Planning your Christmas posts when you run a shop: the timeline to follow

For many shops, December is the most important month of the year. And yet Christmas marketing often starts too late: the first festive post goes out on 15 December, when customers have already made up their minds. On social media, Christmas starts in November.

Here's a simple timeline to adapt to your business.

Early November: lay the groundwork

This is the time to decide what you'll put forward: gift boxes, festive menus, gift vouchers, longer opening hours, seasonal products. Take your photos now, while you still have time, rather than in the middle of the rush.

• List your Christmas offers and their order deadlines.
• Photograph the products, the decorated window and the team.
• Note down the dates of your special opening hours.

Mid-November: the first reminder

A first post sets the tone: "The holidays are coming, here's what we've prepared for you." No need to overdo it. The goal is for your customers to know you have something to offer.

Black Friday falls at the end of the month. You don't have to take part: some shops prefer to explain why they don't slash their prices, and that makes a very good post too.

1 December: start the countdown

The start of Advent is ideal for launching a series: one gift idea a day, one product a week, an Advent calendar in Stories. A series gives people a reason to come back to your account.

1 to 15 December: the heart of the season

This is when your customers are actively looking. Post more often than usual, two to three times a week, with:

• gift ideas by budget (under 20, 20 to 50, over 50): that's what helps people choose the most;
• your order deadlines, repeated in Stories;
• behind the scenes: the shop filling up, the team wrapping, orders going out.

The last week: reassure and rescue

Last-minute shoppers exist, and there are plenty of them. Remind people what's still available, your hours on 24 and 31 December, and gift vouchers, which save every forgotten present.

After Christmas: say thank you

A simple thank-you message at the end of December, with a photo of the team, always goes down well. It's also the moment to announce your January hours or your holiday closure.

In short

1. Early November: prepare the offers and the photos.
2. Mid-November: first reminder.
3. 1 December: start a series.
4. Until 15 December: gift ideas and deadlines.
5. Last week: last-minute rescue and opening hours.

All these dates, and those for the rest of the year, are in our free marketing calendar, which you can filter by trade. And so you don't have to think about it, LibPost prepares these posts in advance and reminds you before each deadline.