Brewing Up HalloThanksmas: Prepping Your Holiday Promotions
☕ Preparing for the Holidays
The holiday season is like the busiest time at your favorite coffee shop—everyone’s rushing in at once, lines are long, and if you’re not ready with the right brew, you’ll miss your chance to serve up what your customers are craving.
That’s why I like to think of October through December as HalloThanksmas season—a season that deserves its own special blend. Just like crafting the perfect latte, preparing your promotions takes warming up the machine, choosing your beans, and timing the pour just right.
Here’s the recipe:
October 1–10 → The Tease: Just like the aroma of freshly ground beans, drop hints about what’s brewing. Build curiosity with “something special is coming” posts and behind-the-scenes peeks.
October 11–20 → The Pre-Launch: This is the first sip—share early bird offers, trends, or sneak peeks of what you’re serving up. Let your best customers feel like VIPs.
October 21–Nov 5 → The Full Brew: Time to pour! Launch your big offers, bundle your services, and show your customers the frothy goodness you’ve been preparing.
Final days → The Last Call: Like the barista announcing “last cup before close,” this is when urgency and scarcity kick in. Countdown timers, “limited spots left,” and “last chance” posts keep customers from missing out.
With a little prep, you’ll not only fill your holiday cup—you’ll make sure your customers come back for refills.
☕ Deep Dive: HalloThanksmas Season Promotions
Why Starting October 1 Matters
Getting yourr promotion out there in front of people early and with a solid plan gives you breathing room to build hype, test messaging, and benefit from early shoppers.
Many consumers begin holiday shopping as early as October. Up to ~28% of shoppers are looking already in October or making lists.
Beginning early avoids the overload that comes later (November/Black Friday/Cyber Monday) both for the audience and your creative energy.
Early promos let you spread out offers, test what messaging works, adjust prices, creative, etc.
☕ Key Gaps to Fill & Best Practices (that people sometimes miss)
Define Goals Up Front
Is your goal revenue, new clients, email list growth, brand awareness, inventory clear-out?
These affect what offers you run, discount levels, and how you measure success.
Segment Your Audience & Offers
Early-bird buyers vs. last-minute shoppers behave differently.
Consider special offers for loyal customers, email subscribers, referral partners.
Creative & Messaging Tests Early
Use the tease/warm-up phase to test which hooks work best, what visuals get attention.
Button copy, call-to-action variations, discount vs value-add bonuses, etc.
Omnichannel Consistency
Use email, social media, website landing pages, possibly paid ads in sync.
Make sure every channel signals the same “HalloThanksmas” theme (seasonal visuals, colors, copy).
Emotional & Storytelling Elements
Holiday content doesn’t have to be just “buy this.” Could be stories, nostalgia, community, gratitude. Remember, the story is what draws people in- then they use logic to justify the purchase.
Emotions drive more engagement (fear of missing out, gratitude, joy).
Urgency & Scarcity
Later phases need real urgency: limit time, limit quantity, deadline reminders.
Use countdown timers, special bonuses for early purchases etc.
Post-Promo Plan
What happens after promo ends? Follow up for customer feedback, testimonials, wrap-ups.
Use good will to transition into non-holiday content smoothly.
☕ Research Insights to Support This Strategy
“Plan your holiday marketing campaigns early” is one of the strongest recurring tips in holiday marketing articles, especially with social media in mind.
Early promotion gives you chance to reach “early shoppers”—those who plan purchases ahead of Black Friday/Cyber Monday.
Visuals that feel “festive” or “holiday but not forced” perform better — holiday-themed content boosts engagement if done with authenticity.☕
☕ Map out your Launch
☕ Stage 1: The Tease (Oct 1–10)
Think of this like the smell of freshly ground beans—it pulls people in before they even see the cup.
Post Types:
Behind-the-Scenes Sneak Peeks → Show product prep, wrapping paper, Canva mockups, or you “working at the coffee bar” (aka your desk).
Mystery Teasers → “Something special is brewing…” with blurred graphics or cropped photos.
Countdowns Begin → A fun “X days until the holiday drop” series.
Curiosity Questions → “What’s one thing you wish businesses would do during the holidays?”
Examples:
Reel: you stirring coffee with text overlay: “Something’s brewing… ☕🎄 Stay tuned.”
Static graphic: “Mark your mugs—big holiday news is dropping soon.”
Hooks to spark curiosity:
“Something’s brewing behind the scenes…”
“You’ll want to save this date. 🎁”
“I can’t spill the beans yet, but… it’s worth waiting for.”
