How Raking Leaves Can Improve Your Holiday Marketing

Today, was Physical Education Day at Bryan Caplan Marketing, and our two VPs, Olivia and Bryce, were getting their heart rate and breaths per minute up by raking the backyard (Brilliant parenting move, I know!) I smiled as the kids proudly showed me their leaf piles, but I couldn't help but tie it back to marketing.

With the holidays coming up, I am seeing a flurry of activity from small business marketers. After all, the holidays is where many of you make the majority of your annual sales, so it's only right that you put the pedal to the metal and roll out your digital marketing for holiday shoppers.

But that's where I stopped for a moment and thought of how this is a teaching moment for Olivia, Bryce, and all of your marketers growing your Bigger Better Biz. Right before I shot this video, I asked the kids for their permission to teach them something (more on that approach in a future video.) They both humored me, as I showed them that short, quick raking helps you grab the leaves and build a pile faster. I explained that these quick pulls required less energy/exertion and because you were focusing on one area, you could clear it faster.

Then I watched as Olivia mimicked my moves and started building an amazing leaf pile. I also watched as Bryce went back to raking one long line of leaves, managing to add a few to his pile but losing several in the process. It's as if lightning struck and I knew I had to press record and share this marketing tip with you.

Now, I give some great advice in our 2021 Holiday Marketing Guide but one of the best pieces of holiday marketing advice I can give you is to do quick, smooth marketing campaigns (much like how Olivia raked the leaves) to get in front of your customers and donors more often.

Examples of Marketing Campaigns:

  • Record a video testimonial of a delighted customer and share on social media

  • Write a blog post about what the holidays means to you and your team • Design a graphic on a site like Canva and share in your email newsletter

  • Send out some direct messages to past customers or donors to strike up a conversation What's most important is that you get out there and just do something!

BJC