Winter: the days are shorter, nights longer, and with the wicked weather, business isn’t quite booming. But as the season shifts, so too should your marketing strategy. Use the following winter marketing ideas to boost engagement, increase revenue, and stand out from competitors.
1. Offer An End-Of-Holiday Sale
As the holiday season draws to a close, offer an end-of-holiday sale to clear out inventory.
Anthropologie, for example, converted last season’s clothing into revenue by hosting a Winter Tag Sale.
2. Focus On Consumer Interaction
Winter, often associated with snow, bitter cold commutes, and icy road conditions, can be a miserable season. But, if marketed correctly, it can inspire connection, coziness, and warmth.
Supermarket chain Asda tapped into nostalgia for a twist on the classic Christmas movie Elf. Follow suit by incorporating love and humor into advertisements to increase sentiment and connection.
3. Release A Winter Newsletter
Email newsletters create individual consumer touch points to help maintain business relationships. And after a busy holiday season, no better time to reconnect with customers than at the start of the year.
In its winter newsletter, clothing brand Banana Republic used the title “Cooler Days Ahead” to announce a sale and display products from its cozy winter line.
4. Use Winter Hashtags
Help social posts succeed by adding a winter hashtag.
- #Winter
- #Brrr
- #Frozen
- #WinterWonderland
- #Snow
- #WinterIsHere
- #LetItSnow
- #WinterTime
- #MittenMania
- #KeepItCozy
- #BundleUp
- #SnowyNight
- #ItsColdOutside
- #FrostyFriday
- #UpToSnowGood
- #SweatherWeather
- #SummerDreaming
5. Modify Products For Winter
With the lack of fresh produce, incorporate ginger, cinnamon, or peppermint flavors into a beloved product to add enjoyment and comfort.
Jack Daniel’s, for example, took a winter twist on its classic Tennessee whiskey by creating Winter Jack, a cinnamon cider.
6. Welcome A Wintery Brand Image
Embrace the snowy season, and stand out from the crowd by incorporating a winter theme into your brand image.
7. Ring In The New Year On Social Media
Post in celebration of the new year on social media. Luggage brand Beis used Instagram to post a “2022 Wrapped” to share favorite collections, colors, and welcome the new year.
8. Launch A New Product
Encourage consumers to try something new for the new year. Liquid I.V., for example, dropped its new collection of mocktail hydration multipliers just in time for Dry January.
9. Target Consumer New Year’s Resolutions
Capitalize on popular New Year’s Resolutions by promoting products to help consumers accomplish their goals.
Statista found the top 3 resolutions of 2023 included exercising more, eating healthier, and losing weight. Use this information to build a targeted marketing campaign to help individuals create a new version of themselves.
10. Share Company New Year’s Resolutions
As the year draws to a close, it’s time to reevaluate company goals. Create a New Year’s Resolution and share it across social media. Encourage followers to participate in the conversation by sharing a personal goal.
Trying to decide what resolutions to share? Here are a few ideas:
- Identify Customer Service Missteps
- Prioritize Company Culture
- Advance Online Presence
- Listen Closely To Customers
- Develop A Strong Content Calendar
- Refine Brand Image
- Boost SEO and Website Engagement
11. Send A Customer Feedback Survey
Customer surveys use customer feedback to gauge their satisfaction with a product. Whether sent via email or asked on social media, the opinions received help validate decisions within a business.
Customer survey sample questions:
- What is your biggest roadblock when [insert something related to your product]?
- How can we improve your experience with [company name]?
- How do you feel about [insert product]?
- What is working for you? Why?
- Are you open to discussing upgrade options for your product?
12. Publish A Predictions Blog Post
Engage with what is to come by publishing a predictions blog post. Rolling Stone, for example, ponders the future of BookTok in a recent article.
“BookTok: How Will TikTok Creators Change Publishing in 2023? – Rolling Stone”
13. Celebrate Super Bowl Sunday
Next to Thanksgiving, Super Bowl Sunday is America’s second-highest food consumption day. Celebrate accordingly by sharing a favorite recipe or organizing a food drive.
Twix celebrated Super Bowl Sunday by hosting a candy giveaway. Captioned “The kind of bowl we want to win tonight. Guess how many TWIX you think there are?”
14. Run A Valentine’s Day Sale
Use Valentine’s Day to offer consumers a special discount or run a 2-for-1 promotion, all in the name of love.
Target ran a promotion leading up to Valentine’s Day centered around “More to love, for less.”
15. Design A Valentine’s Day Gift Guide
Take out the guesswork on Valentine’s Day by creating a buyer gift guide.
Sephora relieves shopper stress by tailoring gifts to different personas, themes, and interests.
16. Create A Spread The Love Referral Campaign
Implement a referral program on Valentine’s Day using the slogan “spread the love.” Offer desirable rewards for both parties to attract consumers.
17. Promote Black History Month
February is Black History Month, honoring the Black community’s contributions throughout U.S. history. Commentate the month by supporting Black-owned businesses or donating to anti-racism-driven charities.
18. Run A Spring Cleaning Campaign
Prepare for a new season by implementing a spring cleaning campaign. Keurig developed an email campaign centered around sweeping away winter grime.
19. Announce A Spring Collection
Announce a spring collection to build excitement around an upcoming product. Candle brand Mala built hype around its spring launch by blurring out product images and adding a countdown to the reveal.
20. Incorporate Green For Patrick’s Day
Every spring, McDonald’s reintroduces the Shamrock shake, a St. Patrick’s Day-inspired milkshake. The electric green color and mint flavor form the perfect seasonal drink and remain a fan favorite.
Enjoy the holiday by adding pops of green in drink form or storefront decorations.
21. Honor National Reading Month
In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, March is National Reading Month. Start a conversation by sharing your reading list across social media platforms and asking users to comment on their favorite reads.
22. Eat Pie For Pi Day
Pi Day – the annual celebration of the mathematical constant pi – is celebrated on March 14. Join in on the worldwide celebration and offer consumers a piece of pie.
Nasa celebrates the day with “Pi in the Sky,” an illustrated math challenge featuring pi-related space problems students can do at home.
23. Acknowledge International Women’s Day
Marked annually on March 8, International Women’s Day celebrates women’s achievements and raises awareness for women’s equality. Provide value to consumers by sharing inspiring stories.
Skincare brand Summer Fridays used Instagram to highlight women and share what makes them feel most confident.
24. Create A Content Calendar
Kick the new year off by creating a content calendar – a visual schedule of when and where content will be posted.
CoSchedule Marketing Calendar is a cross-functional marketing calendar that creates global visibility on every project, enables clear communication, and plans integrated social campaigns.
25. Set Quarterly Goals
Setting quarterly goals breaks down annual goals into manageable chunks and allows for a stronger assessment of progress. It also creates an opportunity to celebrate the little wins.
26. Respond To Google Reviews
Whether acknowledging a customer’s pain point or thanking a user for a positive comment, responding to reviews increases customer trust. Additionally, a courteous reply helps solidify your online reputation.
27. Refresh Your Website
Refreshing a website is crucial to online success. A rebrand can increase traffic, generate leads, improve SEO rankings, and refine the user experience.
28. Celebrate A Year Of Success
Celebrate all milestones from the year prior. Whether it be the goals achieved, quotas met, or major work anniversaries. Toast to a successful 12 months!
Ways To Celebrate
- Host a celebration
- Organize a company spirit week
- Give employee shout-outs on social media
- Distribute a token of appreciation
- Cater lunch