Ho, ho, ho-rrendous: 5 ways to avoid Christmas clichés in your marketing
Image via: Amy T
You should absolutely default to one of the tried-and-tested Christmas clichés for your festive marketing this year.
All wrapped up? Definitely not forgettable.
‘Tis the season for [insert verb/noun here*]? Genius!
However, if you want your marketing to stand out this season, you might want to step outside the norm and try something a little different.
I’m a bah-humbug kinda gal myself but I never miss an opportunity to help a small business owner. So here are some examples of Christmas clichés and 5 ways you can avoid them.
Christmas clichés examples
Before we can avoid a cliché, it’s handy to know a few.
So, using Vikki Ross’s fab ‘Christmas Copy Bingo’ sheet as my guide, here are some of the more infamous clichés you’ll see in festive marketing…
Christmas, all wrapped up
'Tis the season
Gifts the whole family will love
I'm dreaming of a [insert product/service/brand] Christmas
I bet you’ll see one (if not all) of these on a piece of seasonal marketing this year. And hey — we’ve all done it, okay? I know I have. But now I’m committed to pushing for something more original (and here’s why you should, too)…
Why you should say ‘bah humbug’ to Christmas clichés
There are two glaringly obvious reasons why clichés should be given the dodge and they're pretty darn good ones:
They’re 1) unoriginal and 2) forgettable.
Seeing the same few clichés in marketing year after year sort of takes the shine off, doesn’t it?
Worse yet, it looks like you threw any old thing down without much thought or effort. And at a time of year when effort and thought are key, this isn’t a great message to send.
Never fear, I’ve got 5 solutions to help you scheme a new strapline.
How to generate original Christmas marketing copy every year
1. Save samples
Time to dip into the old inspiration stash! If you're anything like me, you squirrel away marketing examples so you have stimuli to trigger new ideas.
Bring out last year's Christmas campaign collateral and pick out clever headlines, formats you find effective, and ideas you'd like to try. In the early brainstorming stages, nothing’s off the table!
2. Check out the competition
I always say this, but it's so, so important. Knowing what's fresh and relevant on the scene is great for making sure your marketing is creative enough to make the grade and keep up with the comp.
Head out networking to chat with other small business owners, cruise the net, or browse storefronts to see what's knocking about.
3. Really look at what you're marketing
Take a minute to really look at the product you're selling. Why might someone desire it (or desire giving it) as a gift? You might find a new angle or feeling which you'd like to use when pitching the product for Christmas.
4. Get emotional
How does the product or service make people feel? Emotions are a great selling technique as it is, but Christmas takes things to a whole new level. People love to feel things at Christmas.
5. Check out your own historic campaigns
Which ones worked well for you? Which were less effective? Don't just scratch the surface by looking at the creative, either.
Delve into the data and look at the customer segment you targeted, the creative assets used, the products promoted etc., etc. By learning from the past, you'll be able to write copy that's a double whammy of 'fresh' and 'effective'.
*Bonus points if your chosen verb is ‘gifting’.
And that, my friends, should help you on your way to writing magical, inspiring marketing copy this Christmas. Good luck!
Still stuck? Give me a shout and I’ll write it for you 💌