52+ Free & Festive December Marketing Ideas (+Examples!)

While December brings enjoyable, household, and meals, it might additionally go away enterprise homeowners and entrepreneurs feeling pressed for time—and sources.

december marketing ideas - funny holiday card photo

But with the correct methods and promotions, you can also make your December advertising and marketing a breeze and spend extra time stress-free along with your family members. So on this publish we’re supplying you with:

  • A full listing of December holidays, consciousness causes, and nationwide days.
  • Over 52 inventive methods to make use of them in your weblog, social media, emails, and extra.
  • Real examples from companies similar to yours.

We hope this publish evokes you and leaves you feeling rather less burdened throughout December. Read on to complete out the yr robust!

Table of contents

December snapshot

Here’s a fast take a look at December on your inventive advertising and marketing brainstorm.

December consciousness

For cause-based advertising and marketing, December is the nationwide month for:

  • Business planning
  • Car donation
  • Drunk and drugged driving (3D) prevention
  • Food service security
  • Human rights
  • Learn a international language
  • Safe toys and items
  • Sharps damage prevention
  • Spiritual literacy
  • Operation Santa Paws
december marketing ideas: operation santa paws

It’s additionally nationwide tie month, pear month, root vegetable, unique fruits, and bingo’s birthday month. Who knew?

December holidays

As in the event you didn’t know them!

  • Hanukkah (December 18-26; modifications yearly)
  • Christmas (December 25)
  • Kwanzaa (December 26-January 1)
  • New Year’s Eve (December 31)

December range & inclusion

You can discover loads of inclusive vacation advertising and marketing concepts right here!

  • Human Rights Month
  • Rosa Parks Day (December 1)
  • Human Rights Day (December 10)

inclusive holiday marketing ideas - rosa parks day example instagram post

December nationwide days

We’ll be masking all of the festive December nationwide days on this publish (Free Shipping Day, Gingerbread House Day, and so forth.) however listed below are some distinctive nationwide days.

  • InterNinja Day (Dec 5)
  • Human Rights Day (December 10)
  • World Trick Shot Day (first Tuesday in December)
  • Cat Herders Day (Dec 15)
  • Underdog Day (Third Friday in December)
  • Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day (first day of winter)
  • Make Up Your Mind Day (Dec 31)
  • Universal Hour of Peace (Dec 31)

December advertising and marketing concepts round month-to-month consciousness

Alright, now onto a deeper dive into December advertising and marketing concepts!

National Safe Toys and Gifts Month

The vacation season is the right time to present again to these in your neighborhood. Host or take part in a toy drive and encourage your prospects to do the identical.

Here are some concepts on your toy drive:

  • Set out a big field for patrons and neighborhood members to drop toys in.
  • Offer a promotion for patrons who donate to your toy drive—you can provide them a coupon for his or her subsequent go to, a p.c off a purchase order, or a stamp on their buyer loyalty card.
  • Partner with different native companies in your space to get the phrase out about your toy drive and encourage them to go away a field out at their enterprise.
  • Share images of your participation on social media and tag the charity you’re working with.
  • For an inventory of toy drives, check here.

If you’re trying to take part in a toy drive as a enterprise moderately than host one, you’ll be able to nonetheless take photos to share on social so that you’re getting the phrase out about how one can assist youngsters this vacation season.

december marketing ideas: toys for tots

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National Flu Vaccination Week

Healthcare professionals are urging individuals to get their flu pictures this yr. What higher strategy to get the phrase out than to take part in National Flu Vaccination Week?

Here are some methods your enterprise can become involved:

  • Share data on the place individuals in your neighborhood can obtain a free flu shot.
  • Post photos of you and your group members getting your flu pictures or after your flu pictures (further factors for a enjoyable and festive bandaid!).
  • Reshare sources from respected organizations in regards to the significance of the flu shot.
  • Healthcare companies can share movies from their professionals in regards to the flu shot.
december marketing ideas: flu vaccination week

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By collaborating on this consciousness week, you’ll be able to present your neighborhood that you simply care about their well-being. And, it’s an important reminder to get your flu shot, too!

