The holidays are just around the corner, so ’tis the season to promote your venue with Christmas Promotions!
This year, make a game plan that includes a variety of marketing methods so that you get the most out of the season and spread some festive cheer to your customers. Here are 12 ideas to get your Christmas promotions wrapped and ready!
12 Christmas Promotions for a Rocking Christmas
1. 12 Days of Christmas Promotions Online
Begin your holiday season by implementing a Christmas countdown on social media. Use Easil holiday templates to create festive graphics to engage with your audience.
Let them know in a fun way, exactly how many days they have left to shop for their loved ones…. just in case they forget. Include #9 as a gift idea on one of your social posts!
HOT TIP: Mix it up with different types of social media (images, memes, video and GIFs).
2. Take the 12 Days of Christmas offline and into your Venue
Create your own 12 Days of Christmas Promotion, enticing clients to come in to your venue daily to collect points or stamps.
The more they gather, the more entries they receive!
Gift them something small each visit, and tease them with what’s on offer the next day. This is for adults too. Why should the kids have all the fun!
3. Get Creative with Festive Events
Think outside of the box when it comes to Christmas events. What can you do differently?
- Host a Christmas breakfast or brunch instead of a lunch. Use our Easil Menus to create something special.
- Put on a high tea without the tea. Pair cocktails with cake… instead of tea
- Rock it out with the 12 Days of Christmas bands or entertainers – change up your entertainment daily leading up to 25th!
- Think in terms of “experiences” that your guests will talk about well into the New Year.
Take notice of what other venues are doing around you. Then do something different… get creative and stand out!
4. Think Non-Traditional
Don’t forget to cater for different kinds of groups with your Christmas Promotions.
Could you hold a singles event?
What about drinks for those that want to escape their family?
Non-traditional doesn’t have to mean non-Christmas but instead, it’s a different way of packaging up the fun!
5. Send Out Greeting Cards
Printed greeting cards are a fantastic way to spread Christmas cheer, as well as keep your brand front and center as a go-to for holiday meals and entertainment.
Design your own card and customize it to suit your message, then print your design so you can send it to your mailing list.
6. Get Festive (and Creative) With Decor
It’s a no-brainer that you should create a festive environment to brighten your customers’ moods and gets them in the spirit of the season.
But have you thought about taking it a little further?
How about turning your kids area into Santa’s Workshop? Or bringing in a Facepainter ready to create christmas-sy creations on the kids.
Maybe you can set your corner bar up with a fun theme – think elves, snow or the north pole!
7. Wrap Up Your Packages for the Christmas Party Season
Plan ahead to have some exclusive Christmas Packages ready to go for Christmas Party Season.
Make it a no-brainer for businesses to book in – with great options for per-head events, entertainment options and catering options.
Want your packages to stand out? Ask yourself – what’s different about our packages compared to other venues?
8. Don’t Forget Print – Use Posters and Flyers to Spread Your Message
Don’t forget print! We are huge fans of HDTV here at Easil (we even create templates for designing TV displays). It complements print, but print is still awesome.
Using printed hospitality content around your venue will give a cohesive, festive feel while keeping your patrons in the know about what you are offering in terms of events, food and drinks!
Maximise the various touch points in your venue by using Christmas flyers and posters to reinforce your promotional message to patrons.
9. Focus on the “Return Visit” with your Christmas Promotions
A customer has just had a great meal and is about to pay their bill… Now you have a fabulous marketing opportunity:
- Print small flyers about upcoming events and add them to your bill folder.
- Maybe go one step further and add a return-visit drink voucher.
There’s never a better time to get someone to come back… than when a happy customer is about to leave after a great experience.
10. Sell Gift Vouchers
Sell Gift Vouchers! Selling vouchers leading up to Christmas time gives your customers another great option for gifts!
But it also has a kick-back for you…
Not only are you making a sale, but this will help to fill your venue or restaurant in the quiet periods after Christmas.
Come January/February, those vouchers will be getting cashed in, left-right-and-centre, for meals and entertainment.
Everyone is happy!
11. Create a Sweepstakes
A giveaway is the perfect social media brand-booster, as the increased shares will amp up visibility and awareness.
The more followers you gain from a promotion, the more cheer you can spread later!
Just be sure to check the rules for promotions on your favourite platform. Then you are good to go!
12. Help a Great Cause … together with your Patrons.
It’s the season of giving, but there’s no need to limit this to your customers.
Include your customers in some Christmas Giving. Offer a way for your customers to “give” through their meal or drink purchase at Christmas. Maybe hold an event that will support a local charity.
This is not about PR. Focus on doing something meaningful that betters the world around you. Your customers will love joining in and everyone gets to enjoy the Christmas spirit of Giving.
Over to You
What’s your favourite of the Christmas Promotions. Will you be trying something new?
If you’re a customer, what type of marketing attracts you into a venue during the holiday season?
