For a small business, the holidays can be a make-or-break moment, and by late fall, most are finalizing special offers and creative in preparation for the busiest quarter of the year. Amid tight timelines and intense competition, devising seasonal marketing and ads that stand out in a sea of consumer choices is a serious challenge for any brand.
While the loudest voices struggle to be heard, brands with clear, authentic messages will connect with buyers. Below, 16 members of Forbes Agency Council share smart, time-tested advice for small businesses looking to make this holiday season their strongest yet.
1. Be Clear, Timely And Useful
Not every small business has a product you’d wrap with a bow. And that’s okay. The smarter play for many small businesses is to focus less on festive flash sales and more on cutting through the seasonal noise. That means being clear, timely and useful—in channels where audiences reside independent of the holiday hype. – Chintan Shah, KNB Communications
2. Test The Execution Pre-Launch
Holiday campaigns don’t fail on ideas—they fail on execution. Test every link, coupon and checkout flow early. If the buying process is smooth, your strategy lands; if it’s broken, nothing else matters. – Sarah Procopio, Thrive Marketing Science
3. Lock In The Operations Plan Up Front
Lock in the operations plan first, then market into it. Freeze a six-week calendar with shipping cutoffs and staff rosters; pick one hero offer tied to an in-stock, high-margin SKU; and prebuild assets and emails. Test checkout, coupons and tracking; schedule posts and ads; and run a 15-minute daily huddle to adjust. This prevents stockouts, protects margin and keeps execution fast. – Vaibhav Kakkar, Digital Web Solutions
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4. Employ Empathetic Messaging, Storytelling And Visuals
Start planning now. Focus on your best-performing channels and lock in promo timing early. Lead with empathetic messaging—holidays can be joyful but also chaotic. To rise above the flood of generic offers, use scroll-stopping visuals and human-centered storytelling. Aim to connect with your audience like you’re speaking to each person, not the crowd. – Jonathan Schwartz, Bullseye Strategy
5. Start SEO And GEO Early And Do It All Year
If you wait too long to start optimizing for search and generative engines, you won’t see results until the holiday season is over. The strategies used to increase organic traffic for both traditional SEO and generative AI take time to implement and even longer to see results. If you aren’t going to do SEO and GEO year-round, you’ll need to start this work no later than August to catch the holiday season. – Michael Chagala, Rank Harvest Digital Marketing
6. Keep It Simple; Stay Human; Make Customers Feel Seen
One tip I always give small businesses is: Don’t overcomplicate your holiday marketing. Pick one story, one offer and one channel you can show up on consistently. I’ve seen too many businesses spread themselves too thin trying to do everything, and then nothing really lands. Keep it simple, keep it human and focus on making your customers feel seen during the holidays. – Sun Yi, Night Owls
7. Double Down On One Priority Channel
Small businesses should lock in one priority channel and double down there. Instead of spreading themselves thin across every platform, they should refine one campaign—whether email, social or paid—and align offers with customer intent. This focus allows for faster execution, better tracking and stronger ROI during the busy holiday season. – Boris Dzhingarov, ESBO Ltd
8. Use AI To Speed Production Without Losing Quality
Use AI as a force multiplier, not a substitute. Let AI generate fast variations of copy, subject lines and creative, then run a human-in-the-loop pass for brand voice, accuracy and offer fit before publishing within a tight promo calendar. You’ll move faster without sacrificing quality. – Bernard May, National Positions
9. Stay Agile And Adapt As You Learn
Strategies are not static; they’re living frameworks that adapt as audiences and behaviors shift. For small businesses, agility and timeliness are key. Test early, learn quickly and refine visuals and messaging based on real engagement. In the small and medium-sized business world, the most successful campaigns evolve through observation, creativity, responsiveness and perfected timing. – Goran Paun, ArtVersion
10. Commit To One Clear Holiday Theme
Stop chasing every shiny idea and pick one clear theme you can own this holiday season. Small businesses win by focusing, not by spreading themselves thin. Anchor your campaign in a story tied directly to your product and customer need, then double down across channels. Consistency beats noise. The brands that commit to a single sharp hook will cut through when everyone else is shouting. – Lars Voedisch, PRecious Communications
11. Overdeliver On One Clear Message
Pick one clear message and overdeliver on it. Small businesses can’t out-shout big brands, but clarity beats noise. Lead with your differentiator, such as handmade quality, unbeatable value or personal service—and ensure operations back it up. A holiday campaign lives or dies by execution. Nail the promise, keep it seamless, and you’ll win lasting loyalty. – Jacquelyn LaMar Berney, VI Marketing and Branding
12. Repurpose Tested Content For The Holidays
Small businesses can save time by reusing what already works. Take your top posts, emails or offers and give them a holiday spin instead of creating everything from scratch again. This keeps messaging consistent and leverages proven audience engagement. Repurposing tested content not only streamlines execution, but also maximizes ROI during the busiest shopping season. – Ajay Prasad, GMR Web Team
13. Learn From Previous Holiday Seasons
Look back to the previous seasons. Identify what drove sales, customer engagement or foot traffic. Analyze if email outperformed social, if discount offers were deep enough or if the story you told was compelling or just more of the same. – David Racine, Punch PR
14. Tie Campaigns To A Charitable Cause
Tie your holiday campaign to a charitable cause by donating a portion of each sale, hosting a toy drive or supporting a local nonprofit. Shoppers are more likely to support brands that give back, especially during the season of giving. It boosts goodwill and creates a deeper emotional connection with your customers. – Katie Meyer, MoonLab Productions
15. Tailor Messaging For Your Core Audiences
Focus on your two core audiences and tailor your message specifically for them. Small businesses try to reach everyone, but clarity and relevance win during the holiday rush. Whether it is loyal customers or another specific audience, create an offer and a story that will speak directly to their needs. – Hernan Tagliani, Tagliani Multicultural
16. Collaborate Early For Seamless Execution
Holiday marketing works best when it’s born of a true partnership. We collaborate with clients to finalize plans months in advance, securing alignment and buy-in early. This shared commitment not only ensures flawless execution, but also strengthens trust—turning the holiday rush into a season of growth, not stress. – Denny Smolinski, beBOLD Digital
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