National Write a Business Plan Month

Once the vacations are over, January will come fast—be certain that your advertising and marketing is ready by having a look at your individual marketing strategy for the following yr, or at the very least for January. Outline any business goals and objectives you wish to accomplish subsequent yr and decide what’s wanted that can assist you attain these objectives.

Here are some questions to remember:

  • What advertising and marketing methods do you completely have to run all year long that can assist you keep enterprise or develop? Think: your web site, search engine marketing, PPC, and extra.
  • What advertising and marketing methods do you wish to attempt to attain new audiences or interact along with your present viewers?
  • Are there any gaps in your advertising and marketing plan that it’s essential fill—like a channel your viewers frequents that your enterprise isn’t advertising and marketing on?
  • How will you measure success on your advertising and marketing subsequent yr?

These questions will make it easier to solidify your marketing strategy, enterprise price range, and advertising and marketing plan as you look forward to the following yr.

December advertising and marketing concepts round holidays & observances

Should you determine to go along with any of those concepts, you may additionally wish to determine NOT to make use of generic copywriting! Use this guide to cliche-free, emotion-filled holiday copywriting so you can stay authentic and stand out above the noise.

Hanukkah

Many businesses focus all their December marketing energy on Christmas and New Year’s and leave out a very important holiday: Hanukkah! Make your holiday marketing inclusive by adding Hanukkah decorations to your location, running special promotions that target your customers who celebrate Hanukkah, and by wishing them a happy holiday on your social pages.

december marketing ideas: hanukkah instagram post

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration held in the U.S. every year that celebrates African heritage. It has seven principles:

  • Unity
  • Self-determination
  • Collective work and responsibility
  • Cooperative economics
  • Purpose
  • Creativity
  • Faith

Use these as inspiration for your thought leadership and core values-focused content! You can also find plenty of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa material in these 41 Readymade Holiday Social Media Posts & Canva Templates.

Free Shipping Day

Free shipping is a big deal to customers. A LOCALiQ consumer survey found that only 20% of individuals can pay for delivery. If you might have an e-commerce enterprise, take into account becoming a member of in on Free Shipping Day on December 14 by providing free delivery on all purchases.

december marketing ideas: free shipping day

Don’t neglect the #freeshippingday hashtag on all of your social posts selling your provide!

Ugly Sweater Day (Dec 16)

There’s nothing that pulls prospects like a enjoyable perspective, so make the most of the festive spirit! Embrace the ugly sweaters on Ugly Sweater Day.

Here are some dress-up concepts for your enterprise this month:

  • Grab some reindeer antlers or put on Christmas pajamas if it’s applicable for your enterprise.
  • Daycare facilities can have enjoyable dressing up and encourage a pajama day for college kids!
  • Business professionals can have enjoyable with a holiday-colored tie or socks to get within the vacation spirit.
  • Post photos of you and your staff in your ugly sweaters and provide a reduction to anybody who visits of their ugly sweater.
december marketing ideas: ugly sweater day instagram post

Of course, don’t neglect to publish on social media with the suitable holiday hashtag.

Gingerbread House Day (Dec 12)

Did you realize December 12 is National Gingerbread House day? Participate on this enjoyable and festive day—listed below are a number of alternative ways:

  • Hold a gingerbread home adorning contest along with your staff. Post the completed merchandise in your social websites and have your viewers vote for his or her favorites.
  • Ask your viewers to share photos of their gingerbread homes to their social websites and tag you. Choose a winner to obtain a particular vacation promotion.
  • Create a gingerbread show at your enterprise for individuals to (safely) take photos in entrance of.
  • Share wholesome alternate options for gingerbread homes in the event you’re a healthcare enterprise or dentist.
  • If you’re a bakery, create a build-your-own gingerbread home equipment for individuals to purchase.
december marketing ideas: gingerbread house facebook post

No matter the way you take part, be certain that to make use of the #nationalgingerbreadday hashtag!

