Unwrap Your Holiday Success With the Ultimate 60-Day Holiday Marketing Calendar + Free Holiday Marketing Playbook

Key takeaways: 

• Start your holiday marketing in October to reach shoppers who plan early and avoid the holiday rush.
• Taking proactive steps, like creating a seasonal landing page and updating your Google Business Profile, can streamline your holiday operations and improve the customer experience.
• Even on a limited budget, you can use affordable marketing methods, such as social media and email campaigns, to connect with holiday customers.

Don’t let the holiday season sneak up on your business. 22% of shoppers are starting their holiday shopping in October, according to Bazaarvoice’s 2025 Holiday Shopping Trends report. The time to start your marketing is now. 

We’ve put together a 60-day holiday marketing calendar to make planning your seasonal promotions, ads, and campaigns a whole lot easier.  

And if you’re looking for even more guidance, don’t miss our free holiday marketing playbook, which is packed with insights to help you stand out and make the most of the festive season. 

Holiday prep tasks to do in October for your small business 

We chatted with Alicia Pringle, Senior Director of Online Marketing at Network Solutions, who shared a client success story about a wellness retreat company based in Sedona, Arizona.

She recounted that the search engine optimization (SEO) efforts they did earlier in the year gave the company a competitive advantage when the holiday season came. 

The wellness retreat business garnered more than 700 organic clicks based on the work they did with our Professional Services team.  

If you’d like the same outcome, start your holiday preparations right now using these tips: 

• Task 1. Build a seasonal landing page
• Task 2. Update your Google Business Profile (hours, offers, holiday photos)
• Task 3. Launch Google Ads for holiday promos
• Task 4. Start posting holiday teasers and product photos on social
• Task 5. Advertise early bird discounts
• Bonus task: Train your team for the holiday rush
• Bonus task: Manage your inventory

Task 1. Build a seasonal landing page 

Alicia recommends beginning with a holiday landing page so you can “easily show it in your emails, SMS messages, and link to it on social media.” A landing page is a central hub that makes it easy for visitors to discover all your holiday offerings in one place, such as: 

• Special promotions
• Gift ideas
• Limited-time deals

Here’s how you can build a well-designed holiday landing page: 

1. Create a holiday-themed hero banner 

A hero banner is the large, eye-catching image at the top of your page. Use a clear holiday theme for this element to set the tone.

Then, include a headline that directly communicates the purpose of the page. It can be “Your Holiday Gift Guide” or “Shop Our Limited-Edition Winter Collection.” 

You can encourage more clicks from search results by highlighting the special holiday deals available on the page in the meta description and title tag. 

2. List your seasonal offers 

List your holiday offers right after the hero banner. You can categorize them into the following groups: 

• Holiday-specific discounts or coupons
• Product bundles
• Limited-edition items available only for the season

Present these offers clearly with a brief description and a festive image for each one. Make sure to use seasonal keywords naturally within the product descriptions. 

3. Use call-to-action (CTA) buttons 

Use a button color that immediately grabs customers’ attention. For example, red stands out on the page and creates a sense of urgency for users. 

If you need more ideas, check out our article on the best color schemes for websites. You can draw some inspiration from the color psychology insights in our guide. 

Beyond colors, be sure to use action-oriented text, like “Shop Holiday Deals” or “Explore Gift Guides.” Make sure you double-check that your CTA buttons direct customers to the right product pages. 

4. Include links to your best-sellers or gift guides 

Give your customers an effortless shopping experience by including links that guide visitors to your best-selling products or curated gift guides. 

Task 2. Update your Google Business Profile (hours, offers, holiday photos) 

Updating your Google Business Profile offers various benefits, such as: 

• It helps customers easily find your business
• It provides shoppers with important details, like your operating hours, location, and contact information
• It strengthens your visibility in local search results

As Alicia points out, “keeping your Google Business Profile up to date helps you show up with credibility.” She continues, “It’s also a very clear way for your audience to get to you, understand what you do, and ultimately purchase from you.” 

Do these important updates on your Google Business Profile before the holidays: 

1. Add adjusted holiday hours 

Many businesses have extended hours to accommodate holiday shoppers or special closures for specific holidays.

Change your business hours on your Google Business Profile to prevent customer frustration and make sure they know exactly when they can visit you. This simple step can prevent lost sales and maintain customer satisfaction. 

2. Highlight promotions in the “Offers” section 

The “Offers” section lets you post details about special deals, such as: 

• Discounts
• Gift-with-purchase deals
• Special holiday bundles

This makes it easy for customers to see what holiday offers you’re offering without navigating to your website. Post your promotions here to capture shoppers who are searching for holiday-related products or services in your area. 

