The countdown is on to Christmas! It may seem early… but it’s not!

It might only feel like yesterday that we were packing the tinsel away, but the supermarkets will soon be airing their infamous Christmas adverts, gift bundles will be back in shops, and before you know it, you’ll be popping open the bottle of mulled wine or helping Santa with those mince pies.

In the world of PR, and especially here, at eden, we’ve already started getting the plans, schedules, interviews, and invites prepared for the festive season.

For the third year running, we’re returning to provide extensive media relations for event organisers Kilimanjaro Live, who host Christmas at Wollaton. We’re very proud to be a part of such a spectacular light trail and cannot wait to show you what’s in store for this year, it’s definitely set to be the biggest and best yet!

With the countdown on, we thought we’d share some of our top tips and tricks on what it takes to create a comprehensive marketing campaign.

Forward Planning, (take this as your sign to get started)

• Don’t leave it until December!
  We’ve all been there, the last-minute rush to get it all over the line. But, Christmas campaigns take time, liaison with the client, media communication, and set up. Something as spectacular as an event can’t be crafted overnight, under pressure, and with copious amounts of caffeine. It has to be done properly.
• Timing and events
  Think about your local media, events, and where you can market your client – the opportunities are endless! Remember to get in there early, as coverage spots and features will soon fill up. Not to give all our ideas away, but consider local radio, schools, newsletters, and ‘what’s on’ guides.
• Your social schedule and content
  Plan meticulously! Considering we have Christmas every year, we know what works well, and equally what falls flat. Tie in your social posts into the countdown, the local lights switch on, or any other local events or recommendations you have in the area. Remember, supporting other businesses doesn’t mean you’re losing visitors to yours!
• The importance of a comprehensive marketing campaign
  So much goes into creating marketing campaigns that it can be overwhelming to know where to start. So, we’ve created a detailed check list to kickstart your thoughts for your next campaign. Don’t say we don’t treat you!

Planning
As we already said: plan, plan and plan some more. Scheduling software, such as Hootsuite or Sprout Social is about to be your best friend for scheduling the huge amount of social content that needs to be shared throughout the festive season. Get set up in Microsoft Teams and hold those weekly meetings with your team to make sure everyone is on track. Planning leads to great things if you get the foundations right and stay focused.

Christmas is a busy and chaotic time of year for most people. Be sure to come up with a list of considerations if you’re involved in hosting an event. Think about the weather, practicalities, attendees and local media. You want to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible for your client to reflect your great work.

The technicalities
Don’t forget to prioritise your public relations, media contact list, your marcomms and how you’ll tackle your social media channels. Will you set a budget to carry out a paid campaign? Do you have an idea of how many social and organic posts you would like to create? What website and blog content can you produce, or brainstorm, that your client will love and that will get people talking? Be clear on your deliverables and what you want to share and create so both your client and team knows what to expect.

Client meetings
Knowing your audience is of course the key to your success. Your client should provide you with the details of who they want to target but remember that they will also be looking to you for all of this advice.
Stay in touch with your client and keep them up to date with regular updates explaining the task in hand. Remember if you go quiet, they won’t be chasing you. You are the communications expert after all!

Content for social, website, and blog
Meeting with your client, visiting their business, and getting a feel for what you’re promoting is one of the best things you can do.
We always get out and visit our clients when we can for catch ups, tours and to gain some extra industry knowledge. Photos and videos taken by your team offer a more natural and authentic insight into the business you’re marketing.

A strategy, plan, and agreed deadlines are what underpins our thought processes. Without strict deadlines and communication, no one will know where your progress lies, and you may find that you under or over service your client.

Your USP
Don’t forget your industry knowledge, skills and writing are incredibly value to any client.

Whether campaign-based, or ongoing client work, eden are a fully equipped PR agency offering support services such as marketing communications, social media marketing and paid social media. For more information, contact us today.