Christmas always comes so suddenly. Even if you have not yet prepared your marketing for Christmas business, you can still do something on the last few meters.

It’s back, the busiest time of year. In e-commerce in particular, the Christmas business is an indispensable driver for online retailers, online marketplaces and multichannel providers with online shops and branches. Sales in German e-commerce will grow by double-digit percentages in 2019, up to 70 billion euros  – and the weeks leading up to Christmas will generate a large part of it. So that you can attract customer interest during this time, every wisely spent euro on Christmas marketing is a euro well invested.

Ancient wisdom in marketing: The best time to prepare for the next Christmas business is December 27th. The second best time is now. Sure, you should have tackled extensive strategies that require a lot of preparation in the summer . But even if little has happened in your Christmas marketing so far, you don’t have to do without a successful Christmas business this year. Many customers don’t start looking for festive gifts until December. December 15th is the day on which Germans, on average, spend the most money online.

With a few quick measures you can now polish up your marketing presence for the profitable Christmas business. And many improvements will also help you for the new year. Here are our eight last-minute tips for your Christmas marketing:

Marketing for Christmas – Last Minute

1. Make your appearances Christmassy

Those who put their customers in a Christmas mood can benefit from an increased desire to buy. The customer unconsciously associates the visual link between an offer and Christmas with relevance for his Christmas preparations and purchases. That doesn’t mean that you have to put Christmas arrangements with bells on all your pictures and display banners with fir trees and asterisks. Create Christmas elements that suit your brand and don’t overdo it: the seasonal decorations can quickly appear overloaded.

2. Send your newsletter

At the beginning of Advent, you should make your existing contacts aware of your Christmas offers. It’s also a good place to play discount codes or offer special deals for regular customers. You remember positively.

3. Bring premium offers to the fore

At Christmas, customers are ready to spend larger amounts. Now it is appropriate to put higher priced products and services in the focus of advertising . Show your best merchandise. Even if the customer does not take advantage of this offer, thanks to the mechanisms of price psychology, you still have an increased chance that he will grab your cheaper alternative: The presentation of a high-priced offer has adjusted the customer’s feeling for acceptable amounts so that he sums smaller finds it very cheap.

4. Cords of Christmas boxes

In addition to your standard range, you should offer gift boxes as a set for Christmas: main product, useful supplements, Christmas goodies and high-quality gift packaging. Of course, the boxes are only available for a limited time in the run-up to Christmas.

5. Issue vouchers

Even those who do not work in retail can lure users to their own site with vouchers that are suitable as gifts. Restaurants can score with a dinner, outdoor organizers with an excursion, mobility platforms with free rides. Your own offer is not suitable for vouchers? Enter into collaborations with organizers and service providers that fit your brand.

6. Give advice on gifts

Everywhere there is perplexity: What do I give to my colleague, partner, parents, little ones? Now is the right time to put together gift tips for customers from your offer. They will thank you. Break down the tips according to the interests of the recipient and the personal relationship between the giver and the recipient. Make sure different price levels are served.

7. Make Christmas cards

Fallen out of time? No, Christmas cards you can touch are a classic door opener. They are still a gift that the recipient associates with special appreciation. The Christmas card can be sent to customers or business partners in various ways: Classically by post to a selected group of recipients, enclosed in a gift set, sold in your own shop or personally distributed at events, trade fairs or the local Christmas market.

8. Invest time in social media

Social media is your advertising channel of the hour if you are running late: Posts are planned and created relatively quickly. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate Advent calendar for your fans. It is more important to be present with good storytelling and to awaken emotionally anticipation for the festival. The direct promotional references to the offer only come second.