Lunar New Year Marketing Tactics for 2024

Are you looking for some unique and fun Lunar New Year marketing and coupon ideas to inspire you this year?

Whether you sell physical or digital products, running seasonal promotional events can be a fantastic way to boost sales and improve brand awareness.

As Lunar New Year is coming up fast, we’ve put together this collection of inspiring marketing ideas and examples to give you some new ideas when you’re planning sales and promotions for your business.

10 Lunar New Year Marketing Ideas

China boasts the most internet users of any country in the world, with over 1 billion citizens connected to the online world. China also leads the global eCommerce market, accounting for almost half of all online transactions.

Outside of China, Lunar New Year is celebrated by around 2 billion people worldwide and it’s a national holiday in many Asian countries.

Additionally, the Lunar New Year is traditionally a time when people shop for gifts, food, and themed products, so it’s a fantastic opportunity to boost sales!

Creating promotions for this global audience during one of their most significant celebrations can help tap into this large, engaged consumer base.

Whether this is your first time running a Lunar New Year marketing campaign or you’re just looking for some new ideas, we have plenty of inspiration for you!

1. Lunar New Year Coupon Codes

Coupon codes are an easy way to automate sales and discounts. You can send them out to your email list to reward subscribers and loyal customers or promote coupons for different discounts and offers in popups and promo banners on your site.

The WPForms plugin makes it easy to create and activate coupon codes on your website without the need to set up a whole eCommerce platform.

With WPForms Pro, you can quickly and easily set up order forms for your products and take payments via PayPal, Stripe, or Square payment gateways.

The Coupons addon integrates coupon functionality into your payment forms so that the discount you set will be automatically applied when the coupon code is entered.

You can set up your coupon as a percentage discount or a fixed amount and set start and end times for coupon validity so there’s no need to manually activate and deactivate coupons in real time.

The Coupons addon is available with WPForms Pro, along with multiple payment integrations and tons of other features for eCommerce, marketing, and more.

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Lunar New Year Coupon Code Ideas

WPForms will generate random coupon codes for you but it’s more fun and memorable to come up with your own.

Choosing discount codes with Lunar New Year themes is an easy way to get into the spirit of the holiday and makes them more appealing to customers.

Catchy coupon codes are also more likely to be shared on social media, helping to increase the reach of your marketing campaign.

If you’re looking for some coupon code ideas for Lunar New Year, feel free to use these suggestions or customize them to your needs.

FORTUNE24

The word “fortune” resonates with the Lunar New Year’s tradition of seeking good luck and prosperity. Including the year makes the code timely and relevant.

WOODDRAGON

Each lunar new year is represented by a Chinese zodiac animal and element. 2024 is the Year of the Wood Dragon, and using this symbolism in your promotions is a great way to create a memorable coupon code.

LANTERNLIGHT

Lanterns are a common sight during Lunar New Year celebrations. This code could evoke the festive and bright atmosphere of the holiday.

LUCKYRED88

Red is a lucky color in many Asian cultures, especially during Lunar New Year, and the number 8 is considered very auspicious, with “88” in particular representing good luck. This code could encourage customers to feel lucky and optimistic about their purchases.

FAMILYJOY20

Emphasizing the idea of togetherness, this code could resonate with the spirit of family reunions and collective celebrations that are typical during Lunar New Year. 2 is also a lucky number in Chinese culture, and the “20” could represent the associated discount.

Once you’ve decided on your coupon codes, displaying them in a popup is a great way to convert casual browsers into keen buyers.

You can easily do this with OptinMonster, which comes with loads of popup and banner templates designed for maximum conversions.

You can also add a countdown timer to your popup to increase the sense of urgency and boost your sales.

Countdown timers are ideal for seasonal sales like Lunar New Year. You can also run a countdown to the start of a sale or promotion to build anticipation in advance.

2. Use Red and Gold in Products and Campaigns

Embracing the traditional colors of Lunar New Year in your marketing campaigns and products can really help to make them more eye-catching and appealing to your target audience.

Red, considered the luckiest color in many Asian cultures, symbolizes joy, fortune, and prosperity. You’ll see red everywhere during Lunar New Year celebrations, from decorations to the traditional lucky red envelopes gifted to family and friends.

Limited-edition products featuring red designs or packaging can attract customers looking to get into the spirit of the holiday.

You can also use red prominently in your marketing campaigns to evoke the festive mood and create a sense of celebration.

Gold, symbolizing wealth and elegance, is often paired with red during the Lunar New Year. It represents good fortune and is believed to bring positive energy.

3. Embrace the Chinese Zodiac

Using the Chinese Zodiac animal of the year in Lunar New Year marketing campaigns is a common theme.

Each Lunar New Year is represented by one of the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac cycle: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.

Featuring the animal of the current year in your marketing materials can instantly connect your brand with the festival.

4. Lucky Red Envelopes

The tradition of giving and receiving red envelopes, or hóngbāo, is associated with Lunar New Year celebrations.

Integrating aspects of this custom into your marketing strategy can add excitement and anticipation to your Lunar New Year promotions.

For example, you could gift customers with virtual red envelopes by email. These can contain discounts, gift cards, or special offers.

5. Prosperity and Good Luck

The themes of prosperity and good luck are central to Lunar New Year celebrations. Emphasizing these concepts in your marketing assets can help you connect with your audience on an emotional level.

One idea is to pledge to donate a portion of sales during the Lunar New Year period to a relevant charity. This not only aligns with the theme of good fortune but also reflects the spirit of generosity at the start of the new year.

6. Lunar New Year Email Marketing Ideas

Email marketing in the run-up to Lunar New Year can be a fantastic way to connect with an engaged audience.

