Hallmark Christmas movies have made a name and grown a cult following for their so-bad-it’s-good style of cinema and storytelling. From the one where she leaves her high powered job to return to her hometown and fall in love with a local Christmas tree farm owner, to the one where she leaves her high powered job to travel to a new country and fall in love with a prince, these films are known for being goofy, over the top, and (if you’re lucky) including a dance number that looks straight from my high school production of Grease.
After that charming introduction, you’re surely wondering how there’s any lesson we could learn from these movies other than that a gingerbread bake sale is absolutely a feasible way to pay off bank loans on a 100-year-old Christmas inn.
But with more than 80 million people tuning in each season, and Hallmark generating a third of its ad revenue from their Christmas movies alone, clearly, there’s something to it.
And when competitors like Netflix have roped Lindsay Lohan in for her second questionable festive movie, I’m not the only one who’s noticed there’s something to be learned from Hallmark’s tried and tested brand of seasonal flicks.
So, what does this have to do with B2B marketing? Well, here are four lessons to incorporate into your holiday marketing strategy, pulled straight from the home of terrible romance movies.
1. Give the people what they love
The holidays are a time of festivity, cheer, seeing loved ones, and winding down for the year, no matter what you celebrate. And Hallmark movies do this better than anyone. If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen 50, but that doesn’t stop you from sitting through the same movie with different actors again and again.
People like what they’re familiar with, and the holidays have such strong motifs that you’re much better buying into people’s nostalgia and familiar themes than trying to reinvent the wheel. You can still come up with fresh ideas, but take advantage of all the things that people love about this time of year and infuse your messaging and designs with them.
2. More cheese please!
Whether it’s a cheese board or a Prince and the Pauper remake featuring Vanessa Hudgens, cheese truly is the reason for the season. And you shouldn’t shy away from it in your holiday marketing strategy! If we’re being honest, the stuffy, overly corporate holiday messages don’t really get a second look. There’s only so many times you can ready ‘Happy Holidays from all of us at X’.
If you want people to take notice of your holiday marketing strategy, leaning into kitschy messaging and imagery can bring a little fun to your marketing strategy. It doesn’t have to be rom-com-about-a-snowman-come-to-life cheesy, but something fun like a santa hat scavenger hunt on your website or a simpler choice like borders of tinsel or lights on social media banners can help you stand out amongst the endless holiday messages from your competitors.
3. Don’t forget where you came from
Like any high-flying city girl who left behind her podunk hometown to become a lawyer/journalist/accountant/associate/generic business-y and therefore evil job, one of life’s key lessons to learn is that the most important people are the ones who’ve been there all along.
Take this time of year to show love to the ones who’ve supported your organization for a long time. Tailored messages to loyal customers, and perhaps even personalised offers to show your appreciation, can go a long way in cementing that loyalty and making sure vour customers feel supported.
It’s also a great time to shoutout your team. Showcasing your employees on social media not only makes them feel valued, but also allows customers and prospects to see the spectacular team behind the curtain.
4. Solutions should be simple
Dilemmas in Hallmark movies, no matter how serious, can be saved by the simplest of solutions, ranging from a charity snowman-making contest to just good ol’ Christmas cheer. It’s a time of year where, when things are so hectic, people crave simplicity and ease.
Want to use your holiday marketing to try and promote a solution or service? With end-of-year deadlines and holidays, prospects are too busy to dedicate much time to sales materials. Keep it simple, and focus on why your solution is the best and easiest option out there.
Sleigh your B2B marketing goals this year
Whilst we can all admit Hallmark holiday movies are iconic for their cringy acting and clunky scripts, there is a method to their madness. They’ve perfected the recipe of what people are looking for at this time of year, and they deliver like no one else. When trying to find the right angle for your B2B holiday marketing strategy, look no further than the strategy that’s made titles such as ‘Pride, Prejudice & Mistletoe’ and ‘A Gingerbread Romance’.
Want to know how you can infuse your marketing strategy with the perfect amount of holiday cheer? Reach out today at hello@isolinecomms.com
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