First day of winter (Dec 21)

While it looks like it’s been chilly for the final couple of months, the primary day of winter really falls on December 21. Celebrate with a easy image in your social media pages, a winter promotion, or with some particular treats—to go—at your enterprise location to rejoice.

december marketing ideas: first day of winter facebook post

Holiday advertising and marketing concepts to present your viewers

These promotion concepts will make your viewers shout with glee!

Host a reside (or digital) occasion & giveaway

Events are a good way to market your enterprise through the holidays. Have an open home and lengthen your enterprise hours one night. Invite native prospects and different companies to cease by and mingle. Serve some meals and drinks or get them donated by one other native enterprise! A celebration or open home is a good way to ignite some word-of-mouth advertising and marketing and construct stable partnerships.

december marketing ideas: virtual party invite

Encourage everybody to pour a glass of their favourite beverage and award some prizes for many who attend.

Send vacation playing cards (with a promotion!)

There’s nothing extra enjoyable than getting mail across the holidays. Gather your contact listing and ship out vacation or New Year’s playing cards from your enterprise to them. You can create a conventional card with an image of your staff and a easy vacation greeting together with a promotional code to encourage them to go to your enterprise through the holidays.

december marketing ideas - promo direct mail

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Customers prefer to be appreciated, and a vacation card can preserve your enterprise on the radar of shoppers—new or loyal—in order that your enterprise involves thoughts once they want your companies. (More gross sales promotion concepts right here!)

Run a vacation Instagram giveaway

Instagram giveaways are widespread all year long, however they can provide you an actual increase in December across the holidays. Think in regards to the aim on your Instagram vacation giveaway—are you attempting to get extra followers, improve consciousness for a selected services or products, or simply unfold some cheer to peoples’ feeds? From there, decide the correct giveaway for your enterprise.

december marketing ideas: instagram giveaway example

Here are some holiday Instagram giveaway ideas that can assist you get began.

Create a photograph alternative

You’re busy through the holidays. Save money and time with user-generated content material through the month of December. One straightforward approach to do that? Stage a photograph alternative at your location (or exterior of your location) by inviting Santa to return or by organising a winter wonderland for patrons to publish in entrance of.

december marketing ideas: remax santa instagram post

Everyone needs an image with a big polar bear, so give prospects the chance to market your enterprise for you by having one thing enjoyable to take photos with!

Pick up some props like Santa hats or tinsel garlands and let prospects go to city. Make positive to incorporate a hashtag along with your firm and share, retweet, or regram prospects’ images on social media.

Don’t be shy—get private on social!

Your enterprise is constructed by actual individuals, and your prospects wish to join with you! By sharing a glimpse into the lives of your staff and your self, you’ll be able to assist construct a connection along with your viewers.

Share photos or tales of your loved ones and vacation celebrations in your weblog and social media profiles. Do you might have a favourite vacation reminiscence that impressed you to open your enterprise? What a couple of household recipe or custom? Share yours on Facebook or Instagram and ask your followers what theirs are.

Here are some concepts for private tales you’ll be able to share on social media or your enterprise weblog:

  • Bakers can share a video or recipe on their blogs.
  • Photographers can publish their household Christmas photos on Instagram or Facebook and encourage others to do the identical.
  • Personal trainers ought to encourage purchasers and potential purchasers to affix them on vacation highway races by means of social media.
  • Makers can share the inspiration behind a selected product.
december marketing ideas: personalized facebook post

Sharing this kind of content material by means of your social channels and in your web site will make it easier to construct engagement—and it’s a enjoyable strategy to join through the holidays!

Publish a present information

A gift guide is a good way to get your title on the market and supply a useful service to your neighborhood. We know that individuals will probably be looking for vacation items on-line this yr greater than ever, so write a weblog publish or social publish about items for mothers, dads, children, and associates!

The present information can embrace a few of your merchandise, however one of the simplest ways to promote your enterprise is to not promote it in any respect. Instead, showcase gadgets which can be associated to your business:

  • Gift Guide for Accountants (tech devices, ties, fancy pen)
  • Gift Guide for the Home Decorator (Christmas pillow covers, gold candlesticks, electrical candles)
  • Gift Guide for the Fitness Enthusiast (ice cleats for working exterior, winter hat with Bluetooth headphones, Epsom salts for drained muscle tissues)
december marketing ideas: holiday gift guide example

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People are all the time on the lookout for present concepts, so present potential prospects how useful you will be!

