In Part 1 of my Christmas marketing series, we looked at how to plan your festive campaign, set realistic goals, understand your customers, and decide what you’re going to promote.

This week, I’m looking at how you can put that plan into action. Whether you sell handmade products or provide services, there are plenty of ways to make the most of the Christmas shopping season without spending a fortune or feeling that you need to be permanently glued to your social media accounts.

Here are some ideas to help you get started.

1. Show customers what makes your products or services special

One of the most important things to remember when marketing your business is to sell the benefits, not just the features.

What’s the difference? I have covered this before, but as a reminder…

• A feature describes what something is or does.
• A benefit explains why that matters to your customer.

For example, if you make handmade ceramic mugs, you could simply tell people that they’re handmade from stoneware clay and available in three colours, which is useful information, but won’t necessarily get someone to buy!

Think about the benefit – perhaps it’s the perfect mug for someone who loves a slow morning coffee, a thoughtful gift for someone who appreciates handmade craftsmanship or a little everyday luxury.

The same principle applies to services.

If you’re a business coach, don’t just advertise a 60-minute coaching session. Explain how that session could help someone get clarity about their business, work through a particular challenge or create a practical plan for the New Year.

People want to know what’s in it for them and this shows them!

2. Create a Christmas gift guide

Gift guides are a great way to help customers find what they’re looking for, particularly if you have several products or services to choose from.

Rather than simply listing everything you sell, group your ideas around particular people, interests, or occasions.

For example:

• Gifts for the person who has everything.
• Gifts for the creative soul.
• Gifts for coffee lovers.
• Thoughtful gifts under £25.
• Gifts for someone who loves handmade products.
• Gifts for the person who needs a little relaxation.

If you’re a service-based business, you could create guides around:

• Gifts for someone starting a new business.
• Experiences instead of things.
• Gifts for someone who wants to learn something new.
• A little time for yourself.
• Helping someone get ready for the New Year.

You could create a blog post, a social media carousel or a dedicated page on your website. Include photographs, descriptions, prices, and clear links so people can find out more or make a purchase.

A gift guide is also something you can share several times throughout the Christmas period, highlighting different sections each time.

3. Create bundles and packages

Bundling products or services together can be a great way to increase the value of a customer’s purchase.

For product-based businesses, you could combine complementary products into a ready-made gift set.

For example, a candle maker might create a relaxation bundle containing a candle, wax melts, and a small handmade accessory.

For service-based businesses, consider packaging complementary services together.

A business coach might offer a strategy session alongside a planning workbook, while a photographer could create a Christmas gift package that includes a family photo session and a selection of printed photographs.

The advantage of bundling is that you’re making the decision easier for your customer. They don’t have to spend time choosing individual items or working out which services they need.

Just make sure your pricing still gives you a healthy profit margin.

4. Make use of your email list

If you have an email list, Christmas is a great opportunity to reconnect with your subscribers. These are people who have already shown an interest in your business, so don’t overlook them when planning your campaign.

You could send emails featuring:

• Your Christmas gift guide.
• New or seasonal products.
• Your Christmas offers.
• Customer testimonials and reviews.
• Gift vouchers.
• Your final ordering or booking dates.
• January services, workshops, or new launches.

You could also give your subscribers early access to a new collection or a special offer.

Remember, email marketing isn’t about constantly selling. Share useful information, inspiration, and stories alongside your promotional messages.

And don’t forget to include a clear call to action. Tell people exactly what you’d like them to do next, whether that’s visiting your website, booking a session, or browsing your gift guide.

5. Use social media to bring your campaign to life

Social media is an important part of most small business marketing campaigns, but posting a photograph of your product with the words ‘Available now’ isn’t going to give people much reason to stop scrolling.

Think about creating a variety of content that tells the story of your business and gives people reasons to engage.

Here are five content ideas you could use throughout your Christmas campaign.

• Product or service content – Showcase what you offer, explain the benefits, and tell people why it could make a great Christmas gift or purchase.
• Behind the scenes – Show people what goes into creating your products or delivering your services. For creative businesses, this could be the making process, packaging orders or preparing a new collection. For service businesses, it might be preparing workshop materials, creating resources, or setting up your workspace.
• Educational content – Share useful tips related to your products or services. A skincare business might share winter skincare advice, while a business coach could offer tips for planning business goals for the New Year.
• Customer stories and social proof – Share testimonials, reviews, and photographs from happy customers (with their permission). People like to see that others have had a positive experience with your business.
• Personal content – Don’t forget the person behind the business! Share a little about yourself, your Christmas traditions, what you’re working on or even the things that haven’t quite gone to plan.

People buy from people, and showing your personality helps build relationships with your audience. You could also create short videos, Reels or Stories to demonstrate products, answer common questions or give people a glimpse into your business.

You don’t need to be on every social media platform. Concentrate on the ones where your customers spend their time and where you can consistently create useful content.