“Ever wish the holidays felt easier? You’ll want to see what’s coming.”
“Mark your mugs—the countdown is on!”
“Can you keep a secret? Because I can’t hold this in much longer…”
“The biggest surprise of the season is almost here.”
“Something special is brewing—and you’ll want a front-row seat.”
“Think of this as the foam on top… the best part is coming.”
“Anyone else love the suspense of knowing something good is on the way?”
☕ Stage 2: The Pre-Launch (Oct 11–20)
This is the first sip—it gives your audience a taste without the full pour.
Post Types:
Early-Bird Promos → Special deals for loyal customers or email subscribers.
Trend Spotting → Share what’s trending this holiday season (colors, gifting habits, services).
Engagement Posts → Polls about holiday faves (“Pumpkin spice or peppermint mocha?”).
UGC or Testimonials → Share client/customer love that hints at what’s coming.
Examples:
Carousel: “Here are 3 holiday trends you’ll see everywhere this year—are you ready to stand out?”
Reel: You talking on camera, excited: “Want early access to my holiday offers? Comment 🎁 below!”
Hooks to warm people up:
“Holiday stress? I’ve got your shortcut.”
“Want early access before anyone else?”
“Here’s what I’m seeing trending for the holidays…”
“Would you rather unwrap pumpkin spice or peppermint mocha? 🎃☕🎄”
“The #1 thing people overlook when planning for the holidays is…”
“You’ve been asking for it—here’s a sneak peek.”
“What’s on your holiday wishlist this year?”
“Let’s play a game: guess what’s coming and I’ll spill the beans.”
“The countdown is almost over—want early access?”
“I’ve been working behind the scenes to make your holidays brighter. Ready to see?”
☕ Stage 3: The Full Launch (Oct 21–Nov 5)
Now it’s time to pour. This is your frothy latte reveal—bold, flavorful, and satisfying.
Post Types:
Offer Reveal → A reel unveiling your product/service in a festive way.
How-To Content → “How my offer solves your holiday stress in 3 steps.”
Bundle/Package Posts → Perfect for service-based biz (“gift card + bonus session”).
Live Video → Share your excitement, answer questions, and pour holiday vibes.
Comparison Posts → “Here’s what happens when you shop early vs. last-minute.”
Examples:
Reel: You with holiday music + Canva text overlay: “The wait is over! My holiday offers are LIVE. 🎄☕”
Carousel: “5 reasons to snag this deal before the season gets hectic.”
Hooks to reveal and sell:
“The wait is over—our holiday offers are LIVE! 🎄☕”
“This is your holiday stress-saver in 3 simple steps.”
“Gift yourself (or someone else) [result/benefit] this season.”
“Here’s why you don’t want to wait on this deal…”
“5 reasons this holiday bundle is the best thing since peppermint lattes.”
“It’s here, it’s hot, and it’s ready for you—just like your morning latte.”
“Consider this your official holiday kickoff!”
“Why wait for Black Friday? The deal is here now.”
“I poured my heart (and a lot of caffeine) into this—come see what it is.”
“This is the holiday hack you didn’t know you needed.”
☕ Stage 4: The Last Call (Final 1–2 weeks of offer)
Like the barista yelling “Last call for lattes!”, urgency drives action.
Post Types:
Countdown Graphics → “3 days left to grab this deal.”
Scarcity Reminders → “Only 2 spots left / Final 5 products.”
FAQ/Objection Posts → Answer hesitations (cost, time, availability).
Emotional Connect → “Imagine handing this gift on Christmas morning…”
Testimonial Push → “Here’s what others said after grabbing this deal.”
Examples:
Reel: Timer overlay + you saying: “Final call to snag this holiday special before it disappears!”
Static post: “Last chance to fill your cup with holiday savings ☕🎁 Ends Friday!”
Hooks to drive urgency & FOMO:
“Final call for holiday deals—this offer ends soon!”
“Imagine handing this gift over on Christmas morning…”
“3 days left to grab this before it’s gone.”
“This is the last time I’ll say it: don’t miss out.”
“Only [X spots/items] left—once they’re gone, they’re gone.”
“Last chance to sip before the cup runs dry!”
“Tomorrow, this deal turns into a pumpkin. 🎃”
“You’ll either regret missing this… or be glad you grabbed it.”
“The cart closes at midnight—don’t be the one left out in the cold.”
“The holidays move fast—so should you.”
