The holidays are a busy time for businesses large and small. Everyone is trying to get a piece of the holiday pie, so to speak. With so much competition, it can be difficult to make your business stand out from the rest. If you own a small business, you may be wondering how you get people to come to your business instead of all the other options out there. That's where creative marketing comes in. There are a lot of ways to get creative with your marketing during the holiday season. Here are just a few ideas to get you started courtesy of the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce:

Post Interactive Content Online

The holidays are all about family, friends, and fun. So why not inject some of that holiday cheer into your content? Create posts that are interactive and engaging, like quizzes, polls, or even holiday-themed games. Not only will your customers appreciate the break from the mundane, but you'll also be able to collect valuable data that you can use to improve your marketing efforts down the road.

Hold Contests

Who doesn't love a good giveaway? Hosting a contest or giveaway is an excellent way to generate excitement and buzz around your small business. Make sure to promote your contest across all of your channels (social media, email, etc.) and consider teaming up with other businesses to co-sponsor the contest and reach an even wider audience.

Create a PDF Gift Guide

Gift-giving can be tough especially if you're looking for something unique or outside the box. That's where a gift guide comes in handy. Put together a list of gift ideas that are available at your store and include links so customers can easily make their purchases. You can even segment your gift guide by price point or type of recipient (e.g., gifts for her, gifts for him, gifts for kids). Make all your various guides in one document, and then use this PDF splitter for free to generate the individual guides. Then you can post them to your website or offer them in an email to attract customers.

Choose Holiday Wrapping & Packaging

Make your packaging part of the gift with festive wrapping paper, ribbons, or even personalized gift tags. If you sell products that are difficult to wrap, consider using holiday-themed packaging instead. Your customers will appreciate the extra effort and it will make your products more likely to stand out under the tree.

Engage with Your Customers on Social Media

Social media is a great way to connect with customers and create a sense of community around your small business. During the holidays, take advantage of social media platforms by running promotional campaigns such as discounts or giveaways, posting festive content, or even live-streaming holiday events at your store. Just make sure not to go overboard. You don't want to come across as spammy or pushy.

Host a Festive Event

Does nothing get people in the holiday spirit quite like attending a festive event and what better place to host one than at your small business? Whether it's an ugly sweater party, a gingerbread decorating contest, or simply extended hours for holiday shopping, hosting a special event is a great way to get people through your doors or onto your website and generate some goodwill around your brand. Plus, it's an excellent opportunity to take advantage of photo ops for future marketing campaigns.

Reward Regular Customers

One of the best ways to show your customers that you appreciate their loyalty is by offering them discounts and special deals during the holidays. This is a great way to thank them for their continued patronage and encourage them to keep doing business with you in the future. You can also offer holiday-themed products or services, or host special events such as holiday parties or open houses. Whatever you do, make sure that your marketing efforts are creative and unique so that you can make your business shine this holiday season!

Work with Other Local Businesses

Another great way to reach potential customers is to partner with other local businesses. For example, if you own a bakery, you could team up with a nearby coffee shop and offer discounts on holiday-themed treats when customers purchase drinks. Or if you're a clothing store, you could partner with a jewelry store and offer discounts when customers buy items from both businesses. By partnering with other businesses, you can reach a wider range of potential customers and make your holiday marketing efforts more effective.

Support a Favorite Local Charity

Giving back is one of the best parts of the holidays and it's also good for business! Show your customers that you're committed to making a difference by partnering with a local charity and supporting their efforts during the holiday season and beyond. There are plenty of ways to get involved from hosting fundraisers at your store to donating a portion of sales to volunteering your time so find an opportunity that makes sense for your business and get started today.

These are just some of the ways you can get creative with your marketing this holiday season. By thinking outside the box, you can reach more customers and grow your business even during the slowest time of the year. So start brainstorming and come up with some great and creative ideas to market your business this holiday season!

Connect with and learn from other local business leaders by joining the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce.