How to Stay Sane During the Holiday Marketing Rush
Launching campaign calendars around the holidays can make December feel like the most maddening time of the year for digital marketing queens. With Halloween Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas, other religious celebrations, and New Year's, all packed into the last eight weeks of the year, making a holiday season marketing plan can give even the best of us whiplash.
Most times the holiday rush can feel like a mad sprint for the finish line but it’s crucial to stay balanced to make sure the campaign chaos doesn’t get to you. Before you burn out, slow down and piece together a strategy to help you stay on top of your game without losing your mind as you dash through the snow-themed template and enough graphic ornaments to fill the Rockefeller tree. Here's how to stay sane during the holiday rush.
1. Get Your Holiday Content in Order Early
The holidays aren’t going anywhere, but if you don’t take care of yourself, your sanity might. Plan what you can as early as possible. The quicker your content together, the more breathing room you'll have to tweak and improve or take a much-needed break. Set up a recurring calendar for your holiday messages, so you can spread out the work for filler content, like sales or behind-the-scenes posts over a few weeks instead of a few days.. Even if everything isn’t 100% ready, give yourself the grace to not be perfect. Just having a plan in place will take a lot of the burden off.
2. Set Boundaries with Clients & Teams
Often, the holidays bring out a mix of high expectations and high emotions. Sometimes this translates to tight turn-around and and last-minute deadline demands from high-strung clients. Be honest with yourself queen—there’s only one you and you can’t pull a campaign out of thin air. Be upfront about your bandwidth and set realistic, relaxed, deadlines. You might have to slow down to stick to your guns, but setting boundaries now means you won’t be left scrambling later. Release yourself from the shackles of productivity, sis. By communicating effectively, you can save yourself and your team from projects that will leave you all running on empty.
3. Take Breaks & Prioritize Self-Care
Burnout is real, especially during the final stretch of the year. Pile on celebrations and dedicated fiends and family time, and calendars fill up fast. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so make sure you’re taking care of yourself. It's easy to look at your breaks as “extra time” but don’t give in to the temptation to repurpose your rest. You’ve got to be more international than ever about taking time to unplug, whether that means taking a 10-minute walk around the block, a quick stretch session, or simply stepping away from your desk to clear your head.
Make sure you stay healthy during the holidays too We’re not talking about that extra slice of sweet potato pie (you deserve it), we mean no skipping meals or sleep. Sacrificing an hour during lunch or before bed might seem like the answer when deadlines are looming, but being hangry aint’ it, especially when you have to interface with clients. Being well-rested and well-fed is just better babe.
4. Tap Into Your Creative Flow
It’s easy to lose that creative spark when you’re stressed, but it’s important to stay inspired throughout the holiday madness to stay ahead of the competition. Gift-themed campaigns are a dime a dozen, so you’ve got to tap into your brand’s uniqueness to stand out. Stay on top of trends and pay attention to what’s popping. Check out campaigns that work and why. Did you see Heinz's latest viral social media ad? They brought together a chart-topping rapper, a viral creator, and a popular condiment for a 30-second ad that’s pure marketing gold. And we don’t even like Mustard like that.
We’ve all been there—feeling like your creative tank is empty. If that happens, don’t force it. Take a step back and engage with things that inspire you—whether it’s scrolling through Pinterest, watching a holiday movie, or checking out creators who motivate you. Immersing yourself in new ideas will keep your content feeling fresh and fun.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Say No
We get it. As a marketer, your dollar is in your delivery. We always want to deliver more for our clients and teams, but there’s only so much you can do. Don’t be afraid to say “no” or push back on unrealistic deadlines. It’s not your job to put out every fire. Communicate with your clients and team members about what’s doable and what’s not. Protect your peace and set good boundaries. If professional selfishness is a foreign concept to you, this is the best opportunity to get into practice, as most clients respect personal space this time of year.
The holidays can be hectic, but with the right mindset, you can jingle all the way through the holiday marketing rush. Stay organized, stay creative, and most importantly—stay true to yourself. Remember, it’s okay to take a break and unwind. You’ve been good all year, so as you wind down, prioritize your peace and let that email wait until next year. Besides, doesn’t Beyonce have a halftime show coming up?
We’re in your corner queen. Happy Holidays.
With love,
The Team at TCQ.
