Looking for Christmas marketing ideas for your retail business? Get organised now to boost sales and profits at the busiest time in the retail calendar. Check out our three marketing ideas to help inspire your Retail Promotions for Christmas 2023

Even though we're only halfway through the Summer holidays here in England, savvy marketers have already switched their focus.

Christmas is the biggest draw of the year and is when many shops make a sizable chunk of their annual profits. Bad business at Christmas can make or break a retailer, so do all you can to promote your retail brand, maximise sales and boost footfall at Christmas.

No matter what type of retailer you are now is the time to start planning your promotions. Get ahead of your competitors and ensure that shoppers know about your retail brand and want to pay it a visit (whether it's a 'bricks-and-mortar' shop or an online retailer).

Planning Christmas Marketing Campaigns for Retail

Planning is key for the most effective retail promotions - particularly if you need to order custom-printed marketing materials for window displays and point-of-sale. Lead times can vary from a week or two upwards to 2-3 months so it pays to think ahead.

What you need to think about in advance:

• Window displays
• Christmas stock
• Any special offers
• Posters and point-of-sale materials
• Promotional bags & reusable shopping bags
• Adding a branded Christmas section or decoration to your website so that your online presence looks seasonal too!
• Social media campaigns

Planning ahead saves stress and can also save money. For example, you can make big savings on the cost of delivery when you allow 10-12 weeks on wholesale orders of custom-branded shopping bags. So, if you haven't organised Christmas marketing yet, now is the time to get started.

If you're still getting to grips with marketing ideas and how your retail brand can attract customers and increase revenue this Christmas, keep reading for some inspiration on effective retail promotions. Get ahead of your competitors and spread some good cheer this Christmas for your customers!

Three Christmas Marketing Ideas to Promote Your Retail Brand

1. Christmas Shopping Events

Why not host special Christmas events to get the tills ringing! Hold an exclusive shopping event for loyal and valued customers, or open the invitation to all. Showcase your best festive products with product demos, showcases and special discounts.

It may sound obvious, but when you host an event make sure that the branding & decoration in-store match the season. Create a seasonal window display, and add some decoration around the shop so that it feels like Christmas when people walk in. Make your products look attractive to tempt people to buy.

Offer some Christmas goodies like mince pies and mulled wine on hand to add a festive, welcoming feel to your shop. Christmas music, decorations and free gifts like an eye-catching reusable bag will all help add to the Christmas feeling.

You can also use Chstimas events to drum up business for 2024. Give people a voucher for future purchases, build your mailing list so you can contact them in the New Year and create offers that extend into 2024 to encourage customers to return.

Read: 25 Creative Christmas Display Ideas

Christmas Events for Online Retailers

Online retailers can't offer physical events but can host a 'virtual' Christmas shopping experience or another online event like a fashion show or product showcase. The eCommerce market rose by 200% in the UK during the Covid-19 crisis so if you're a retailer without an online store, now's the time to get your brand online. The retail landscape has changed and it's essential for retailers to have an online presence and service.

• Offer exclusive discounts or free gifts for a limited time only to drive traffic to your online store.
• Giveaway a free product with a purchase or deliver goods in a seasonally-themed shopping bag.
• Decorate and brand your online Christmas shop for a festive feel. If your budget doesn't stretch to decorating the whole website, have a dedicated Christmas section as Christmas shopping won't feel the same without it.

Events (both on and offline) are a great way to generate engagement and reach new followers on social media. Create a hashtag and encourage attendees to post about their experience and your products to gain some value PR exposure.

Read Creating Bags of Benefit for Online Retailers with Promotional Shopping Bags

2. Give a Free Christmas Gift

Christmas is a time of giving, so it's a great idea to give your customers a gift. This could be some discount vouchers or a free gift with purchases.

Some retailers choose to offer a free branded reusable shopping bag to Christmas shoppers. It's a really practical gift that shoppers can use to carry purchases home and reuse for other shopping trips. They offer a great return on the investment as they help to advertise your retail brand around town!

They can also be used at Christmas shopping events as a goody bag for shoppers or a free gift to thank them for coming. Bags also make a fun addition to your window display and Christmas decorations.

Online retailers can send them as a gift with Christmas orders - shoppers will love receiving it, and each time it's reused it will help to spread your brand message too.

Branded shopping bags are big enough to get creative with your design and brand message. Choose from a wide range of print options and bag colour for an eye-catching bag that will get your brand noticed and drive visits to your website just by giving a simple Christmas gift!

3. Spread some Christmas Cheer

Christmas is a time to think about others less fortunate than ourselves and spreading goodwill. Retailers should consider teaming up with a charity and create co-branded reusable bags. Whether you choose a charity supporting disadvantaged kids, the elderly, animals or the environment will depend on your brand values and audience.

HOW REUSABLE BAGS CAN RAISE FUNDS AND AWARENESS FOR CHARITIES

Sales: Sell co-branded reusable bags in-store and donate a percentage of sales to your chosen charity.

Encourage donations: Ask customers to fill reusable bags with food, clothes and gifts which can be donated to disadvantaged families, children and older people

Helping charities has a lot of benefits and shows the retailer as a 'caring' brand. Particularly at Christmas which is a time of giving and charity.

Teaming with a charity provides valuable PR and increased footfall in-store as well as raising awareness and funds for the charity. This strategy can be implemented by small, local retailers as well as national chains.

See our Industry section to Learn more about using custom-printed bags to promote charities and good causes.

You'll also find links to case studies showing how charities are using promotional bags for events and fundraising.

And there you have it- three Christmas marketing ideas for retailers. No matter what type of retailer you are, these promotions can work for you. So never mind if it's sunny outside - get your Christmas head on and get planning for a successful season.

Originally published: 17th August 2021

Updated: July 2022 & July 2023