---
title: "Holiday Marketing Preparation: A Month-by-Month Guide"
description: The holiday season is approaching fast, and brands and retailers may be wondering when they should begin planning for their holiday marketing campaigns.
---

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# [Holiday Marketing Preparation: A Month-by-Month Guide](https://onbrand.shopltk.com/when-should-you-start-preparing-for-holiday-marketing)

 Written by [Team LTK](https://onbrand.shopltk.com/author/team-ltk) | Aug 19, 2025

## September: Start Early and Strategize

### Why start now?

According to the [2025 LTK Holiday Shopper Study](https://company.shopltk.com/holiday-playbook?utm_campaign=14998194-BP%20%7C%20July%202025%20%7C%20Webinar%20%7C%20Holiday&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--qHUbgC5uS-otweeOYajKc4ah6h4awAs0wty_TTGmpUur2tWEkaCiSsfX4V6iBxCygr09C_jJUE2BY5umBXjqd4mYONPatdBwi-2I1wP7cS0p9WOU&_hsmi=368105389&utm_content=368105389&utm_source=hs_automation), 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](https://onbrand.shopltk.com/the-future-of-creator-marketing-2025-trends-from-the-ltk-consumer-study#:~:text=70%20percent%20of%20Gen%20Zers%20and%20millennials%20and%2072%20percent%20of%20LTK%20users%20shop%20primarily%20via%20mobile%20devices.) 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](https://company.shopltk.com/contact-us?hsCtaTracking=ae71b578-1d99-47d4-ac7d-d4ee2e3fcb1f%7Cfe836fd7-10c7-4f74-a117-6f9c786982f2) 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.*

[View full post](https://onbrand.shopltk.com/when-should-you-start-preparing-for-holiday-marketing)

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