There is no question that 2022 was a difficult year for businesses, marketers and consumers everywhere. Not only did Russia’s unjust invasion of Ukraine sparked a new wave of fear and anxiety in the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the surging inflation rate has also disrupted the global economy this year. However, it is important to note that President Joe Biden and his administration have promised to take important steps to help American families living paycheck to paycheck. “Our economic plan is building the economy from the bottom up and the middle out, and we are making progress,” he said.
This is good news for American businesses and consumers, as the measures in question could give them the means to enjoy this holiday season. In fact, a recent SurveyMonkey and CNBC survey proves that American consumers are not likely to make major cuts in terms of holiday spending this year. Despite inflation and other economic concerns, most of those surveyed said they are likely to spend the same (44%) or more (14%) than they did during the previous holiday season. However, creating the best year-end marketing campaign remains vital this year, as economic problems will likely continue to fuel competition among American businesses.
Implementing Great Loyalty Programs
According to Entrepreneur magazine, creating a great loyalty program and reminding customers to take advantage of that program is one of the best ways to ensure that a business will have a strong year-end. Marketers should also consider the fact that due to inflation and other economic issues, customers are likely to be more price-conscious and more inclined to value the brands that actually reward their loyalty. Emails, social media posts and newsletters that encourage customers to act as soon as possible and redeem their points or rewards before the end of the year could prove highly effective in 2022.
Moreover, a good loyalty program is not only effective now, but will likely help the company make a successful transition into 2023.
Using Creative Tactics to Get Results
According to Forbes, using creative marketing tactics is one of the best ways to achieve great results. Some strategies suggested by the Forbes Agency Council members include depicting different versions of Santa over time and using those versions in a marketing campaign, helping underserved communities and running a “12 Days of Deals” marketing campaign. The latter is probably a great idea for 2022, given the many economic issues facing customers this year.
Creating Fun and Useful Lists
Practical Ecommerce, an online magazine dedicated to helping retailers improve their online businesses, emphasizes that entertaining and useful lists are among the most effective type of content marketers can create during the holidays. According to journalist Armando Roggio, the top 10 lists are easy to create, fun and interesting to read, and likely to boost the traffic for a website or blog. Moreover, other great ideas like Christmas gift guides, holiday recipes, and do-it-yourself tutorials can also provide customers with new and interesting information, increasing traffic and engagement.
While Roggio points out that marketers should focus on special sales, discounts, and promotions, he also encourages them to provide website visitors and returning customers with new content to help them navigate the holidays.
Generating the Best Year-End Marketing Campaign
Creating great content and exciting promotions is by no means an easy task, and it may prove to be even more challenging this year. People in the US and abroad are not only dealing with the aftermath of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, but also with many other problems, such as surging inflation and a war in Europe. However, with policymakers promising to solve economic issues and marketers developing new discounts and better promotions, the holiday season is bound to be cheerful. Moreover, a vast majority of consumers have already stated that they are likely to spend the same or more this year, which gives marketers the hope that their efforts will be appreciated by their customers.
