The holidays are approaching quickly, and before you know it, we’ll be into the New Year. It’s time to start preparing for the craziness the holidays bring- Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Cyber Week are just a few to name. Here are our marketing strategies and general recommendations on how affiliate marketers can prepare to succeed during the holiday season.
Review
It’s time to look at your top performers from this time last year and your current top performers. What campaigns worked and what didn’t?
– Who were your top publishers?
– What placements were published and how did they pan out?
– What promotions yielded the best results last year during the holidays?
– Rank the top peak days from last year’s performance
Communication is key
Identify which partners are top performers and reach out to them. Planning and strategizing how they want to promote during the holidays are important. Each publisher has different distribution methods for promotion, so coming up with a game plan early is key. Maybe one publisher does well with gift incentives while another offers free shipping. Publishers know their audience; you’re just there to help brainstorm.
Get your content ready now
Let’s be honest, holidays are hectic, and it’s easy to fall behind with work. Thankfully, there are ways to prepare for this. Start by scheduling your newsletters. Get your customers excited and pumped for the holiday seasons and the savings you’re about to offer. Next, get your media calendar ready. What offers will be promoted on what day. Are you using a text link? Banner? Email? Get all your text links, banners, and creatives designed early, so when the seasonal holiday comes like Black Friday, all you need to do is hit submit. Finally, add a placement tracker. Add the details of your campaigns to your dashboard so you can classify what’s working and what isn’t.
Don’t just think about the big seasonal promotion days
Yes, Cyber Monday and Black Friday are HUGE days for promotions, but there are other days publishers can use to drive business during the holiday season, such as Free Shipping Day on December 14th or After Christmas Shopping on December 26th. Consider ways to incentivize shoppers on Non-Holidays during the holiday season.
Cheers to the holidays
While there is a lot to plan, this is one of the most lucrative times of the year. Starting early in the planning can help alleviate some of the stress. Remember to analyze your publishers, communicate with your top publishers, strategize with them, prepare content early, and do not forget about the other smaller promotional days, but most importantly, enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones.
