Amy Cook, CMO of Simplus, was recently featured by Salesforce for her article “6 Ways Inclusive Marketing Can Spread Holiday Cheer.” As the holiday season fast approaches, it’s crucial for every organization to be ready with an inclusive marketing strategy. Take a look at the highlights from Amy’s six tips for marketing this holiday season or read the full article here!

1. Use the holidays to celebrate and learn.

“The holiday season can be a great time to learn more about the traditions and celebrations of others. Holiday marketing is not about generic labels; instead, it’s an opportunity for your organization to build relationships and celebrate diversity. Salesforce does a great job of promoting this through its Equality Trailhead module.” —Amy Cook

2. Calendar and recognize the dates of diverse cultures. 

“This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to overlook: make sure you know when the major holidays in each tradition are happening, and recognize them. At Simplus, we encourage our employees to join Slack channels specific to their interests and backgrounds so they can connect with colleagues who share their same traditions.” —Amy Cook

3. Create a planning committee.

“The key to a successful committee is authenticity. While it’s important to involve all traditions and acknowledge important days, some well-meaning marketers find themselves attempting inappropriate tactics … So don’t push the “Mensch on the Bench” or fabricate traditions out of thin air. Make sure your committee is focused on sharing and learning from each other.” —Amy Cook

4. Make your holiday campaign voluntary.

“With 88 percent of Americans alone feeling stressed by the holidays, it’s no wonder that some choose to opt-out altogether. Consider promoting more general, inspiring content to combat the stresses of the holidays rather than tradition-specific campaigns. Take a look at Salesforce’s inspiring stories blog from last holiday season for a good example of this.” —Amy Cook

5. Consider doubling up with traditions. 

“While it’s important to give each distinct tradition its time to shine, you can also use the holiday season to build connections. Consider doubling up on shared traditions or practices.” —Amy Cook

6. Listen to feedback and forgive. 

“Take the holiday season as a chance to receive feedback and learn. Be quick to apologize if you have inadvertently not included someone, and also be quick to forgive the mistakes that will inevitably happen. Use these experiences as a way to improve your strategy for future holidays.” —Amy Cook