holiday marketing.png Originally posted on Inman

Ugly sweaters came back into style and are a hallmark of the season. Tired, cliched marketing is not having the same revival.

Just say no to generic holiday marketing and email blasts with a boring photo and one-liner! Here are nine creative ways to stay top of mind while engaging your audience through fresh content with a local real estate spin:

November: "Fall" Into Community Content

November is an ideal time to highlight your farming area and local expertise. Whether your reader lives in the area or is thinking about buying, showcase the neighborhood’s benefits and real estate with list-based content:

#1) “10 Reasons Locals are Thankful to Live in (Insert Area)”

Similar to a community overview, this piece could highlight everything from local fall events to real estate variety and market conditions.

#2) “5 Ways to Give Back and Get Involved In (Insert Area)”

Are you passionate about an organization? Share your dedication and how others can get involved or simply spread the word about the altruism in your community.

#3) “3 Fall Day Trips or Weekend Getaways for (Insert Area) Locals”

Proximity to nearby hotspots adds to the allure of any community. Step outside of your immediate area by highlighting fall events or interesting architecture in nearby cities. Tip - include the distance to your recommended destination. It’s not only helpful but also reiterates how focused you are on your local community.

December: Be Home for the Holidays

One of the best times to explore an area is when it’s adorned with twinkling lights and quite literally packaged with bows on top. Create engaging content by sharing your local insight or create engagement with a contest:

#4) “The Best Places to Live in (Insert Area) to See the Lights”

Take your reader on a tour of the best neighborhoods to see Christmas or holiday lights. This is a golden opportunity to infuse holiday marketing with a traditional community overview or to promote your active listings in an area.

#5) “How to Decorate Your “Home for The Holidays” in (Insert Area) Style”

If your community is known for a unique style, describe how people replicate the area’s decor with a nod towards the holidays. Whether it’s a “Cape Cod Christmas” or “Southwest Seasons Greetings,” you can promote shopping locally or give general decor advice.

#6) “The Best Dressed Holiday Home (or Pet!) in (Insert Area)”

Engage your sphere by hosting a contest where your past buyers, sellers, and friends submit a photo entry for the best-decorated home or cutest pets in their holiday best. This idea could easily turn into three posts - contest details, voting, and winners!

Toast to the New Year

An end of year recap can draw in an audience. The “top 20 songs of 2018” and “10 most newsworthy stories” become trending because people are curious to see what made the list and learn what they might have missed. It’s also the time of year where people start thinking about their goals for the next year, including purchasing or selling a home. Try a combo of lists or themed real estate topics:

#7) “2018's (Insert - The Hottest, Most Expensive, or Coolest) Zip Codes to Live In”

Showoff your market knowledge and do some research to determine the most popular or expensive areas to call home. The "coolest zip codes/neighborhoods” post could be a millennial homebuyer magnet or a unique way to feature a revitalized neighborhood.

#8) “2018's Trending (Kitchens, Outdoor Spaces, etc.) in (Insert Area)”

Whether it’s “greige” walls or farmhouse style finishes, rank what was popular in your area. Go one step further by sharing your listings as examples or ask permission to showcase a fellow agent’s listing.

#9) “New Year, New Home: A Look at (Insert Name) New Home Community”

What could be better than to ring in the New Year than with a brand new home? Establish a relationship with a builder and share a community overview of a new build community. Tip - it would be wise to include a section on the benefits of working with a REALTOR® when buying a new home.

Whether you use these ideas for blog posts, newsletters, social media shares, or even direct mail, you’ll be sure to entertain your sphere and stay at the top mind during the holidays!