How to Respectfully Start Holiday Marketing Before Remembrance Day

Most of us are aware of how Canadian consumers feel about beginning Christmas holiday promotions too early.  We do have a good reason for early promotion online, however, since our season ends earlier due to shipping.  While we can be forgiven for that, we still have an obligation to respect our fallen heroes, and those who continue to protect our country.  It’s because of them that we have the freedom to do business in Canada, after all.

If that isn’t reason enough for the more sales-focused among us, consider the mounting outrage of consumers calling for everyone to delay holiday decorating until after Remembrance Day.  Making consumers angry at you will not help your holiday sales.

But what is an online business to do?

We have to focus on holiday sales, not only due to our shortened sales season but also because Canadians are shopping earlier for the holidays. A Deloitte survey found that 37% of Canadian consumers will start their holiday shopping earlier in 2022.  That trend has continued as more people try to stretch their budget by ordering online.

“Canadian consumers will be trying to do more with less; 41% of households have seen their finances take a hit this year,” states the Deloitte report. “The same proportion plan to only buy what their family needs and 38% percent will search online to find coupons or better prices. 37% plan to start shopping earlier this year.”

We can target holiday shoppers without referring to the holidays or using holiday images. Consumers know they’re shopping for Christmas, we don’t have to tell them that in our marketing.

  • Begin offering competitive deals and coupons for gift items
  • Activate free or reduced shipping campaigns
  • Focus on gifts in your search and social media marketing. Starting early will provide the data you need to kick it into high gear after Remembrance Day. Make sure you have the latest tracking tools ready to go.
  • Tailor your blog content to general shopping topics that apply to gifts, such as product comparisons and general gift guides. Keeping the holidays out of these posts will also make them more “evergreen” so you can promote them for other holidays.
  • Get your digital sales funnels and landing pages in place. Start by building them around online gift shopping without mentioning the holidays specifically. Thrive Themes Funnels is a budget-friendly tool for building highly profitable digital sales funnels.
  • Rev up your email marketing without mentioning the holidays. It’s a good time of year to invest in professional email marketing tools, such as Aweber.

If you really want to promote something, promote Remembrance Day.  Not with tacky sales, but with sincere messages of gratitude, quotes, historic images, and encouragement to wear a poppy.  Boast about your Remembrance Day policy and your company’s pledge to wait until after November 11th to begin holiday-theme marketing.  If you have an offline store, consider offering poppies at your location and make sure your staff is wearing them.

It’s a warm, respectful way to begin the Canadian holiday season, and it may just give you a competitive advantage over those who are already in full holiday marketing mode.

Respect Remembrance Day and Still Beat Online Holiday Shopping Deadlines

Lest we forget.

Do you try to avoid mentioning the holiday season before Remembrance Day? Please share your tips in the comments below or join us in the Online Business Canada Facebook group.

You may also be interested in reading:
15 Tricks That Attract and Convert Online Gift Shoppers
How to Use Content Marketing to Skyrocket Holiday Sales
To Me, From Me: Canadians Like to Buy Gifts for Themselves (Infographic)

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Digital Business & Marketing Manager at Online Business Canada | Website | + posts

Melody McKinnon is an internet entrepreneur with 25 years of experience in a wide range of online business models, backed by a formal business education and enhanced by training and mentorship. She has owned or managed both educational and ecommerce websites. Her book, 7 Recession Proof Online Businesses to Start From Home, is available from all major ebook retailers.

Melody has worked with many businesses & brands in a multitude of capacities. She can often be found on CanadianDigitalMedia.com, CanadiansInternet.com, CanadianFamily.net, and AllNaturalPetCare.com, as well as other quality digital publications. Her content has earned reference links from highly-respected websites, magazines and university textbooks.

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Perry

The Internet can work against you if enough people decide they’re upset about something. Not only do vets deserve the respect but the people who think they do deserve consideration too. In my view.

blake

Some stores are getting it but most never will. They just don’t care and that’s truly sad. I just want to thank you for trying.

Tianna Cyrus

BRAVO!!!!! THANK YOU for the poignant article & poster. I’ll share it over & over.

I actually get tears in my eyes when I think about how easily our veterans can be forgotten for profit. Both sides of my family are full of military personnel and let me tell you their sacrifices were many. I will NOT SHOP AT STORES THAT PUSH CHRISTMAS BEFORE REMEMBRANCE DAY!!! Show some respect or lose sales, that might teach them something about respect.