea, but that
doesn’t mean that you should run straight
into the warehouse to put Santa hats and
beards on all your products.
• Remember to respect your customers’
intelligence.
• Savvy customers aren’t going to buy anything
just because it’s festively themed.

10. Nice: Saying thank you with no
strings attached

11. Many customers are naturally going to be
wary of any marketing communications at
this time of year. They will be aware that
businesses are looking to cash in on this
lucrative period.
• There’s nothing wrong with thanking
customers and getting nothing in return.

12. By avoiding any sales tactics, you can
transform the nature of your relationship with
your customers—it is no longer purely
transactional.
You get nothing in return for your Christmas
card, thank you letter, or free gift. It will likely
build loyalty.
‘Tis the season for giving, after all.

13. Naughty:
Channel bombardment

14. Just because you’re running more
promotions than normal, the content you’re
producing as a company shouldn’t suffer.
• Make 80% of your content useful in some
way (entertaining or informative) while the
remaining 20% can be promotional.

15. Nice: Treating and celebrating
your staff

16. The holidays are stressful for a lot of people.
One of the most effective ways to ensure that
your business is a positive environment is to
keep your employees in good spirits.
• Customers can and do pick up on good
vibes, and happy employees can have a
huge impact on sales.

17. It is important to show your appreciation for
those working with and for you.
• Holiday parties are a common way to
share your appreciation, as are tokens of
thanks, like cards and gifts.

18. Naughty: Limiting yourself to
Christmas

19. The festive season includes a whole host of
holidays.
Failing to prepare properly for this busy time
well in advance (given you’ll likely have at
least some time off over this period) can be a
recipe for stress and disaster.

20. Planning and executing a coherent marketing
initiative that takes you through December
and straight into the new year can reap
significant rewards.

21. Nice: Making data-driven
decisions on relevant gifts and
promotions

22. While you may think that customers will
appreciate any old freebie you want to throw
at them, giving them something (or a
discount on something) they’ll actually
appreciate will be far more effective.
• It’s nice to know what your customers
want!

23. Embrace the festive spirit and, if you stick to
the nice tips here and avoid the naughty,
you’re sure to have a happy and healthy
return on your marketing initiatives.

24. Need more insights on how
to improve your marketing?

25. Connect with our team today to start
expanding your own market research.

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