The holiday season provides a wealth of marketing opportunities for advisors. Retailers and similar businesses will be bombarding consumers with ads leading up to the Black Friday rush. The overabundance of aggressive messaging can leave people suffering from a serious case of ad fatigue. Use the Thanksgiving ad blitz to your advantage by taking an approach that taps into the sentiment of the occasion.
The overall goal of a Thanksgiving marketing campaign is more about showing appreciation than sealing a deal. By setting aside the sales pitches in favor of softer and more subtle interactions, you will stand a better chance of engaging with new prospects and fostering existing relationships.
30 Days of Gratitude
The “30 Days of Gratitude” challenge is a popular social media trend during the month of November. This is a simple, low-to-no-cost way to boost your social media presence and show a little personality to your audience. Spend a few minutes each day thinking of something that you are personally thankful for and share the sentiment across your social networks. Encourage your followers to reply with their own expressions of gratitude. Use relevant hashtags for improved organic reach.
- #ThankfulEveryday
- #GivingThanks
- #30DaysOfThanks
- #CountYourBlessings
- #GratitudeChallenge
- #Gratitude30
Thanksgiving Dinner Giveaway
Giveaways are extremely popular during the holidays, especially when the offer involves food. They’re also great for lead generation and prospecting. A contest that offers a free turkey, desserts or even a full dinner is going to attract a lot of attention. For you, it could mean a fresh list of prospects added to your pipeline. Partner with one or more local businesses that are willing to set out a stack of registration cards for customers. Give your contest some extra juice with a sponsored social media post that takes consumers to an online registration form.
Recipes and Holiday Cooking Tips
Do you have an old family recipe that’s too good to keep to yourself? Maybe you know the secret for the perfect turkey or have a few quick and simple appetizer ideas. Online searches for recipes and menu ideas skyrocket during November. Offering your own culinary tips, tricks, and techniques can be a great way to latch onto one of the top trending searches of the month. Post this content on your blog/website and share liberally on your social media pages. Your monthly newsletter, email blasts, and direct mailers are also good delivery methods to consider. This is a subtle, yet effective form of content marketing that can not only help with brand awareness but make you come across as more personable to clients and prospects.
Client Appreciation
Where would you be today without those long-time and loyal clients? Thanksgiving is a good time to show them your appreciation. This can be as simple as sending clients a handwritten card in the mail. For high-end clients, you might go the extra mile with a gift certificate to a local grocer, baker, or winery.
The Spirit of Giving
Obviously, people are in the spirit of giving during this time of year. It’s common to see businesses foster this goodwill by hosting food and charity drives. While these are more effective with businesses that receive higher amounts of foot traffic, every little bit helps. If you operate out of an easily accessible office, place a container for canned food donations in your lobby. Use different advertising mediums (flyers, social media, e-newsletters, bulk emails, etc.) to get the message out to people who would otherwise have no reason to walk through the door. As people come in to drop off their donations, hand out small “swag bags” that include branded pens, notepads, etc. Of course, you’ll want to include a business card and consumer-facing materials. Not only is this good for brand awareness, but it’s also a great way to give back to your community.
