How to run a 12 Days of Christmas Deal of the Day campaign

YO HO HO! 'Tis the season to skyrocket your sales and spread some festive cheer!

You've landed in the right place if you're an eCommerce marketer looking for a fresh, engaging way to boost conversions and revenue. A "Deal of the Day" campaign can be your secret weapon for captivating customers and keeping them returning for more.

But why stop at just one day? Consider running a 12-Day Christmas Deal of the Day campaign. This festive strategy isn't just about increasing sales—it's about creating an experience that customers will remember and return to year after year.

Why a 12 Days of Christmas Deal of the Day campaign?

Benefits for retailers and customers

Running a 12 Days of Christmas campaign is a great way to engage your audience and drive extra sales. For retailers, it's an excellent way to:

• Boost sales
  The holiday season is prime time for shopping. Offering daily deals keeps customers returning to your site, increasing the chance of multiple purchases.
• Clear inventory
  Do you have products you need to move? Daily deals are perfect for clearing out old stock.
• Attract new customers
• Everyone loves a good deal, especially during holidays. Use this campaign to attract new customers who might not have shopped with you.

For customers, it's a win-win situation. They get:

• Great discounts and offers
  Who doesn't love saving money during the most expensive time of the year?
• Excitement
  Daily deals create a sense of urgency and excitement. Each day brings a new surprise, keeping customers engaged.
• Convenience
  With carefully curated deals, customers can find perfect gifts without the hassle.

Planning your 12 Days of Christmas campaign

Define your objectives

First things first, what do you want to achieve? Are you looking to boost sales, clear inventory, attract new customers, or engage existing ones? Knowing your goals will help shape your entire campaign.

Select the right products or services

Not all products are created equal, especially regarding daily deals. Choose items that are:

• Popular - Look at your bestsellers and customer favorites.
• Seasonal - Items that tie into the holiday season can drive more interest.
• In stock - Ensure you have enough inventory to meet the demand. Running out of stock mid-campaign can dampen customer enthusiasm.
• High in margin - Offering discounts on high-margin items leaves room for a profit.

Set a compelling discount level

Your discount needs to be attractive but still profitable. Aim for a sweet spot where customers feel they're getting a great deal, but you're not losing money.

Keep an eye on your competitors' promotions and try to offer deals that are just a notch better. Remember, the goal isn't just to slash prices but to create value for your customers.

You want them to feel like they're getting something unique they can't find elsewhere. Striking the right balance between attractive discounts and profitability is key to a successful campaign.

12 ideas for your 12 Days of Christmas offers

We couldn't not give you some ideas, right? Skip if they won't work for you!

Day 1: BOGO (Buy One Get One free) on bestsellers

Offer a buy-one-get-one-free deal on your top products to kick off the campaign with a bang. It's a fantastic way to move popular items and start the campaign with excitement.

Day 2: Flash sale on gift sets

Offer timed flash sales on curated gift sets. These bundles are perfect as holiday presents and provide excellent value to your customers.

Day 3: Free shipping day

Entice shoppers by waiving shipping fees for all purchases made on this day. It's an excellent incentive that can decrease cart abandonment rates.

Day 4: Exclusive members' discount

Create an offer exclusively for your loyalty program members. It encourages sign-ups and rewards your most faithful customers.

Day 5: Daily doorbuster deal

Feature a high-appeal, limited-time doorbuster deal. Make it available for a short window to increase urgency and spur quick purchases.

Day 6: Discounts on holiday decorations

Offer special discounts on festive decorations and seasonal items. Customers will appreciate the opportunity to complete their holiday prep at a lower cost.

Day 7: Surprise discount wheel

Implement a digital wheel of fortune where customers can spin to win various discounts. The gamified experience boosts engagement and drives more sales.

Day 8: Gift with purchase

Offer a complimentary gift for orders above a certain amount. This tactic can increase average order value and give customers.

Day 9: Bundle and save deals

Encourage customers to purchase product bundles that offer better value when bought together. It's perfect for customers looking to tick off multiple gifts from their list.

Day 10: Clearance on last year’s models

Offer steep discounts on last year's models or items to clear out older inventory. This is ideal for customers looking for a bargain and helps free up warehouse space.

Day 11: Mystery deal day

Add an element of surprise with a mystery deal that changes throughout the day. Customers will be intrigued to check back often to see the latest offers.

Day 12: Bonus loyalty points

Reward loyalty by offering double or triple loyalty points on purchases made on the final day. This encourages repeat buys and strengthens customer relationships.

Preparing for the campaign

Create a campaign calendar

A successful campaign requires careful planning. Outline critical dates and activities:

• Start and end dates - Clearly define the 12 days leading up to Christmas.
• Promotion schedule - Plan which products and offers will be featured each day.
• Deadlines - Set internal deadlines for creating promotional materials, scheduling emails, and setting up ads.

Design promotional materials

Eye-catching visuals are critical. Your promotional materials should include:

• Festive, attention-grabbing images for your website, emails, and social media channels.
• Compelling messages highlighting the benefits of your daily deals and creating a sense of urgency.
• Create a few variants so you can also run some tests of images and copy (yes, you can get AI to help if you want).

Set up tracking and analytics

Without tracking, how will you know if your campaign is a success? Implement tracking mechanisms like UTM parameters to measure performance. Define key performance indicators (KPIs) such as:

• Engagement
  Are people interacting with your emails and social posts?
• Conversion Rates
  How many visitors are turning into customers?
• Revenue
  How much are you making from the campaign?

Promoting your 12 Days of Christmas campaign

Email marketing

Emails are your best friend in this campaign. Here's how to make the most of them:

• Create an email to announce the campaign and build excitement.
• Personalize messages for different segments of your audience. For example, loyal customers might appreciate exclusive early access.

Social media marketing

Your social channels can amplify your reach. Engage your audience with:

• Share daily deals through posts and stories.
• Use festive and relevant hashtags to increase visibility.
• Host live sessions to reveal daily deals and interact with your audience in real-time.

Website

Remember to feature the deals on your site with a homepage banner prominently displaying the daily deal. Write a blog post highlighting the benefits and features of each deal.

Paid advertising

If you have the budget, consider running paid ads - Target Google Ads with keywords related to your deals. Use demographic and interest targeting to reach potential customers through Meta Ads.

Executing your 12 Days of Christmas campaign

Launch day

On the first day, ensure all promotional materials are live and accurate. Monitor the initial response and be prepared to make adjustments.

Engage with customers

Customer interaction can make or break your campaign. Answer inquiries quickly, encourage customer to share their purchase, and tag your brand for some UGC (User-Generated Content),

Monitoring and analyzing results

Track sales and engagement

Keep an eye on your metrics:

• Website traffic
  Track the number of visitors to your site.
• Social media engagement
  Measure likes, shares, comments, and overall engagement.
• Sales data
  Monitor overall sales and daily deal performance.

Gather customer feedback

Understanding customer experience is crucial. Send out quick surveys to gather feedback and encourage customer reviews and testimonials.

Post-campaign activities

Evaluate the campaign performance

Take a step back and measure actual results against your objectives and KPIs. What worked well? What needs improvement?

Follow up with new customers

To show appreciation and keep the momentum going, send personalized thank-you notes to participants and provide an incentive for future purchases.

Document learnings

Lastly, record your insights for next time. Note what you learned from this campaign and update your strategy and calendar for next year's campaign.

When else could you run a Deal of the Day campaign?

While the 12 Days of Christmas is a fantastic opportunity, don't limit yourself. Consider running similar campaigns during other peak seasons, such as Black Friday, New Year's, or even summer sales.