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Publishers Predict A Holiday Express

If you groan when you see Halloween candy for sale before Labor Day, you won’t like what I have to say. To borrow a line from Game of Thrones, Winter is Coming. Quickly.

Meredith publishing, home to the venerable Better Homes & Gardens, recently released their predictions for the 2020 holiday season and here is the most important: Everything about the holiday season is going to start earlier this year, even as soon as right after Labor Day. There’s also going to be an emphasis on early deals, promotions, and providing value as one of the new drivers of early-on shopping.

But what’s also looming over everything is this–the holidays are going to be different this year. What remains to be seen is exactly how. It could mean large gatherings are pared down, and the day before Thanksgiving is no longer the busiest flying day of the year. It may give a boost to the newish Friendsgiving holiday celebration. It just might usher in tidings of joy because you no longer have to sit at the kids’ table at Aunt Marge’s. Lots of things can happen. The good news is you have the opportunity to shape those holiday celebrations. So hop out of the pool, towel off and get your mind in gear for this Hallo-Thanks-Mas season.

We can summarize what we’ve learned so far in three words: different, sooner, deals. That should be your mantra as you develop marketing plans for late Q3 and Q4. How do your products or services fit with an alternate holiday celebration? How soon can you get them to market after Labor Day? What value can you provide consumers looking to buy early?

“People are racing to get to peace and hope.”

I recently overheard a colleague discussing the flurry of online commentary about Christmas saying, “People are racing to get to peace and hope.” She’s right. Americans are looking to anything positive and hopeful. The pandemic may change the holiday setting and some of its rituals, but it can’t cancel them. And because some of the ritualistic events of the holiday season are canceled (sniff, sniff, Rose Bowl Parade), expect people to look for new and alternative ways to celebrate. 

Build a new story and find a solution for customers

What new holiday celebrations can be built around your products?  What new traditions can families create?  How can your company’s products and services help consumers figure out this upcoming holiday season?

SmithHönig’s Thread Bare patterned fabric stockings are festive without the traditional holiday colors, staying on the mantel long after the tree is taken down. 

According to trends research service WGSN, “decision exhaustion” is at an all-time high and the biggest driver of someone recommending or purchasing a product is decision simplicity. Let me say that again – DECISION SIMPLICITY. It’s not enough to have a great website. Yes, I know you have all your products on your website, all clearly labeled with great photography. Yes, I know you have an easy checkout process. But Ms. Consumer wants more. She wants you to figure it out for her. For heaven’s sake, she’s already holding down a full-time job while simultaneously teaching long division, metaphors and the U.S. Constitution to her 10-year-old twins. Give her a break.

How can you package your products or services to meet consumer needs in the ‘new normal’ holiday season? 

Instead of marketing your products by category, why not promote them by solution? 

“The Complete Thanksgiving Table,” “Activities that Engage Across the Miles” and “Holiday Gifts to Ship and Share” are topics that come to mind.  Or if it fits your style, “Gifts Your Mother-in-law Won’t Hate.”  You’ll get points for levity. Making someone smile goes a long way these days.

Swenson Granite Works of New England sells a DIY granite firepit that is promoted all year long but especially during the fall gearing up for Thanksgiving gatherings. 

So, the business is out there. Consumers are ready and willing to buy. But they need your help to create a path and make sense of this unprecedented season. Teach them how to party. Because make no mistake, a celebration is what we all need.

Mary Leigh Howell is an independent PR consultant to the home, garden and interiors industry with more than 20 years of experience helping brands and designers tell their story. www.MaryLeighHowell.com. 

PR and Digital Marketing Partnerships in a Pandemic

It all happened so fast. Six-foot social distancing rules. More canceled events than we can count. Fashion brands selling face masks. Two months ago feels like another world and nothing about our “new normal” is, in fact, normal. Almost overnight, we’ve become a world relying heavily on virtual experiences and WiFi-based connections. Navigating this increasingly online and constantly evolving space can feel tricky at best, impossible at worst.

That’s why we’re teaming up with PR Consultant Mary Leigh Howell—to show how you can not only adjust to this new world, but also lead. The way you operate now will have an enormous impact on your future. More than ever, it’s important to the health of your business to not lose your audience and get left behind. Reach people where they are right now—at home and online—and expand your virtual community to take your business to the next level, both during and after this Coronavirus crisis.

Join Jennifer Smiga, ultraviolet’s founder and Creative Director, and Mary Leigh Howell, PR consultant, on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 at 2:00 PM EST/11:00 AM PST for our FREE 45-minute webinar, “Renovating The Design Industry: Media Relations + Digital Strategies In The New Normal” where we’ll cover topics including:

  • The Media: Layoffs and furloughs, disrupted production cycles, print production ending; understanding the impact COVID-19 has had on digital and print publications around the world will help you better communicate with editors and reporters.
  • Content = Community: The digital experience you provide is more important than ever. Empathy, authenticity and relevance are just the beginning of your storytellers journey. Knowing what people are searching for will help you connect with them and see you as a trusted resource.
  • Strategic Partnerships: Influencers and the media are still on the lookout for meaningful content and collaboration. Discover how to package and present your brand to develop the connections you want to grow your business.

As markets and trade shows around the world—like High Point Market, Coverings, Legends and Salone del Mobile—have been canceled or postponed, interior designers, influencers and manufacturers are scrambling. Don’t be the last one to come up with—and carry out—a plan. More than ever, how you tell your story and represent your brand is crucial to your success. 

In this new climate, you’ll need to adapt and evolve your digital strategies to stay visible and engaged. You also need to adapt and evolve your messaging to connect with the new perspectives and needs of your audience. That’s where we can help. Join us for this webinar and we’ll help you define and deliver your next best steps.

Register for “Renovating The Design Industry: Media Relations + Digital Strategies In The New Normal”, a Go-To-Webinar, Wednesday, May 13, 2020, at 2:00 PM EST/11:00 AM PST.

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