The year is coming to a close. Advertising and marketing departments are only afforded so much money each year to promote their brands and they’ve got to be careful to parse that money out in an intelligent fashion throughout the year. This often leads to conservative spending throughout the year, followed by more and more cash being doled out as they realize they’ve got to expunge all their money before the year’s end. That leads us right to where we are now: December.
Many marketing departments likely have a solid chunk of change left in their pockets for this last month and that gives them an opportunity to make a big swing. This is the chance to go for something they previously might have been too nervous to pay for.
Partner with that Big Influencer
The extra money you have left over from the rest of the year could be best used by partnering with an influencer whom you ordinarily might deem a little too expensive in April or August. But now you have cash to spend! If ever there was a time to go for something grander than your normal influencer partners, this is it. You want to catch as many eyeballs as you can during the holiday season; people are out there spending! Higher-tier influencers can bring your brand to a wider audience; you can connect with people you might not otherwise be reaching. It’s a great opportunity to put that inflated budget to use.
One key item to be wary of is the simple fact that some influencers, particularly the top-tier ones, are aware of this extra money being tossed around, in conjunction with brands hoping to make a big end-of-year splash. This sometimes leads them to make the savvy move to charge even more than they normally would. Brands should be on the lookout for this. If you’ve got the money, then you may want to go for it – when else will you get the opportunity? If it’s a stretch, don’t fret; there are still deals to be found with upper mid-tier influencers. Sometimes a massive influencer isn’t the right move: make sure you’re targeting one that can connect deeply with your brand’s audience.
Make that Expensive Video
It’s possible that you’ve spent a good chunk of the year with a great video idea in your head, but you just couldn’t justify the price tag. Whether it was too big in scale, required too many expensive props or even required a pricey on-location shoot, it just didn’t seem worth it.
Perhaps the end of the year changes all that.
You’ve got some extra money in your pocket, and you need to spend it before the year comes to a close and the whole budget cycle starts over. Use it. Make that expensive video. Get the actor or influencer you were dreaming of to participate. Go to that location. Use those props. Whatever it may have been that was stopping you before might be able to be bypassed with your end-of-year funds. If you can’t make the video to its fullest glory, maybe you can do a pared down version; make a few cutbacks. You don’t want to wait a year to get another shot, especially if it has a timely hook or premise.
Show Who You Are
Making a bigger splash than normal can also be a great opportunity to show more personality. It’s the holiday season. People are cheery. People are in a good mood. You can add to that. Don’t make your end-of-year efforts a faceless one. Hop on those TikTok trends. Get some fun Instagram captions going.
You don’t want your audience thinking of you as a faceless corporation, you want them to think of you as someone who has just as much fun on social media as they do. It’s a jungle gym. It’s fun, and you’re having fun there too. When you partner with that influencer or make that video, make sure it’s something that’s going to put a smile on your audience’s face. Don’t just post something about a discount. Post something that gets them happy and excited about the discount.
Go nuts (within reason) at the end of the year. So long as you stay in line with what’s left of your marketing or advertising budget, you should be in a good position to go for something a little grander than what you’ve been doing throughout the year. People are looking for the perfect gift for their loved ones at the end of the year: get out there. Remind them of your brand. Remind them of your products and services. Remind them that you’ve always been a reliable choice, a “person” who understands them.
Take a swing, because in a few weeks, it’s back to square one.
The author, Justin Kline, is founder of Markerly.