The effort you put into prospecting is directly related to the number and quality of clients you see a few months down the line. So, while it feels like you should slow down your prospecting during the holidays, that can be a problem in the future.
Holidays Are Prime Time for Sellers
Brands start thinking early about their holiday promotions—and that means you need to be reaching out to them early about writing these promos. Plan to reach out to prospective clients two to three months before the holidays. Yup, that’s right: August for Thanksgiving, September for Christmas and New Years.
And we’re not just talking about retailers. The holiday season is prime time for just about anyone who sells anything. It’s prime time for businesses to bump up their bottom lines (in fact, research shows most businesses don’t start turning a profit until December; for retails it’s the end of December!). Holiday copywriting is also your prime time for work!
It’s a good time for course creators (people love buying things for themselves, too), it’s a good time for service providers (either getting in a service by the end of the year or setting oneself up for success in the new year), and it’s a good time for coaches (maybe even one of the best times—pre-resolutions!). Basically, it’s a good time for people who sell things.
Which means it can be a good time for people who write copy that sells things. (Yes, that means you!)
Reach out to your current clients to prompt them to get moving on their holiday promotions but reach out to potential clients, too.
Thinking about jumpstarting your business (or infusing it with a little extra cash) can go far this month, too.You could offer special, limited-time and limited-number offers like a Facebook ad bundle or a holiday sales page refresh.
You’re Not Annoying Business Owners by Reaching Out
Here’s the thing about business owners: They are always thinking about their businesses. Always. And they want your pitches. They may be thinking about marketing even more so during the holiday season because they have numbers they want to hit before year-end.
Instead of slowing down (or stopping!) you’re prospecting during the holidays, think about how you can tailor your message to the holiday season.
Your messages could address the holiday shopping season. For example, you may lean into concepts along the lines of “Are you seeing the holiday shopping surge you were hoping for? If not, here’s what I can do to help” or “ways you can turn holiday shopping into a surge of purchases.”
You can also focus on the post-holiday season. After the holidays, purchases tend to dip dramatically. You may frame your pitch around the fact that you can help prevent that dip with wildly effective messaging. That will give your prospective clients something to consider if they’re hoping to keep up the holiday momentum.
You already know that your pitches should convey the benefit of working with you and should be tailored to the business that you’re targeting. But tailoring it to the time of year or season can also help add a powerful urgency to your message.
Why Email Funnels are the Perfect Holiday Project to Pitch
You know that email funnels are always a solid project to pitch. They’re particularly effective during the holidays.
Businesses can’t expect to just throw out a “30% off for the holidays” message to their email list and see sales skyrocket.
Getting customers to spend their hard-earned dollars during the holidays means using the kinds of tactics you’ve honed as a copywriter. We’re talking tactics like nurturing subscribers through an email sequence, building anticipation, creating urgency, and offering upsells.
You might want to offer a 3-, 5-, or 7-email funnel to nurture customers to make a purchase. You could offer a series of Facebook ads for both cold and retargeted traffic. You could offer to write a new sales page for their special holiday offering. And, of course, these are just a few ideas.
Remember: clients are starting to work on these projects now so the urgency factor is high. Don’t forget to use that urgency in your prospecting communications!
Keeping Up Your Pitching Means You’ll Have Work Post-Holidays
It’s very tempting to slow down you’re prospecting during the holidays. So, block off any holidays you’re celebrating and take time off from your business.
But you do not want to completely stop pitching in November and December.
Remember that the work you put into prospecting now shows up as clients and copywriting work in a few months. So, if you slow down your prospecting during the holidays, you slow down your copywriting work (and paychecks) in February, March, and maybe even April.
Watch More
Listen to hear more about why pitching over the holidays is a must, plus why you do not need to offer holiday discounts as a copywriter. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and other promos may make sense for other business owners, but they’ll only hurt your business in the long run.
Your Turn!
What has been your experience pitching during the holidays? What tactics or messages do you use in your pitches? Let us know in the comments below.
Last Updated on November 25, 2024
Leave a Reply