Capturing attention in a crowded inbox and coming up with a subject line that’s enticing enough to click is the first hurdle.

You can use AI tools like ChatGPT to suggest email subject lines and include emojis relevant to Lunar New Year such as the red lantern or dragon to draw more attention.

Start your emails with personalized Lunar New Year greetings. Use phrases like “Wishing you prosperity and good health in the Year of the [Zodiac Animal]” or “Happy Lunar New Year! May it bring joy and fortune to you and your family.”

7. Utilize User-Generated Content (UGC)

Using user-generated content (UGC) on your website and social media channels can be a fantastic way to engage your audience and amplify your Lunar New Year marketing efforts.

Develop a unique and memorable hashtag for your Lunar New Year campaign. Encourage your customers to use this hashtag when they share photos, videos, or stories related to your brand and the holiday.

8. Create Lunar New Year-Themed Popups

If you’re running an eCommerce store that attracts a lot of visitors, creating personalized popups for the Lunar New Year can be a great way to promote your special offers and deals during the festive season.

From my experience, well-timed popups with a festive Lunar New Year design can encourage visitors to subscribe to your email list or take advantage of limited-time coupon codes. Tools like OptinMonster make this process simple with customizable templates that can help your popups stand out.

You can also control when and where these popups appear, making sure they reach the right audience at the right moment. I’ve noticed that popups triggered by specific actions, like scrolling or attempting to exit the page, often perform the best.

9. Flash Sales on Lunar New Year-Themed Products

There’s nothing like the thrill of a flash sale to get customers rushing to make a purchase. During the Lunar New Year, a well-timed flash sale can be incredibly effective, especially if you offer discounts on festive products.

This year, consider setting up a flash sale on items like traditional decorations, lucky red envelopes, or festive gift sets for just a few hours or even a single hour. Use clear messaging like “Get 20% off Lunar New Year items from 2-3 PM only!” to create a sense of urgency and encourage immediate action.

For example, you could offer a coupon code valid only during the sale window, ensuring customers feel the ‘now or never’ pressure. Just make sure to promote the sale well in advance across all your channels to build anticipation and maximize participation.

10. Provide Free Downloads or Printables

Free downloads are a great way to drive traffic to your website and connect with potential customers. Whether it’s printable Lunar New Year decorations, festive activity guides for kids, or a checklist for hosting the perfect celebration, these free resources can attract visitors searching for seasonal content.

To make the most of this, you can use WPForms to create a simple form where visitors provide their email addresses to access the downloads. This not only helps you share valuable resources but also allows you to grow your email list for future promotions or exclusive offers.

Your audience receives something useful and festive, while you get the opportunity to engage with them later on. I’ve used this strategy before, and it’s been incredibly effective for building my email list and driving more traffic to my site.

Measuring the Results of your Lunar New Year Campaign

Whatever marketing strategies you decide to use this Lunar New Year, it’s important to keep track of your sales. If you’re using WPForms for payments, you can even see which coupon codes generated the most sales.

If you’re preparing for Lunar New Year, make sure to have your payment and order forms available online, as preparation usually starts around a week before the big day itself.

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FAQs About Lunar New Year Marketing

If you’ve not worked on a Lunar New Year campaign before or you’re not familiar with the holiday, you may have some questions. Here are some of the most common queries about running sales and marketing campaigns over Lunar New Year.

What Is Lunar New Year?

Lunar New Year is the beginning of the new year according to the lunar calendar. Lunar New Year is celebrated by several cultures and countries across the world, particularly in east Asia.

Although Lunar New Year is also commonly known as Chinese New Year, China is just one of the countries that celebrates this holiday. Other countries that welcome the new year on the first day of the lunar calendar include South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and The Philippines.

Lunar New Year is also celebrated in many major cities across North America, Europe, and Australia, particularly in areas with substantial East Asian communities.

When is Lunar New Year?

This year, Lunar New Year falls on Saturday, February 10th, 2024.

Because Lunar New Year coincides with the start of the year according to the lunar calendar, rather than the widely-used Gregorian calendar, its date differs from year to year.  However, it always falls between January 21st and February 21st.

What is the Chinese zodiac animal for 2024?

In 2024, we will be welcoming the year of the Wood Dragon.  There are 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac and the last time it was the year of the dragon was 2012.

The dragon is a particularly auspicious zodiac sign, with people born in this year said to be strong, ambitious, charismatic, and natural leaders.

What else is Lunar New Year known as?

Lunar New Year is commonly known as Chinese New Year (sometimes abbreviated to CNY), particularly in the West. Chinese New Year is also the official name of the holiday in Singapore, Philippines, and Malaysia.

However, it’s more inclusive to use the term “Lunar New Year” in your marketing campaigns, unless you’re targeting only consumers in China or with Chinese heritage.

Lunar New Year is known by multiple names in different countries. In China, the holiday is commonly known as Spring Festival or Chūnjié. In Indonesia, it’s known as Imlek, in Korea as Seollal, and Tết in Vietnam.

What to sell for Lunar New Year?

If you’re looking to release a new line of products to celebrate Lunar New Year, you could use the main themes of the holiday such as the color red, the zodiac animal of the year, lanterns, and traditional Chinese patterns. Dragons are also a traditional motif for Lunar New Year, whatever the zodiac animal is that year.

Next, Plan Your Promotional Calendar for Next Year

Planning out your marketing campaigns and promotions well in advance means that you’ll always be prepared for the next seasonal sale in good time.

Maintaining a promotional calendar can be a helpful way for you to decide which seasonal promotions you’ll run throughout the year and reminds you when you should start preparing for each event.

You can also check out our ideas on how to reward loyal customers, so that you can give customers who shopped in your Lunar New Year sale an incentive to come back and buy from you again.

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