We may be surrounded by pumpkins, but it’s time for entrepreneurs to plan their social media strategy for the holidays! If you’re waiting till you see the sparkly lights go up on houses, you’re waiting too long. Now is the time, my friends!

Don’t wait. While the nature of social media gives you the freedom to create and post on the fly, in this instance, waiting till the last minute will not serve you. The holiday season is only so long and when you wait till the last minute to take advantage of social media, you’re taking away the chance to bring in as much revenue as you could have with better planning.

Map out the opportunities. First look at the well-known national sales days: Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, Super Saturday, and the day after Christmas. Then look at any days that hold a special place for your business or industry. Finally, take a look at local opportunities that support organizations with local business purchases. Schools and non-profits increase these partnerships over the holidays.

Give your followers notice. Don’t spring sales on them entirely by surprise. Announce that a sale/promotion is coming a week or two ahead of time and ask them to save the date and add it to their calendars. You can even consider doing a Black Friday “Preview” sale for a limited time and then bring it back by popular demand on Black Friday.

Use the holiday sale opportunities to build your list. Encourage your followers to opt-in to your list so they can be kept informed of upcoming promotions for the holidays and beyond!

Customize your content. Think about how to spin the content you want to present to your followers for the holidays. How to wear/use an item, holiday gift ideas, showing your products/services in a stocking or under a tree. This is your chance to have fun and get creative so you can present your product/service as a gift for someone else. If you’re in a service-based business, you can always give discounts in the spirit of giving back for the season of giving back, to promote sales on your services.

Plan for visual consistency. Prepare your deliverables and graphics so everything is consistent. From your website banners to your emails, text marketing, social media posts, stories, and beyond. The visual consistency should be planned, designed, and ready to go at least a week prior, especially if you have a marketing team so they can upload everything with plenty of time.

The holiday season is the time to get creative and make social media work for you. What are you planning this holiday season?

Click here to check out more ways entrepreneurs can stay ahead of the game this holiday seasons!