3. Upload seasonal photos 

Consider uploading holiday-inspired pictures, like: 

• Seasonal product displays
• Staff wearing festive attire
• Your store decorated for the holidays

To maximize the power of your Google Business Profile, consider using Google Posts. This feature lets you share timely updates and discounts directly on your profile, which will appear in the “Updates” or “Overview” tabs. 

Additionally, double-check that these business details are updated and accurate: 

• Phone number
• Address
• Website links

Apart from creating a landing page and updating your Google Business Profile, find out more about what you can do to enhance your holiday marketing campaigns with our free holiday marketing playbook.

Task 3. Launch Google Ads for holiday promos 

Boost your holiday season marketing by using Google Ads to appear at the top of holiday search results. 

In 2024, Google Ads had the second-highest conversion rate of 7.29%, according to Triple Whale’s 2024 BFCM Retrospective Report. This makes it a powerful contender among its competitors, Amazon and Meta, with 15.27% and 3.62% conversion rates, respectively. 

Launch your holiday Google Ads with these tips: 

1. Optimize your Google Ad campaign 

Use keywords that customers use when they’re ready to buy, such as “holiday deals near me” or “Christmas gift sets.”  

If you’re a small business with a physical location, use local SEO services to target local searchers. You can also leverage Google’s Responsive Search Ads (RSAs), which combine various headlines and descriptions to create the most effective ad for each user. 

2. Pace your Google Ad budget 

Start with a modest budget in October to get a feel for what works and begin building momentum.

You can then gradually increase your spending in November as the holiday shopping season ramps up. This allows you to scale your efforts as demand grows, which maximizes your return on investment (ROI). 

In addition, track which campaigns are performing best and reallocate your budget accordingly. This approach can help improve your overall results and avoid spending money on ads that are not bringing in sales. 

To help monitor your campaign performance, connect your Google Ads account to Google Analytics. You can gain valuable data about shoppers’ behavior on your website after clicking on your ads. Use this knowledge to make informed decisions about your Google Ad budget. 

Task 4. Start posting holiday teasers and product photos on social 

Getting active on social media before the holiday season “officially” begins offers many advantages, like: 

• Engaging with holiday shoppers at the awareness stage of their customer journey
• Creating excitement for your seasonal offerings
• Driving early sales
• Being top of mind when customers are ready to shop for gifts

Alicia’s perspective on this is clear; she shares that “it’s vital that you’re posting on social media leading up to and throughout the holiday season.” She adds that it creates buzz on social platforms and attracts shoppers who are preparing for the holidays. 

The data supports this, as 55% of consumers are spending 11–50% of their holiday budget on social media channels, according to Bazaarvoice’s 2025 Holiday Shopping Trends report. 

Leverage the power of social media by following these steps: 

1. Post a variety of content 

Create a sense of anticipation by sharing behind-the-scenes clips of your holiday preparations, such as: 

• Your staff decorating the store
• You personally packaging holiday orders with personalized notes
• Your social media team doing a product photo shoot

This approach provides a personal touch and makes your audience feel like they’re part of your business’ holiday journey. 

You can also post high-quality product close-ups styled with seasonal props, like twinkling lights or festive ribbons. Plus, use holiday-themed hashtags, such as #2025HolidayDeals or #GiftGuide2025, to increase your reach. 

Other than that, you can build excitement with countdown posts. For instance, you can publish a series of posts leading up to a major sale or a new holiday collection release. Countdown content can generate buzz and encourage your followers to check back for updates. 

2. Prioritize the right platforms 

Post your visuals and short-form videos on Instagram and TikTok. These channels are ideal for showcasing your holiday products in a dynamic and engaging format. 

On the other hand, use Instagram Reels or Stories to share quick teasers or behind-the-scenes content. Facebook is a strong choice for promoting special events and posting community-driven updates. 

After posting your content, consider giving your top-performing posts a small ad spend. This can help boost their visibility beyond your current followers. 

If you need ideas on how to write your social posts, download our free holiday marketing playbook. We shared some tips on how to leverage AI in creating social media content and more.

Task 5. Advertise early bird discounts 

Kickstart your holiday sales by engaging with customers who like to avoid the hectic rush of late November and December.

As Alicia explains, “there are those early birds like me who want to start shopping early, but they want to do it when those holiday promos and discounts are out there.” 

With this tactic, you can capture early planners and at the same time, build momentum through word-of-mouth before the peak shopping season begins. 

