INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — Somehow the holidays always sneak upon us, and before you know it, it’s Thanksgiving feast with the family and Christmas holiday shopping.

In all this craziness, how do you make sure that your business is ready to put their best foot forward?

Here are some tactics to make sure your social media strategy is in top shape before the holidays hit.

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1. Contests

Fairly easy to implement and execute, contests can be addictive and entertaining and they really get people excited about your business.

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Everyone loves free stuff and a chance to win something, so why not capitalize on it and get your business the extra boost it needs this year?

In return, you’ll end up with new email addresses, fans and followers you can market to starting in the New Year.

Just keep in mind to follow each network’s guidelines for contests and adhere to them.

2. Promotions

You have already thought of sales, discounts and promotions for the holiday period, haven’t you? So why not announce all these specials and deals on social media as well?

You can make them available on all channels or get a specific deal going on only a specific platform, thus boosting your fan base and traffic from this channel.

Whether you have a holiday sale, a special package or may be a winter promo you can utilize social media to get extra eyes on your offer. Take it a step further with paid social media advertising.

3. Surviving the holidays

When everybody gets crazy, provide a little value to your community by giving them helpful tips for surviving the holidays.

If you are a ski resort, make it easy for your guests to find on your website how to deal with the extra crowds.

If you are in the public transportation business, provide tips on where and how to buy tickets online. Turn these tips into visual assets and share them on your social networks.

4. User-generated content

People love to share their experiences so why not encourage them to share their photos of using or experiencing your business.

You can then reward them for the effort and share their content on your channels. People love to be featured and you end up with that extra content you need.

5. Cause marketing

People believe in doing good in the world, especially around the holidays so partnering up with a local organization is a great way to encourage people to purchase from your business.

You can then donate a portion of the proceeds to the charity of your choice. Good for the charity, good for people and good for you.

6. Gratitude

Show gratitude toward your customers. If it’s not for them, you won’t be in business. Send your holiday greetings and don’t forget that digital only goes so far. Don’t skip on the traditional greeting cards for your most loyal customers.

Milena Regos is principal and founder of Out&About Marketing, an Incline Village-based digital marketing and social media consulting firm. She can be reached for comment at milena@outandaboutmarketing.com. The post, “Is your social media strategy ready for the holidays?” was first published on Out&About Marketing.