Christmas is a wonderful season for PR visibility if you just put in a bit of planning around your brand, expertise, product, or service. There’s no reason any SME cannot become part of the build-up, energy, and feel-good factor this time of year.
Also, I’m fully aware, though will make no political comment upon, the fact that in the US, you will be coming through a time of political change, and you may need a distraction from all that has been happening.
My first comment is that if you sell products at Christmas that are Christmas-themed or you do a range of products in that vein — you are probably too late. All of that planning should have been done back in June or July. There is a hashtag #christmasinjuly in the world of PR, do look it up. It’s all about early planning.
This is essential if, as a business, you want any chance of being featured in high-quality lifestyle magazines that are relevant to you. These magazines, in the UK, might be Countryfile or so-called “Life” magazines such as Cotswold Life or Bath Life. There will be equivalents in the US, and these will often have a very long lead time for Christmas features. This would be very relevant for specific businesses, including:
- Interior designers.
- Manufacturers of household textiles or furnishings.
- Makers of candles or household accessories.
- Fashion designers, especially those offering a festive range.
- Hospitality venues offering Christmas events/meals/parties.
If you missed the Christmas product boat because you are in “startup” mode, then please consider your plans for Christmas 2025. Now is the time to “clock” what you missed, get better over the next year, and ramp it up heavily in June. One thing to think about in Q1 of 2025 is getting Christmas images done as early as possible. I’m not joking. That’s how far in advance you may need to plan. Use this Christmas to prepare for next Christmas.
Christmas for Other Small Businesses
So how can businesses where Christmas isn’t a big time for making sales or their busiest time of year make the most of the festive opportunities and the general need of the population to spend?
Here are some ideas to help with that:
1. One thing any business owner can do during this festive period is to offer a flash sale, discounts for a limited period and use this time to fill up time in the diary when you are a bit “flat” in terms of sales. For example, if January and February are quite slow for you (this is often the case in a new service-based business), do a November into December “offer” of a discount for anyone who might want your service, and you can book them into the January or February timeslots. This can help with cash flow and level out those famine or feast times of the year.
2. Get looking for media “gift guide” opportunities in your own community first and with regional publications – this is particularly relevant to lifestyle-type businesses. Gift guides are a wonderful way to showcase products. The media is asking avidly now for products to feature that make perfect stocking gifts, etc. If in doubt, you can use X for this and do some searching. A good hashtag for it is #journorequest
3. You could create your 12 Days of Christmas social media campaign — or even 12 blogs — covering different subjects. This can be used in a number of ways. When I launched my podcast a few years ago — PR Not BS — I started with a podcast released each day for the first 12 days of December to start to build energy, and then I settled at two new podcasts per month. It worked a treat. How can you flex this for your own business? It could be the first 12 days of December or perhaps the 12 days that mirror the traditional festive song. You could celebrate 12 clients on those days to really push home the message of who you are working with. Or you can answer 12 questions on LinkedIn about your sector to really push your expertise.
4. You could create a Santa’s List — what does your audience want for Christmas for their B2B business? Put it in your newsletter and on your LinkedIn, for example, and ask people to share their “wants” and “wishes?” Start off, perhaps, by sharing your wishes for 2025, which will encourage others to do the same.
5. You could use the “naughty” and “nice” vibe around Christmas, though I’d advise not to do so in a nasty manner. This might be an opportunity to talk about the “nice” aspects of your sector and the “not so nice” aspects — thereby showcasing how you are different. Think of the “not so nice” as a “red flag” piece. Or you can get people to share their great and not-so-great experiences over the last year. All of which can give you subject matter for blogs coming up in 2025.
6. Christmas can also be a time to talk about the downsides of the festive season if this is relevant to your expertise. This might include talking or advising or offering sessions around issues including:
- Christmas trauma.
- Debt and worries around this.
- Loneliness.
- Worries about eating/sleeping/family dynamics.
It’s always worth remembering that Christmas is not happy for all.
7. Finally, this is a time of year when you can review your year in every way and ask others to do so, too. How has this year been for you? Are you happy to share those highs and lows? Can you offer advice to anyone about planning to improve in the year ahead?
To humor me, if you are an expert around anything to do with Christmas, from products to toys to decorating homes or houses to fancy dress costumes right through to helping people who struggle mentally at this time of year with loneliness, grief, or debt — then contact your local radio station and just put yourself forward as an expert voice who can talk about all of these festive matters. You have nothing to lose, and just being “present” could be the perfect gift for your business.
