COX_CX035_CHK_HolidayLocal_Final

Have you started planning how you’ll reach out to local
customers during the 2014 holiday season? Last year,
major retailers began holiday advertising as early as
September — a smart move, since for the past decade,
some 40% of consumers have started holiday shopping
before Halloween.1
What’s more, the upcoming holiday
season has only 26 days between Black Friday and
Christmas, compared to the typical 31 days.2
If you’re reading this anytime between July and October,
it’s “go time” for planning and executing a holiday
marketing strategy that will give your business an edge
in attracting local customers. Use this checklist of unique,
budget-friendly tips to get started.
Your Perfect Holiday
Marketing Strategy:
A Quick-Start Checklist
for Local Business Owners

2© 2014 Cox Media
YOUR PERFECT HOLIDAY MARKETING STRATEGY: A Quick-Start Checklist for Local Business Owners
Help your small business stand out from the competition by creating an
all-encompassing holiday experience.
• Customers who are in a rush or struggling to find the right gift will
appreciate special touches like a personal shopper to help them make
the perfect choice, displays featuring bundled products such as gift
baskets that make gift-giving simple, and, of course, free gift wrapping.
• Tucking small gifts such as candy canes, gift-wrap ribbon or holiday
decorations into customers’ shopping bags at the point of purchase
will make your business memorable.
• Book readings, musical performances and serving refreshments draw
crowds and create a holiday atmosphere that’s hard to recreate at a
big-box store.
Your business neighbors can make great marketing allies. Partner with other
local businesses to drive traffic together.
• Pair with other local businesses to create promotions, contests or
special events. For example, 12 businesses could hold a “12 Days of
Christmas” campaign and give away daily prizes.
• Work with a local business association. Find out what holiday
events and promotions local retail and business district associations
are planning.
• Team up with a complementary business. Do you own a small retail
shop next to a coffeehouse? Offer coupons good for a discount on
coffee to customers who buy from your store; have the coffeehouse’s
customers show their receipt to get a discount in your store.
• Participate in Small Business Saturday, a nationwide promotional
campaign urging customers to patronize small, independent
businesses. This event is becoming more popular every year; last
year, 71% of U.S. consumers said they were aware of Small Business
Saturday, and 46% supported it by shopping at a local small business,
driving $5.7 billion in sales.3
1. CREATE AN ENJOYABLE IN-STORE EXPERIENCE
2. ENLIST NEW PARTNERS
Nearly half of
U.S. consumers
shop local on
November 29,
Small Business
Saturday, driving
$5.7 billion
in sales.

3© 2014 Cox Media
More than one-fourth (28%) of retailers fail to plan ahead for holiday marketing
and advertising.4
Small retailers who do plan ahead can gain a competitive
advantage, build brand awareness and be better able to budget for holiday
marketing and staffing.
• Know the key shopping dates.
• Thanksgiving (November 27) is a critical shopping day for online
retailers, but in the past few years, brick-and-mortar locations have
started opening on Thanksgiving as well.
• Black Friday (November 28) is the traditional start of the holiday
shopping season, with an emphasis on brick-and-mortar sales.
• Small Business Saturday (November 29) encourages consumers to
patronize local small businesses.
• Cyber Monday (December 1) has become a big day for
online promotions.
• Create a marketing calendar working back from key dates, with actions
you’ll take to meet deadlines.
• Even without a discount or offer, special touches like Thanksgiving
cards give a local, personal touch and put your business top-of-
mind as shoppers plan holiday purchases. Plus, a Thanksgiving card
that expresses your appreciation for your customers arrives in their
mailboxes early and unexpectedly — a great way to differentiate your
business early in the season.
3. START EARLY FOR OPTIMAL MERRIMENT
Small retailers who
do plan ahead can
gain a competitive
advantage, build
brand awareness
and be better
able to budget for
holiday marketing
and staffing.
August September October November December