Share 12 days of ideas or merchandise

Take inspiration from the 12 Days of Christmas and have a tip or product of the day in your weblog or social media feed.

Here are some concepts to get began:

  • Fitness-related companies like private trainers or well being facilities can provide an train of the day to combat off gaining vacation weight.
  • Flower outlets can characteristic a wreath or bouquet of the day that includes totally different vacation colours or flowers.
  • Restaurants and bars can showcase a cocktail of the day for the vacations.
december marketing ideas: 12 days of tips

You may additionally run a distinct deal or provide for every of the 12 days. This will preserve individuals coming again to your social websites every day, which may improve engagement in your pages.

Decorate your location for the vacations

Nothing will get individuals within the vacation spirit like some festive décor. Take a while to string some lights inside and outdoors of your location, cling some garland, and out up a tree and menorah. If your location is in an space with plenty of foot visitors, you may also create an attention-grabbing vacation window show to get individuals to decelerate and take a look at your location or come inside.

Now is the time to have a little bit enjoyable and make your enterprise a welcoming place through the busy vacation season.

Take prospects behind the scenes

Show prospects what your enterprise is like through the holidays with video advertising and marketing! Are you a busy baker who’s making desserts and cookies? Take prospects into the kitchen with a video of preparations for the vacations.

People are curious by nature and giving them a sneak peek of latest merchandise or behind-the-scenes motion will set you aside out of your opponents!

Stay top-of-mind with e mail advertising and marketing

During the vacations, individuals get busy. Remind them about your enterprise with e mail advertising and marketing. Your e mail communications can embrace particular promotions you’re working, a round-up of native vacation occasions in your neighborhood, or only a easy reminder to go to your enterprise within the New Year. Make positive your holiday email subject line stands out so individuals will click on your e mail!

Here are some concepts on your December email marketing:

  • Dentists can ship an e mail about the most effective and worst vacation treats on your tooth.
  • Fitness companies can ship an e mail about methods to remain wholesome throughout this busy month.
  • Mental well being professionals can ship an e mail about methods to de-stress through the holidays.
  • Restaurants can ship an e mail about particular catering choices they’ve out there for household dinners.
december marketing ideas email example

People are trying of their emails through the holidays—actually, 75% take a look at their e mail particularly to search out offers and reductions. So, make the most of that this month by emailing your holiday promotions.

Send a year-in-review e mail

These varieties of emails are wonderful alternatives to present these advertising and marketing objectives one final push. Celebrate your development to reassure prospects that they’ve made the correct resolution to decide on you. Reinforce how beneficial they have been to your achievements this yr, to point out appreciation and preserve them loyal. If doable, recap what they achieved utilizing your services or products to encourage them to proceed utilizing your enterprise subsequent yr. For extra on this, take a look at our 17 unforgettable year-in-review examples and learn to write one which drives your year-end objectives.

year-in-review-email-examples-texture

Refresh your on-line fame & get extra critiques

A good reputation is important for your enterprise year-round, however this is likely to be a super time to place a little bit further give attention to getting critiques for your enterprise.

Take a while to ask your prospects for critiques, reply to all of your critiques, and be sure you’re managing probably the most related locations the place prospects are reviewing your enterprise—together with Yelp, Google My Business, and Facebook.

Update your Google Business Profile

Holiday buyers are going to be turning to Google for all of their vacation wants, whether or not for present concepts, house cleansing, equipment restore, journey, security, and extra. Make positive your enterprise data is updated so you will get discovered on search.

Be positive to:

  • Verify your contact data
  • Update your vacation hours
  • Upload images of your seasonal services and products
  • Create Offer and Event posts
december marketing ideas: google my business holiday post

There are some ways to optimize your Google enterprise profile to face out in search and appeal to prospects—and no higher time than now to do it!

