The holiday season is approaching, and while my ecommerce colleagues gear up for the frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I’ve always found this time a bit quieter in the world of lead generation. While I admit a tinge of envy for the excitement they experience, I also appreciate the relative calm when it comes to daily sales figures.
Picture this: the holidays are on the horizon, but your advertising isn’t focused on ecommerce.
However, just because lead generation campaigns don’t share the same holiday rush doesn’t mean we can’t leverage this season effectively. In this article, we’ll explore the advantages and disadvantages of holiday advertising for lead generation businesses and outline some best practices to optimize your campaigns.
It’s important to note that this article focuses on lead generation businesses that aren’t directly related to gift-giving. If your business thrives on holiday gifting, I recommend exploring our post on holiday marketing trends for ideas tailored to gift-oriented offerings.
Table of contents
- Benefits of holiday PPC advertising for lead generation
- Drawbacks of holiday PPC advertising for lead generation
- Strategies for optimizing lead gen campaigns during the holidays
Reasons why lead gen businesses should consider holiday PPC advertising
If you’re on the fence about holiday PPC advertising for your lead-driven business, consider these potential advantages:
Reduced competition
If your gut feeling suggests a holiday advertising slowdown, chances are your competitors feel the same.
While your instincts might be onto something, there’s also an advantage to being the only player in the field. Capitalizing on a competitor’s absence is rarely a bad move. If they’re hitting pause, you could seize the opportunity to capture additional business during this festive period.
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Increased consumer activity during the holidays
For better or worse, holiday family time often translates to increased phone scrolling. Eventually, everyone needs a break from travel tales or karate updates.
This downtime presents a prime opportunity to make a lasting impression on users who are usually difficult to reach. Without advertising, you miss out on connecting with your target market and potentially influencing a decision-maker actively seeking a distraction while competition is low. In fact, last year, a significant number of consumers planned to increase their online browsing compared to previous years:
“Use it or lose it” budgets
As the calendar year ends, so does the fiscal year for many businesses, leading to a scramble for budget allocation. While I might not personally agree with the practice, I’ve encountered numerous companies that ramp up spending towards the year-end to secure the same budget for the following year.
If you’re managing your own business or working for one with a similar approach, increasing your holiday advertising can help address any leftover budget concerns. Conversely, if you’re an agency working with clients who operate this way, assisting them in utilizing their budget before year-end benefits both parties.
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Machine learning struggles with drastic changes
A recommended practice for adjusting Facebook budgets is to increase or decrease daily budgets by 20%, allowing the change to settle for a couple of days before making another 20% adjustment.
This approach is crucial because Facebook, like other major ad platforms, heavily relies on machine learning. Abrupt changes disrupt these algorithms. The same applies to pausing campaigns or drastically cutting budgets during the holidays. Avoid making significant account alterations during this time. If you must scale down, do so gradually and avoid sudden shifts.
Reasons to reconsider advertising your lead gen business during the holidays
If you’re hesitant about holiday PPC advertising, here are some potential downsides to consider.
Shifts in mindset and business slowdowns
The holiday season is meant for relaxation, quality time with loved ones, and a break from the daily grind. Many people fully embrace this.
Even if they’re active on social media, they might be so disengaged that your ads go unnoticed. They might actively avoid work-related topics, potentially making your ads less effective than usual.
Remember, businesses are made up of individuals. Depending on the company culture and the mindset of those within, particularly your customer personas, this period might be better suited for slowing down and preparing for the new year.
This study confirms that most people view the holidays as a time for relaxation.
Ecommerce holiday budgets can inflate costs
For those advertising on social or display platforms (unlike search, where you’re fulfilling existing demand), the holiday season can lead to higher costs. This is driven by ecommerce brands aiming to maximize their yearly revenue in the last few months.
Since these platforms operate on a push advertising model with limited inventory, costs per impression rise as budgets increase and more businesses enter the market. Depending on the overlap between your target audience and theirs (which is impossible to determine precisely), you could face significantly higher 2-3x higher CPMs (or even more) than in earlier quarters.
Limited disposable income
As a B2C lead generation company, you might be competing for already-allocated budgets during the holiday season. Unless your product or service is a popular gift, potential customers, despite their interest, might prioritize gift purchases over non-gift items.
4 strategies for maximizing lead gen campaigns during the holidays
By now, you’ve likely decided whether or not to advertise during the holidays. If you’re opting out for some well-deserved time off, feel free to skip ahead.
For those remaining and planning to capitalize on the holiday season for lead generation, here are some effective optimization tips I’ve used with my clients to make the most of this unique period.
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1. Align your messaging with holiday scheduling realities
Most PPC for lead generation relies on follow-up to determine next steps, whether it’s a call request or a custom quote. Each takes time.
Consider that Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday. If your usual messaging promises a “Custom Quote in 24 Hours or Less” and someone submits a request on Wednesday afternoon, is that realistic?
Manage customer expectations. Block off holidays (and personal time off) on your calendar and ensure everyone is aligned.
2. Embrace the holiday spirit
While it might seem cliché, find ways to frame your services or products with a holiday touch. Can you create holiday-themed content that still resonates with your audience?
Consider promotions. Can you offer a small discount or bonus in the spirit of the season? How can you enhance your appeal during the holidays?
Here exemplifies this approach:
Get your free guide » Holiday Promotions, Campaigns & Social Posts to Unwrap
3. Soften your calls to action
As mentioned earlier, some businesses use the slower holiday period for preliminary research on initiatives they’ll pursue more seriously in the new year. Instead of pushing for immediate sales, offer valuable content that caters to their research phase. Prioritize information and education over selling.
For instance, this business created a downloadable holiday safety guide to continue generating leads throughout the season:
4. Extend your timeframe
Building on the previous tip, this strategy works well if you have a longer sales cycle. If softer calls to action aren’t viable, consider extending your follow-up timeframe.
Perhaps you configure your Calendly link to show availability only from January onwards. Adjust your ad copy to encourage inquiries now for a head start in the new year. With many dealing with year-end work pressures and holiday commitments, you could offer a welcome reprieve by not adding to their immediate to-do list.
Make holiday PPC advertising your lead gen gift that keeps on giving
The decision to advertise during the holidays as a lead generation company is highly individualistic. It hinges on your business, your offerings, and your customers’ mindset and needs during the latter part of the year. This overview has provided insights into the pros and cons of holiday advertising, set realistic expectations, and offered ideas for maximizing the season should you choose to continue advertising.
As a reminder, here are my top four holiday advertising tips for businesses aiming to generate leads:
- Adjust messaging to reflect holiday scheduling.
- Infuse your messaging with the holiday spirit.
- Soften your calls to action.
- Extend your timeframe.