4© 2014 Cox Media
Cause marketing merges marketing with doing good for the community.
Here are some great cause marketing ideas:
• Choose a local charity to affiliate with over the holidays. Promote
your charitable efforts and encourage customers to get involved.
For example, you can donate a percentage of every purchase of a
specific item to the charity, or donate a percentage of all profits from a
designated shopping day.
• Think local. Local cause marketing is highly effective for companies
seeking local customers. For example, sponsor a high school’s holiday
play or local theater production.
• Share your cause marketing story on social media. Use photos, videos
and other visuals of your employees volunteering in the community to
create a tie between your brand and local charities.
The holiday season has traditionally been discount-driven, so planning your
pricing strategy is important.
• Carefully consider whether you need to offer discounts, or whether
other tactics, such as emphasizing exclusive products, will work better.
• You can offer “deals” without cutting prices by providing free shipping,
free gift wrapping or matching customers’ donations to a charity.
• Limited-time discounts help compel customers to buy. With social
media and mobile advertising, you can create discount windows as
short as a few hours.
4. CONSIDER CAUSE MARKETING
5. THINK STRATEGICALLY ABOUT DISCOUNTING

5© 2014 Cox Media
Last year, 65% of shoppers used social media to find holiday gifts.5
Employ social media to create brand awareness, build relationships and
attract customers.
• Engage customers. You could hold a “selfie” campaign encouraging
customers to take photos of themselves in your store, at your restaurant
or using your products and share them with a relevant hashtag.
• Holding a tacky sweater contest? Don’t forget to Tweet it! Get
personal by sharing holiday memories, recipes or traditions on your
social media channels.
Don’t forget about December 26… and the next 364 days. There are simple
things you can do now to keep customers coming back after the holidays
are over.
• Implement a loyalty program. Encourage customers to join during the
holidays with limited-time or point-of-sale offers, such as 5% off today’s
purchase if they join. Then use the loyalty program to keep them
coming back next year.
• Gift cards drive post-holiday sales — and last year, they were the
number-one gift shoppers planned to buy.6
Consider implementing a
“give one, get one” promotion where customers buy a $100 gift card
and get a $25 one for themselves.
• Last year, 57% of Americans planned to shop on December 26,
spending an average of $187. Make sure you’re staffed and stocked
to handle demand on that day, and that your staff has sales tactics for
turning returns into exchanges (or, better yet, additional purchases).
6. GET SOCIAL
7. PLAN FOR POST-HOLIDAY SUCCESS
Last year, 57%
of Americans
planned to shop
on December
26, spending an
average of $187.
Now that you’ve seen our list, check yours twice to
ensure a successful holiday sales season.

6© 2014 Cox Media
RESOURCES
1
ConsumerAffairs.com, “Consumers to Put Santa on a Diet,”
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/holiday-spending?page=2
2
Internet Retailer, “Start Prepping for 2014’s Short Holiday Shopping Season Now, IBM Says”
http://www.internetretailer.com/2014/06/26/another-holiday-sprint-awaits-e-retailers
3
American Express, “Small Business Saturday® Gives Small Businesses Big Boost to Kick-Off Holiday
Season” http://about.americanexpress.com/news/pr/2013/small-biz-saturday-gives-big-boost.aspx
4
Constant Contact, “Holiday Shoppers = Big Payoffs for Small Businesses” http://constantcontact.newshq.
businesswire.com/sites/constantcontact.newshq.businesswire.com/files/research/file/Small_Business_
Saturday_2013_eBook_updated.pdf
5
CrowdTap, “65% of Shoppers Use Social Media to Find Perfect Gift”
http://blog.crowdtap.it/2013/08/65-of-shoppers-use-social-media-to-find-perfect-gift/
6
Nielsen, 2013 Nielsen Holiday Spending Forecast http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2013/tis-
the-season-to-be-fiscally-cautious-2013-nielsen-holiday.html
7
American Express, “Holiday Shoppers Approach the Finish Line…and Plan a Victory Lap”
http://inr.synapticdigital.com/americanexpress/spendsave/

© 2014 Cox Media 7
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ABOUT COX MEDIA
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In addition to proven media solutions, Cox Media offers
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Cox Media is focused on developing customized marketing
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COX_CX035_CHK_HolidayLocal_Final

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