Close out the yr stronger than your Aunt’s eggnog

The month of December will be traumatic for enterprise homeowners and entrepreneurs, however with a number of inventive and easy concepts, like those listed above, you’ll be able to maximize your enterprise’s publicity, join along with your viewers, and set your enterprise up for achievement within the new yr.

Interested in additional marketing ideas for every month of the year? We may also help with that.

And for planning, check out this marketing calendar template from our friends at LOCALiQ.

Full December nationwide day listing

As promised, right here’s the total listing so you’ll find December advertising and marketing concepts related to your area of interest. List is delivered to you by National Day Calendar

December 1

  • Rosa Parks Day
  • Pie Day
  • Eat a Red Apple Day
  • Bifocals on the Monitor Liberation Day
  • Day With(out) Art Day
  • Package Protection Day – Wednesday after Thanksgiving

December 2

  • Fritters Day
  • Mutt Day
  • Special Education Day

December 3

  • Roof Over Your Head Day
  • Faux Fur Friday – First Friday in December
  • Bartender Day – First Friday in December

December 4

  • Cookie Day
  • Dice Day
  • Sock Day

December 5

  • Bathtub Party Day
  • InterNinja Day
  • Repeal Day

December 6

  • Pawnbrokers Day
  • Microwave Oven Day
  • St. Nicholas Day
  • Miners’ Day

December 7

  • Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
  • Illinois Day
  • Cotton Candy Day
  • World Trick Shot Day – First Tuesday in December

December 8

  • Brownie Day
  • Pretend To Be A Time Traveler Day

December 9

  • Pastry Day
  • Weary Willie Day
  • Christmas Card Day

December 10

  • Dewey Decimal System Day
  • Lager Day
  • Human Rights Day
  • Nobel Prize Day
  • Salesperson Day – Second Friday in December

December 11

December 12

  • Ambrosia Day
  • Ding-a-Ling Day
  • Gingerbread House Day
  • Poinsettia Day

December 13

  • Cocoa Day
  • Violin Day
  • Pick A Pathologist Pal Day
  • National Guard Birthday

December 14

  • Bouillabaisse Day
  • Alabama Day
  • Monkey Day

December 15

  • Cupcake Day
  • Bill of Rights Day
  • Cat Herders Day
  • Wear Your Pearls Day

December 16

  • Chocolate-covered Anything Day
  • Barbie and Barney Backlash Day

December 17

  • Maple Syrup Day
  • Wright Brothers Day
  • Ugly Christmas Sweater Day – Third Friday in December
  • Underdog Day– Third Friday in December

December 18

  • Twin Day
  • Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day
  • Wreaths Across America Day – Changes Annually

December 19

  • Hard Candy Day
  • Oatmeal Muffin Day

December 20

December 21 

  • Crossword Puzzle Day
  • Humbug Day
  • Maine Day
  • Phileas Fogg Win A Wager Day
  • Winter Solstice – Day Between December 20 and 23
  • Flashlight Day – Day of Winter Solstice
  • French Fried Shrimp Day
  • Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day – First Day of Winter
  • Yule – Day of Winter Solstice
  • Anne & Samantha Day(additionally June. 20, 2020)

December 22

  • Date Nut Bread Day
  • Forefathers Day – December 22 (Unless on Sunday, then the next Monday)

December 23

  • Pfeffernusse Day
  • Roots Day
  • Festivus
  • Re-Gifting Day – Thursday earlier than Christmas

December 24

December 25

  • Pumpkin Pie Day
  • A’Phabet Day or No “L” Day
  • Christmas

December 26

  • Candy Cane Day
  • Thank-you Note Day
  • Whiner’s Day
  • Boxing Day (Canada)

December 27

December 28

  • Short Film Day
  • Chocolate Candy Day
  • Card Playing Day
  • Holy Innocents Day
  • Pledge of Allegiance Day

December 29

  • Pepper Pot Day
  • Tick Tock Day

December 30

  • Bicarbonate of Soda Day
  • Falling Needles Family Fest Day
  • Bacon Day

December 31

  • Champagne Day
  • No Interruptions Day – Last Work Day of the Year
  • Make Up Your Mind Day
  • Universal Hour of Peace