With the increase in consumer spending and the cheerful spirit of the season, branching out with your business efforts during the holidays is bound to work out in your favor. It’s a perfect time to try marketing tactics that you might not normally. It’s also a perfect time to show your appreciation to those who have led you to success.

After Halloween, we published a blog (How to Sock it to Scrooges: Holiday Marketing Methods) with some ideas to get started on your holiday marketing campaign. Now that you know which channels to leverage, here are some common holiday marketing themes to keep in mind:

1. Spread holiday cheer

Today, we have multiple channels to communicate in and outsourcing is becoming increasingly popular, so we are seeing much less of the people we do business with. Traditional methods of communicating with customers and clients, like direct mail and face-to-face meetings, are seen as silly and out of touch. However, when business people are struck with the spirit of the holidays, these methods are seen as refreshing.

For that reason, business owners should take advantage of the shift in mood. Holiday greetings – in their physical inboxes or digital ones – can go a long way. They serve as a friendly reminder to your customers and clients that they are doing business with real people. It’s easy to forget that there is a staff of people who create what you see on your computer screen. It’s a great way to showcase your business’ personality, so have fun with it – encourage your staff to dress up for a company Christmas card or even record a video of them singing a Christmas carol to post on social media.

Not only will it spread holiday cheer, it will strengthen your relationships. You can use your greetings as a way to reconnect with those who may have lost touch or lost interest. They can also solidify your relationship with newer customers. It’s a nice way of showing them that you appreciate their business and look forward to more of interactions with them in the new year.

2. Give gifts

The holidays are a perfect time to offer discounts, gifts with a purchase, free trials and giveaways. Not only is it a nice gesture, but consumers will be disappointed if you don’t. Research shows that consumers already expect discounts through social media and call-to-action offers on your website year-round, so it’s safe to say that they expect even more incentives in the year’s most-shopped season. With the new year around the corner, many people are thinking about their resolutions and reevaluating both personal and professional relationships. It is especially important for you to remind them of your positive relationship.

For larger companies: Showing appreciation to your biggest or best clients with a gift basket will strengthen your relationship in them. Include a personalized “thank you” card or some other personal touch so they know they aren’t receiving the same gift as your other clients. Personalization is very important in the digital age; people don’t want to feel like generic users.

For smaller companies: You may not have the budget to send out gift baskets, but you can put a personal touch on your offers. If you’re a retailer, for example, you could offer free gift wrapping, free shipping or a free brand-related ornament included with purchases. If you’re a local business with a storefront or main office, you can offer visitors cookies, or some other holiday treat.

3. Deck the halls

Another way to spread holiday cheer, through your holiday marketing campaign, is to decorate your office, and more importantly, your website. While hanging a wreath on your door would be great on a local front, it won’t do anything for your customers far and wide. Not everyone will be able to make it to your physical location – especially for those of us who live in the snow – but everyone will be able to easily see your holiday-themed website.

Not only will decorations contribute to the visibility and attractiveness of your products, creating a comfortable and cheerful atmosphere will allow you to make sales with ease. It will also draw more attention to your holiday sales. The great thing about decorations is that they are as cost-effective as you need them to be. Transforming your website with red and green will probably take an hour or less of your designer’s time and hanging a few things around the office will only cost you a trip to the grocery store. You could even do both by decorating your headquarters or storefront and posting a picture of it on your website.

Regardless of holiday budget, there are plenty of creative ways to show your clients and customers that you care through holiday marketing efforts. The holiday season is all about giving and selflessness is an attractive quality this time of year. Smart businesses will be giving gifts in the form of greeting, discounts and decorations… will you?