Holiday Marketing Preparation: A Month-by-Month Guide

September: Start Early and Strategize

Why start now?

According to the 2025 LTK Holiday Shopper Study, 70 percent of LTK shoppers plan to start holiday shopping by September, an 18 percent growth year over year. This highlights a growing trend of early and influence-driven holiday shopping.

Action steps

• Brainstorm holiday campaign ideas.
• Collaborate with Creators to create organic content.
• Start promoting early-bird deals and discounts.
• Focus on holiday gifting content to align with early shoppers.

October: Build Momentum

Why October matters

October provides brands with a golden opportunity to connect with shoppers before the holiday shopping season goes into full swing. It’s a pivotal month, nestled between the back-to-school rush and the frenzy of November sales events, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 

Action steps

• Launch Creator campaigns featuring key products and promotions.
• Use holiday-themed hashtags, such as #LTKHolidayWishlist, to boost visibility.
• Highlight mobile-friendly shopping experiences because 70 percent of Gen Zers and millennials shop primarily via their mobile devices.
• Promote wish lists and impulse-buy opportunities.

November: Peak Shopping Season

Key events

For brands, November represents a golden opportunity to capitalize on the busiest shopping period of the year, particularly with events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday driving unprecedented consumer spending. It’s also a time when LTK Creators play a pivotal role in shaping purchasing decisions by providing authentic recommendations, curated content, and exclusive deals to their highly engaged audiences.

Action steps

• Offer exclusive deals and discounts for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
• Ramp up Creator collaborations to drive last-minute purchases.
• Use data from early campaigns to refine your strategy.
• Track and measure campaign performance to optimize results.

December: Last-Minute Push

Why it’s still important

Many shoppers continue buying gifts for themselves and others in December. It’s the final stretch of holiday shopping, and it's just as – if not more – important as November. Whether consumers are shopping for gifts for family and friends or treating themselves to holiday deals, December remains a lucrative opportunity for brands to drive meaningful sales.

Action steps

• Promote last-minute gift ideas and express shipping options.
• Leverage influencers to highlight "self-gifting" trends. Beauty and personal care products remain the top self-gifting category.
• Maintain strong customer engagement through social media and email campaigns.

Post-Holiday: Reflect and Maintain Relationships

Why it matters

Building long-term relationships with Creators and customers ensures future success.

Action steps

• Analyze campaign performance and gather insights for next year.
• Thank your collaborators and customers with personalized messages or offers.
• Plan for post-holiday sales to clear inventory.

Unwrap Holiday Success with LTK

Ready to unwrap holiday success? Get started with LTK and see why top brands trust Creator Marketing to shine this season and beyond!

Blog originally published September 2022 and updated in August 2025.