6. Collaborate with another small business

Christmas is a great time to work with another business whose products or services complement yours. Think about businesses that appeal to a similar audience without directly competing with you.

For example:

• A candle maker could collaborate with a ceramic artist who makes candle holders.
• A jewellery maker could team up with a clothing boutique.
• A photographer could work with a local florist.
• A business coach could collaborate with a website designer.
• A wellbeing practitioner could work with a yoga instructor.

You could create a joint gift package, run a giveaway, share each other’s Christmas gift guides, or simply recommend each other’s services to your audiences. The important thing is that the collaboration benefits both businesses.

You don’t necessarily need to create something complicated. Sometimes simply introducing your audiences to another business they might find useful can be enough.

7. Make it easy for people to buy from you

This might sound obvious, but it’s surprising how often businesses make customers work harder than necessary to find out how to buy something.

Take a look at your website and social media profiles from a customer’s perspective. If someone sees a product or service they like, can they easily find out:

• How much it costs?
• What’s included?
• How they can order or book?
• Whether it’s available?
• How long delivery or fulfilment takes?
• How to contact you if they have a question?

For product-based businesses, make sure your photographs are clear, product descriptions are informative and stock availability is accurate.

For service-based businesses, explain exactly what’s included who the service is suitable for and how someone can book.

If you offer gift vouchers, make sure they’re easy to find and purchase.

Also, remember to update your website and social media profiles with your Christmas opening hours and any changes to your availability.

8. Don’t forget delivery and booking deadlines

If you sell physical products, make sure customers know the last date they can order and still receive their purchases before Christmas. This is particularly important if you post internationally, as delivery times can vary considerably.

Check the latest postal guidance for the countries you ship to and allow yourself a little extra time.

Don’t promise delivery by Christmas unless you’re confident you can meet that deadline.

If you offer local collection, make sure customers know how and when they can collect their orders.

For service-based businesses, think about your availability over the festive period.

Are you taking bookings for January? Will you be offering consultations before Christmas? Are there deadlines for ordering gift vouchers or booking workshops?

Clear communication avoids disappointment and helps customers plan ahead.

9. Think about the customers who leave everything until the last minute!

Not everyone starts Christmas shopping in November. There will always be people searching for last-minute gifts, so think about how you can cater for them.

For product-based businesses, this could include:

• Ready-to-ship products.
• Local collection.
• Digital gift cards.
• Printable gift vouchers.
• Downloadable products.

For service-based businesses, gift vouchers are particularly useful.

Someone who isn’t sure what to buy could purchase a voucher for a coaching session, creative workshop, photography session, or other service.

You could also promote services that can be booked now but delivered in January.

Make sure you clearly explain how the voucher works, whether it has an expiry date and how the recipient can redeem it.

10. Make the most of the period after Christmas

Once Christmas Day has passed, it’s tempting to think that your marketing campaign is finished. But don’t overlook the days between Christmas and New Year, and the weeks that follow.

People often have a little more time to browse online, think about the year ahead and consider what they want to do differently.

For product-based businesses, you could:

• Promote remaining seasonal stock.
• Offer discounts on discontinued products.
• Introduce a new collection.
• Showcase products that aren’t specifically Christmas-related.

For service-based businesses, January is a great opportunity to promote:

• New Year workshops.
• Coaching and consultancy.
• Online courses.
• Planning sessions.
• Wellbeing services.
• Gift vouchers and experiences.

You could also create content around reflection, fresh starts and planning for the year ahead. Just remember that you don’t have to discount everything to generate interest. A new offer, useful resource or fresh collection can be just as appealing.

11. Review your campaign

Once the Christmas rush is over, take some time to look back at your marketing. Remember those SMART goals you set in Part 1?

Now is the time to see how you did.

Look at:

• Which products or services generated the most sales?
• Which marketing channels attracted the most enquiries?
• Which social media posts generated engagement or website visits?
• How many new subscribers joined your email list?
• Which offers were most popular?
• What feedback did customers give you?

Don’t just concentrate on sales. Perhaps a particular type of social media content attracted lots of new followers, or a blog post brought more visitors to your website. These are useful things to know when planning your marketing for the coming year. Make a note of what worked, what didn’t and what you’d do differently next time.

Finally…

Christmas is an important opportunity for many small businesses, but it shouldn’t mean abandoning everything else or spending the entire festive season worrying about sales.

A little planning, some thoughtful marketing and a clear understanding of your customers can make a real difference.

Remember, the aim isn’t simply to make a sale. It’s to create a positive experience that encourages customers to return, recommend your business and remember you when they need your products or services again.

And don’t forget to enjoy the process! Your enthusiasm, creativity and personality are all part of what makes your small business special.

I’d love to hear what you’re planning for Christmas this year. Have you got a particular product, service, or promotion you’re looking forward to sharing?

In Part 1, I included a free download for a Christmas marketing checklist. If you didn’t download, here it is again! Have a great time doing your Christmas (and beyond) marketing! And as always, if you need help, just get in touch.