How are your holiday plans going? We’re not trying to be those people who take down the pumpkins and put up the Christmas tree, but the truth is that it’s time to start planning for the busy holiday season – if you haven’t started already.
Here’s the thing, people are getting into the money-spending mode. That’s not just for gifts either. When people are out shopping all day, they’re looking for a place to stop for a bite so they don’t have to cook. If family and friends are in town, they’re looking for a bar to grab a drink and catch up.
People are getting ready for holiday parties and special events, and your brewery should be getting ready to host them. So after you’ve planned all of your brilliant holiday parties, it’s time to plan how you’re going to get the word out about them.
Here’s a little checklist to help your brewery have a #flawless holiday season.
PRINT UP A CALENDAR
Yes, seriously. Seeing the visual layout of the days will go far in helping you get your head around your plan. You’ll be able to see any gaps in content and figure out the best way to fill them. If you don’t want to waste paper, you can do this on a computer, too. Just make sure that you have your digital calendar laid out in months so you can look at the big picture.
ADD IMPORTANT DATES
Start at the end and work backwards. “Important” dates can vary from company to company. Put in holidays, event dates, and even national days dedicated to things relevant to your company. Think National Happy Hour Day, Repeal of Prohibition Day, and National Lager Day. This will give you content ideas, and you’ll have a visual when you’re planning out your event advertisements.
PENCIL IN YOUR BLOGS AND NEWSLETTERS
Make a note of when you will be releasing blogs or newsletters. If you do a newsletter every Thursday, mark it down. If you have a bi-weekly blog, pencil it in. From here, you can look at what is coming up in the week (or weeks) ahead to plan a skeleton of what will be in each email or post.
PLAN YOUR POSTS
Now, you can finally write in when you plan on posting on social media. Will it be to support a blog or notify people of a newsletter? Do you want to send out a tease on Instagram a week before an event or three days out? This plan may fluctuate a little, but having it written down will keep you on track much better than trying to keep it all in your head.
FILL IN THE BLANKS
Figure out what other information you need to fill in your content calendar. Do you need to nail down a date for an event, or get a photo of a specialty ingredient? Maybe you need a more in-depth description of your product, or something more succinct. Make a list of whatever you need and write down due dates for yourself. (Pro tip: make the due dates a couple of days before you plan to post).
SCHEDULE YOUR CONTENT
This could mean literally writing, editing and scheduling Facebook posts or saving Instagram pictures as drafts on your phone, but it could also mean scheduling in time when you’re actually going to post them. If it’s in your personal or work calendar to take 10 minutes to write the post, then you won’t forget to follow-through.
PHONE A FRIEND
Scheduling content can be hard when you’re busy creating events and focused on running your business. We don’t want to stress you out. This type of planning takes time and we are more than happy to help you. We have a whole list of tips and tricks to breeze through the holiday season. Send us an email and we can chat.