Marketing plans are key for small businesses ahead of a tough holiday shopping season

NEW YORK (AP) — The holidays are the busiest time of year for many small retailers and other businesses.

But the holidays this year could be particularly challenging. Although inflation has retreated, small businesses are still dealing with high costs and consumers have been tightening the purse strings, too. And a longshoreman strike that kicked off Tuesday could cause shipping delays that could put a major wrench in retailers' plans if it isn't resolved quickly.

Stepping up marketing is one way to bolster holiday results. In a survey by email marketing firm Constant Contact, 51% of small business owners said they believe social media marketing and email marketing have the biggest impact on their holiday goals.

Kristen Tarnol owns Emerald Forest Gifts in Studio City, California. The shop has been open for 37 years, so Tarnol has a significant number of returning customers each year. But marketing is still key, she said.

“I have to continue to bring in new clients as well so we’ll use both email and social,” she said. "Also, I plan to try some events this year in the shop to raise everyone’s festive energy."

The top three things small business owners say they're doing to have a successful holiday season are improving their efficiency (35%), offering special promotions or discounts (28%) and creating an end-of-year marketing strategy (26%). Starting early is key.

“Small businesses are incredibly resilient, but as they head into a holiday season filled with uncertainty, they must get proactive in their marketing to ensure success,” said Sarah Jordan, chief marketing officer at Constant Contact. “The (small businesses) who thrive will be the ones who start their holiday marketing early, streamline their work with automations, and engage customers consistently throughout the season.”

Another quirk of the season: Hannukah doesn't start until Dec. 25 this year, so that will stretch out the season. Tarnol of Emerald City Gifts plans to start her marketing Nov. 1, so that means more than two months of holiday marketing.

“Usually, we are recovering between Christmas and New Years, but this year, we will be going, going, going, until after Jan. 2,” she said.

Constant Contact polled owners of more than 1,600 small businesses with 250 employees or less in August in the U.S., U.K., Australia and the United Kingdom.