When we hear “holiday sale,” we often think of early morning Black Friday deals at retail stores, or electronic and software discounts on Cyber Monday. But with a little creativity, smart holiday marketing can raise your brand awareness and boost service business sales, too. Here are 9 marketing ideas to get your holiday sales sizzling.

1. Food Drive

   Food drives are a classic holiday promotion. Coordinate with a local food bank and give customers discounts based on the food donated.  For example, give a dollar discount for each can of food up to ten cans. Contact local media when you deliver the collected food.  Be sure to promote your efforts on social media.

2. Wrap Your Swag

   Collect some useful company swag and giveaway trinkets and wrap it up as Christmas gifts.  This could include company caps, magnets, jar openers, bottle openers, screw drivers, pens, etc.  Leave these with customers following December service calls.  If any are left over, deliver them to service agreement customers.

3. Do a “12 Days of Christmas” promotion

   Use the classic “12 days of Christmas” to promote your business by offering something different every day. For example, you can offer 10% off a service that you offer each day, or a different percentage off the total purchase each day.

4. Use direct mail

   Most people are swamped with promotional emails at the holidays. Stand out from the pack by using direct mail, and keep costs down by mailing postcards. You can even send out gift cards, such as a card good for $15 off a service—these often motivate customers more than percentage off coupons do.

5. Distribute door hangers

   Select neighborhoods within your service area to hang special, holiday-oriented door tags.  Door hangers can create awareness among your target customers, and remind your current customers of the services that you offer.

6. Create time-sensitive offers

   During the holidays, everyone is shopping on a deadline—whether that’s Christmas, Hanukkah or just the day of a holiday party they’re planning to attend.  That makes time-sensitive offers especially effective.

7. Sponsor holiday-related events in the community

   Sponsoring community events around the holidays, such as a Christmas parade or New Year’s Day fun run, shows that you are invested in the area that you service.

8. Use socially responsible marketing

   Choose a local charitable organization to help for the holiday season. You can donate a percentage of sales from one day, or all proceeds from one specific product purchase, to that charity.

9. Check in with last year’s customers

   Who contacted you throughout 2017 and 2018? Reach out to them with email marketing messages, special offers or direct mail pieces. This is a great tactic for service businesses who sell services needed annually, such as carpet cleaning or HVAC servicing.