Holidays present a unique opportunity for small businesses to elevate their brand visibility and drive sales. We asked for some blockbuster holiday promotions tips from seasoned experts who have crafted and executed some of the most effective holiday campaigns.
Offer Holiday Bundle Deals
One of the most successful holiday promotions we ran was a “Holiday Bundle Offer” for new website design and branding packages. We combined multiple services into our offer, including website creation, logo design, and SEO optimization into one limited-time deal.
Not only did this promotion surpass our expectations in terms of engagement, but it also generated a 30% increase in leads compared to our usual campaigns.
The critical insight from this experience was the power of timing and bundling services. This offer fit perfectly for the holiday season. It is when businesses often plan for the upcoming year that we tapped into a time when potential clients were most motivated to invest in upgrades. Additionally, bundling services provided clients with a tangible sense of value, making it easier to justify the investment.
In planning the promotion, we created a sense of urgency with countdown timers and limited availability. This helped drive conversions, as clients felt the need to act quickly. This experience taught me that bundling services for specific times of the year can create irresistible offers, especially when paired with a well-timed urgency strategy.
Nicholas Robb, Design agency for startups, Design Hero
Personalize Training Programs
One holiday season, we ran a “Train Your Seasonal Star” promotion, where we offered businesses a tailored training program for their temporary hires. The goal was simple: transform seasonal employees into standout customer service representatives, making sure they were ready to deliver memorable experiences during the busy holiday rush.
What made this campaign successful was our focus on personalization. We created training modules based on the specific needs of each business, and we emphasized soft skills like empathy and problem-solving. We also offered a certification badge, which businesses could showcase, boosting their credibility during the holiday season.
The unexpected win? Businesses came back to us post-holidays, not just for more seasonal hires, but for year-round employee development programs. The key takeaway here is to think beyond the immediate season, plan for long-term relationships by adding lasting value. Personalization, timing, and genuinely understanding your client’s needs were what made this campaign a game-changer for us.
Amit Doshi, Founder & CEO, MyTurn
Provide Free Prototypes
One holiday promotion that exceeded our expectations was a “Holiday Business Boost” campaign, where we offered discounted app-development consultations and free prototype design for clients who signed contracts during the holiday season.
We wanted to take advantage of the end-of-year momentum when many businesses are planning for the upcoming year and looking to invest in digital solutions. What made this promotion particularly successful was its appeal to both new and existing clients. By offering tangible value-free prototypes that visualized their app ideas-we gave potential clients a glimpse of the end product without any upfront commitment, which built trust and excitement.
The key to its success lay in careful planning and strategic timing. We started planning two months in advance to ensure that we had the right team and resources in place to handle the increased demand during the holidays. The promotion was marketed through targeted email campaigns, social media ads, and personal outreach to warm leads. We also aligned the messaging with the spirit of the season, positioning the promotion as a “gift” to help businesses kickstart the new year.
One insight I can share is the importance of creating a low-risk, high-reward offer that resonates with clients’ needs during that specific time of year. By making it easy for them to take the first step, we saw a notable increase in conversions, many of which turned into long-term clients after the holiday period.
Shehar Yar, CEO, Software House
Offer AI-Based Business Health Checks
Last year, during the holiday season, we ran a promotion for one of my businesses that went beyond our expectations. We created a limited-time offer for an AI-based business health check using our in-house AI advisor, Huxley. This service, usually priced at $300, was offered for free to small businesses that signed up before the new year. The result? A 40% increase in new client consultations in January and a 25% conversion rate from free trial to a paid service.
The key to success was the timing and relevance of the offer. Many businesses focus on budgeting and strategizing at the start of the year, and our promotion hit at just the right moment when decision-makers were actively seeking insights. Additionally, the element of AI was a big draw, tapping into the growing interest in data-driven solutions for business growth.
For planning and execution, we ensured the offer was heavily promoted through email marketing and targeted social media ads. We also personalized reminders and follow-ups to maintain engagement. The lesson here is to align your promotion with the current needs and goals of your target audience while leveraging technology to offer unique value.
Victor Santoro, Founder & CEO, Profit Leap
Market Pet CBD Products
During the pandemic lockdowns, we moved hard towards our newly introduced pet CBD range, which we’d barely rolled out when COVID hit, but the timing actually proved serendipitous. We aggressively marketed these products as holiday gifts across all religious celebrations, offering substantial discounts. The response to this promotion was a really big surprise until it dawned on us how many pets were struggling during this unprecedented period. Think about it—there were fewer walkies, pets obviously absorbing their owners’ heightened anxiety and their disrupted routines. So our pet CBD range became a bit of an unexpected lifeline for many.
This promotion’s success wasn’t just in our sales figures, but it opened our eyes to an overlooked market segment and highlighted the emotional connection people have with their pets. We’ve since made it a permanent feature so that subscribers to our newsletter, or those making purchases above a certain threshold during holidays, get special pet CBD offers.
This strategy worked two ways, as it not only introduced our new range effectively but tapped into people’s desire to do something extra for their furry companions during holidays or in those more challenging times.
Dennis Sanders, Founder, Burning Daily
Create Bulk Purchase Incentives
Our best holiday promotion was a “Buy One, Get One 50% Off” deal on all party lighting during Black Friday. It was a big success because it encouraged customers to buy in bulk, something people often do around the holidays when they’re planning multiple events or getting ready for the New Year. We combined the promotion with a limited-time free-shipping offer, and our website traffic and conversions spiked beyond what we expected.
Planning it took a bit of coordination. We started by analyzing past holiday sales data to pick the right products and price points. Then we ramped up our email campaigns and social media ads about a month in advance to build excitement.
If there’s one lesson to learn here, I’d say it’s important to create a sense of urgency while also offering real value. If you’re a small business, leverage your timing and give customers a reason to buy now—not later. Crafting a deal that fits the season’s mindset can drive more engagement and encourage sales for your business.
Matt Little, Founder & Managing Director, Festoon House
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