5 Practical Marketing Ideas for the Holidays

The holiday season is a time of fun and festivities. While home buying and selling typically slow down during the winter months, sometimes the end of the year can be hectic, with clients trying to close transactions before the new year.

Moreover, just because it's the most wonderful time of the year doesn't mean you should relax on your social media promotion. On the contrary, the holiday season is a perfect time for focusing on holiday marketing efforts due to decreased competition. In addition, it's a time when your messages can become more visible as there is less clutter.

By having the right mix of marketing directed at your sphere, you can continue to grow your business by expanding your audience reach during the holiday season. Studies by realtor.com show that internet searches for real estate peak during the holiday months. Therefore, it's a great time to continue engaging, as during the happy holidays, your audience may be more open to new ideas and might even send more business your way.

You can make December a time to stay top-of-mind with your clients and stand out from other agents with these five practical marketing tips.

Send out holiday cards and/or emails

If your real estate business begins to slow down, then use this time to reach out and connect with past clients and others in your sphere. If you already send holiday cards to family and friends, why not share your holiday spirit with clients and others on your business lists? If you want to go the extra mile, add a handwritten note on each card, personally wishing them and their family happy holidays. This personal touch is about the least "salesy" thing you can do and can result in someone reaching back out to you for help.

If you don't have time to write personal notes on holiday cards, sending out a personalized holiday email also can be effective in connecting with clients and others. However, please stay away from being too commercial and make sure your message is about them and not you.

Hold holiday giveaways

It's the gift-giving season, and a free gift appeals to just about anyone, as long as it has a perceived value or use. You can get into the gift-giving spirit by sharing your gift-giveaway on the social media platforms you utilize for your business. Whether it's a gift card for a local merchant, Amazon or Starbucks, offering a gift that appeals to your audience can help you stand out from other agents. It can be as simple as providing a $5 gift card to the first 10 people who add a holiday cheer comment on Facebook, limiting the offer to those in your "friends" network.

Give back to the community

During the holiday months, it's a great time to give back to a local nonprofit or community organization. Since social media is all about community, you have an opportunity to connect with your sphere of influence, encouraging them to join you in supporting a local organization or volunteering to support a local community service project. If you partner with a local nonprofit, you can post about their upcoming events, such as a canned food drive, gingerbread decorating party, holiday gift drop-offs, and other fundraising events.

Create captivating seasonal images to share

Is there a house or a street that is spectacularly decorated for the holidays in your area? Shoot photos and videos to share the spirit of the holidays on Facebook and Instagram. Pictures of pets and children decked out in holiday wear also make for great sharable images. You could even create a photo event, offering clients free holiday family photoshoots.

Publish holiday-themed blog posts

If you already write a blog, you know how valuable it is in helping you build and maintain your online presence. The holidays are an excellent time for you to share your insights into the season. What do the holidays mean to you? Was there a particular year celebrating the holidays that stands out? Share your story as to why. Or perhaps you have a favorite real estate story about something that happened during the holidays. And you could also write about upcoming seasonal or holiday events in your community. Writing about what you know will help you connect with clients and prospects.

If you need technical assistance with any aspect of your real estate marketing activities during the holidays – or any time of year – remember that Tech Helpline is here to help and only a click, call or email away.

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