#1 Use Festive Logos

The holidays are a great time to incorporate holiday logos into your promotional material. In the past I’ve used holiday logos consistently in holiday promotional material for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and the 4^th of July.

For instance carving a pumpkin in the shape of your pictorial window, arranging candy corn in the shape of your logo mark, or simply incorporating a holiday greeting into your Facebook page, Twitter background, company website and emails are all great ideas.

#2 Make Your Content Easy to Share

Your goal is to capture your customers' attention and inspire them to discuss and share your content or offer with their friends and networks. That way, a whole new audience hears about your business, with the unspoken endorsement of your customers…A powerful way to get your message across and your business exposed. Remember to:

• Add social sharing buttons to product pages if you don’t already have them and on thank you pages so users can share what they just bought.
• Add social share icons to the top of your email newsletter, so readers can easily share your content with just one click.
• Keep your tweets short so others can retweet within Twitter's 140-character limit.
• Add social share icons to all of your print material, encouraging readers to continue to visit your Facebook, Twitter and Linked pages.

#3 Invite Email Signups Using Social Media

Holidays are a great time to grow your mailing lists. Remember to:

• Include sign-up links across your social media accounts.
• Add a "Join My Mailing List" box to your website and Facebook pages.
• Invite your audience to join your mailing list by texting you

#4 Live Tweets and Facebook Posts

Below is an example of a live event your social media troops can attend and socialize

• Have a few employees live tweet at 3 a.m. on Black Friday.
• Set up a laptop or computer by exits and have an employee take pictures with patrons after they’ve purchased.
• Have an employee check brand mentions and retweet messages from customers shopping or purchasing on your site or in your store.
• Thank customers for their purchases and give them a special coupon redeemable on your Facebook page, Twitter page, or your website.

The possibilities of social media are limitless and only bound by your imagination, manpower and planning.

#5 Exclusive Content

Offering exclusive deals to Facebook and Twitter fans or making exclusive content available only to fans is an effective promotional strategy regardless of the time of year. Think about what types of exclusive content you can provide to your fans and followers. Maybe it’s a coupon only available to fans, or maybe an infographic or app only your fans can see on Facebook.

#6 Include a Social Call to Action

When you start a conversation, request feedback, or make a promotional offer via email, the next step is to drive your audience to social destinations and engage them. Make it clear to your email readers what you want them to do next. It may be to "Like" you on Facebook to get a coupon, follow you and retweet an offer on Twitter to be eligible for a prize, or continue a hot-topic holiday discussion elsewhere.

#7 Tie Your Social Media Efforts Together

Ensure that all marketing efforts tie together with social media this year.

• Include Facebook and Twitter information on all print media.
• Add Facebook and Twitter links to your press releases.
• Talk about your Facebook and Twitter during your live PR spots on radio, television and web!

All of your marketing efforts should incorporate some aspect of social media marketing.