Here’s how you can advertise early bird discounts for your business this holiday season: 

1. Offer different kinds of discounts 

Feature limited-time promotions, such as “15% off this week only,” to create a sense of urgency and encourage immediate purchases. You can also create “buy-one-get-one” holiday bundles to move more inventory while providing value to your customers. 

Beyond that, offer free shipping on orders over a certain amount to motivate shoppers to fill their carts. These types of offers can make your early bird sale feel especially appealing. 

2. Promote the discounts effectively 

Display your early bird discounts prominently on your holiday landing page to make sure every visitor sees them.

For a more direct approach, send email campaigns offering exclusive access to early deals to your loyal customers. You can also leverage paid ads that highlight the exclusivity of your early bird offers. 

Bonus task: Train your team for the holiday rush 

The holiday season brings higher sales, which also means higher pressure. If you’re a small business owner working with a team, equip your staff with proper training during this hectic period to guarantee smooth operations. 

With well-trained employees, your business can: 

• Handle the increasing volume of customers
• Manage complex business scenarios
• Create a positive experience for every shopper

Conduct training on the following areas to prepare your staff for the busy holiday season: 

1. Customer service 

With the increase in sales volume, expect a rise in customer inquiries, both in-store and through other digital channels. Educate your team on how to handle common questions about the following: 

• Product availability
• Shipping times
• Order tracking

This will help your staff provide quick, helpful responses to keep customers happy and reduce the stress on your support team. 

2. Upselling and cross-selling techniques 

Teach your employees how to suggest complementary products or upgrades to customers. For example, you can coach a team member to suggest a matching accessory to a customer purchasing an outfit or recommend a protection plan for an electronic device. 

3. Return and exchange policies 

Provide clear return and exchange policies to prevent confusion and frustration among your customers and employees.

Outline the policies, go over them one by one with your staff, and clarify parts where there’s uncertainty. Then, instruct employees on how to communicate the policies effectively to shoppers. 

In addition to training, consider motivating your team with incentives and recognition, especially during this busy time. Did you know that 83.6% of employees feel that recognition influences their motivation to succeed in the workplace?

This finding from 2023 Nectar HR survey highlights how acknowledging your team’s efforts can directly contribute to better performance. This makes it an important strategy for your business to navigate the season’s demands. 

Bonus task: Manage your inventory 

Shortage of stock during the holiday rush can cost you sales and your business’ reliability. When a customer finds an item they want but it’s out of stock, they’ll likely turn to a competitor.

Proactively manage your inventory to make sure that you can meet customer demand this season. 

Use these tips when managing your holiday inventory: 

1. Forecast customer demand using sales data 

Leverage data from last year’s holiday season to understand which products were most popular. Were certain items selling out fast? Did the best-selling products come in specific colors or sizes? Looking at this past performance can give you a solid idea of what to order this year. 

You can also use any pre-order insights you have to gauge early interest in new products. This helps you order the right amount of stock, so you’re not left with either too much or too little. 

2. Communicate early with suppliers 

Reach out to your suppliers well in advance to secure your stock and avoid delays in deliveries. With the high demand during the holiday season, placing your orders ahead of time can give you peace of mind and prevent any last-minute shortages. 

3. Create bundles or sets from existing products to move inventory 

Pair a slow-moving item with a more popular one to help you move inventory that would otherwise sit on the shelves. This strategy helps you manage your stock more efficiently while providing customers with a unique and appealing gift option. 

Pro tip: Update your website and product listings to clearly show stock availability. Let customers know if an item is “low in stock” or “out of stock” to manage their expectations and reduce frustration. This will help customers make informed decisions, which in turn builds trust in your brand. 

No to last-minute holiday prep, yes to getting a head start 

Handling all your holiday marketing at the last minute creates unnecessary stress. What’s worse is that it can even cause you to miss out on sales. 

Avoid both scenarios by following a clear holiday marketing calendar that’ll help you prepare for this early wave of shopping. Treat this guide as a checklist and start taking action now to set your business up for success. 

As you begin your holiday preparations, we are here to support you. Take the first step by downloading the Network Solutions’ Holiday Marketing Playbook.

This resource provides valuable advice on navigating the holiday season effectively. You’ll learn about using AI for streamlining your marketing efforts and more. 

For those who need extra help, we also offer professional digital marketing services. Our in-house experts can help you create and manage your holiday campaigns, from Pay-Per-Click Advertising to Website Optimization. 

Let us help you prosper this holiday season, as we’ve done for thousands of others. 

Frequently asked questions