“Now is the time to preorder your Christmas food”
Have you ever noticed the Christmas Chocolates appearing on the 1st September? Entirely the fault of marketing, but that is what it takes. At present, Christmas food orders are calmly being placed by those who are planning ahead. The chocolates can merely serve as a signal to those who pre-order their food to say:
“Now is the time to prepare – maybe choose to shop with us?”
Now, for those who are thinking about the here and now, they will brave the rush and take their chances. However, let’s take a step back…
How did we get here? It is late September as I write this. Each year you feel the year build, develop and even grow. This could be due to the fact that nature is also doing the same thing. We hit the summer in a crescendo of excitement and behave as if it will last forever; however, we then start to return to reality with the arrival of autumn.
Autumn is one of my favourite seasons; in fact, I like all the seasons for different reasons. Whether it is the turning of the leaves in October, the cool crisp mornings in February or a log fire at Christmas, there are so many things to enjoy!
Marketing is similar to the seasons. You have an idea/product/event that you are going to launch, you nurture, develop and grow that idea and see it come to fruition. Your marketing activity is very much focused on supporting the growth and ultimately getting people to know about your thing. The launch of the product or the event is the pinnacle of everything that you have worked towards – you may even feel like you have made it – just like summer!
What follows just like the seasons is the fall (pardon the pun). What I mean is you have spent so much time building up to a specific moment. You may feel a half-life or a glow left from that event or moment, but it starts to fade. Furthermore, you begin to reflect on what you did and can be left thinking, “I am not sure what to do next”.
Marketing is cyclical just like the seasons. Unlike the seasons, which are a result of factors outside our control, marketing can be developed to adapt to these cycles and, more importantly, plan for them. The term spinning plates is really appropriate for marketing. You are often be promoting the current “thing” whilst preparing for the next.
So as we look at the next few months, we have Halloween, Firework night and of course the big one – Christmas. An exciting time of year for those who celebrate these events. In retail, the marketing machines have been working diligently all year to prepare for these occasions while dealing with the current seasons. Consider the likes of Aldi, whose yearly Christmas TV ads are developed months in advance. Equally, they will be planning for 2026.
In a small business, it is no different. Or at least it doesn’t need to be. Thinking ahead with your marketing can really set you in good standing. Here are a few things to consider.
- Run a Black Friday sale – Taking place on November 28, 2025, you can offer a special deal on your products. Package it up, create the marketing assets and spread the word.
- Boxing Day sales – Very relevant if you are working in retail
- Christmas Specials – do you have a special offer? For people who book before Christmas and receive a discount.
- January Offer – Offer a discount or promotion for services or products in January.
- 10% off for those who sign up for the mailing list.
- Spring Offer – Develop your offer for the spring.
These are just a few of the things you could do. Make sure to take your time to understand the details of what you are offering and set out the terms clearly.
Finally, what are you doing in the summer of 2026? Just like we ended up in September in 2025, before you know it, it will be July 2026.
Before you ask, I ordered my Christmas food last night and started my Christmas shopping too!