2015 Update:  Your October, November, and December checklists are all rolled into one at Everything Holiday. Check out this fantastic small business holiday resource for all your marketing needs. You’ll find everything you need to brand your business for the holidays, get found online, and connect with holiday shoppers. This free resource is our gift to you. Check it out!

As we turn the page on October and say “hello” to November, Thanksgiving is just around the corner. With it comes the 1-2-3 punch of Black Friday (Nov. 28), Small Business Saturday (Nov. 29), and Cyber Monday (Dec. 1). For many of us, this time of year determines whether we’ll be in the red or in the black come 2015, but the key to making sure your business has a successful November is getting ahead of the competition and promoting early.

If you haven’t already prepared your holiday marketing calendar for 2015, here’s a helpful checklist of tips and to-dos for November.

Week 1: November 2– 8

Choose a Promotional Opportunity Ahead of Time
There are many holiday promos to choose from, but some are probably more relevant to your business than others. For example, Black Friday is a classic choice for retailers, but for online businesses, Cyber Monday may be a better fit. Regardless of your industry, promoting Small Business Saturday is a great way to boost business in November while competing with the big guys. Whichever you prefer, pick one early and run with it!

Inform Customers about Increased Email Frequency
If you plan on increasing your email frequency in November (hint: you should!), you may risk more opt-outs. But, if you provide value to your subscribers via these increased mailings you’ll keep your recipients opening and engaging. To proactively manage expectations, send a friendly reminder to your subscribers explaining what your holiday email schedule will be (e.g. Monday-Wednesday-Friday), when it ends and what they can expect. Then, stick to it.

Segment Your Lists for the Holidays
Get your email list ready for the holidays by segmenting your list based on those who opened your recent emails versus those who didn’t. It’s a good bet that those who did will be more receptive to increased holiday communications from you. You can also segment based on location or demographic or past purchases. Doing so will allow you to send highly targeted, relevant content that’s more likely to be opened, read and acted upon.

Week 2: November 9 – 15

Send a Thank You Email
Nothing gives customers that warm, fuzzy feeling more than a sincere email thanking them for their business. If you really want to show them gratitude, try sending a special to your most engaged subscribers. Alternatively, you can send a “thank you” promo to all your customers to cast a wider net. Either way, they’ll appreciate it!

Week 3: November 16 – 21

Holiday Countdown to the Big Four
Consider sending an informative email to your customers this week counting down the days for all the major November shopping events. Use this chance to remind them of your specials, provide gift guides or invitations to special events you’re hosting:

• Thanksgiving – Thursday, November 27
• Black Friday – Friday, November 28
• Small Business Saturday – Saturday, November 29
• Cyber Monday – Monday, December 1

Update and Share Your Holiday Hours
If your business will be changing your hours for the holidays, use this week to send your customers a heads-up email to let them know. Spread the word on Facebook, Twitter, and anywhere else you market your business online. If your business will remain open during a time when other places typically do not, use this to your advantage!

Week 4: November 22 – 30

Round up Last-Minute Shoppers
Use the final week of November to cater to procrastinators on your email lists and elsewhere on social media with last-minute offers. Use phrasing like “ending soon,” “today only,” and other time-based language to drive home a sense of urgency and get more feet through your door or clicks on your site.

Final Thoughts
With these tips, a little forethought and extra planning, you too can get grab a slice of the $619.9 billion expected to be spent on holiday shopping this year. Get all the holiday marketing resources you need from our Everything Holiday site and in our Complete Guide to Holiday Marketing.

Send all your holiday email marketing with VerticalResponse. It’s free! 

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