The Festive Advantage: Why Agents Shouldn’t Turn Off Their Marketing Over Christmas

by Ashleigh Loock

Every December, there’s a temptation for agents to ease off the gas when it comes to their marketing efforts. Many make the decision to shut down campaigns, stop chasing leads, and assume that the property market goes into hibernation until January.

 

But year after year, the data tells a very different story. In reality, Christmas is one of the most important lead-generation periods of the year – and the agents who stay visible reap the benefits long before their competitors have even packed away the tinsel.

 

Here’s why switching everything off over the festive season is one of the biggest mistakes an agent can make – and what you should be doing instead.

 

Christmas Is When People Start Planning Their Move

 

Christmas isn’t a quiet period for property interest – it’s a reset period.

 

People slow down, spend time at home, and start imagining what a move in the New Year might look like. That’s exactly why the agents who continue marketing through December consistently enjoy a surge of leads during Christmas week and a wave of high-intent activity into early January.

 

If your marketing goes quiet during this period, you miss the moment these potential leads start contemplating their next move.

 

January Doesn’t Start in January – It Starts on Boxing Day

 

The New Year market doesn’t begin on the 1st day of the year. It begins when the Christmas plates are still on the table. And it’s not just anecdotal – the numbers prove it.

 

Every year, platforms across the industry report huge traffic spikes from Boxing Day onwards, with buyer and seller activity jumping sharply between 26 December and the first two weeks of January.

 

The ValPal Network’s data proves this trend every year: lead volumes spike over Christmas week as homeowners start testing the waters and planning valuations for early January. In fact, between 26 December 2024 and 2 January 2025 alone, 11,422 ValPal leads were generated – underlining just how crucial it is to stay visible during the festive season.

 

This means that agents who maintain their marketing through late December typically walk into January with:

• A pre-warmed database
• Booked valuations in the diary
• Re-engaged older leads
• A bigger audience primed for instructions
• And an early advantage before competitor campaigns kick back in

 

Meanwhile, agents who switch everything off are back to ground zero, having to rebuild momentum just as others are converting ready-to-go leads.

 

While Others Sleep, You Gain Visibility

 

One of the most overlooked advantages of Christmas marketing is the simple fact that many agents disappear.

 

When competitors pause their ads, reduce posting, and quieten down… your visibility increases without you spending more.

 

It’s the perfect low-competition window to:

• Win mindshare
• Capture valuation leads more cost-effectively
• Retarget warm audiences
• Strengthen brand positioning while everyone else is asleep at the wheel

 

A small amount of consistent activity over Christmas often performs better than heavy activity in busier months.

 

So, What Marketing Should Agents Keep Running over Christmas?

 

You don’t need to go all-in. You just need to stay present.

 

Here’s the top marketing streams that successful agents keep ticking over the holidays to set their January off to a good start.

 

Gentle CRM Outreach: A soft “Hope you’re enjoying the holidays – if you’re thinking about a move in the New Year, we’d love to help” message works wonders.

 

Low-Pressure Social Content: Seasonal posts, home inspiration, and subtle reminders about booking valuations in January keep you visible without feeling salesy.

 

Always-On Ads: Even a modest Facebook Ads or Google Ads budget ensures you’re in front of people at the exact moment they start exploring their options.

 

Automated Follow-Up: Set automated emails or texts to handle new leads so you’re not losing enquiries while the office is quieter.

 

But What If Your Team Is Short-Staffed?

 

Many agents worry about following up leads over Christmas when the team is smaller. That’s where light-touch AI tools, like ValPal Pro, can help.

 

It can respond instantly to enquiries, send follow-up texts, book provisional valuations, and nurture leads for months, keeping your agency front-of-mind.

 

This way, your marketing keeps running, your leads stay engaged, and nothing slips through the cracks – even when your team is on a well-earned break.

 

Final Thoughts: The Agents Who Stay Visible Win January

 

Christmas is not the time to disappear – it’s the time to plant the seeds that will set you up for success leading into the New Year.

 

By maintaining gentle, consistent marketing, staying present where homeowners are browsing, and leveraging tools to ensure every lead is followed up, you walk into January prepared – with leads waiting, valuations booked, and momentum already on your side.

 

The market doesn’t wait for the New Year – and neither should you. Get in touch at team@valpal.co.uk to see how you can stay visible and keep your pipeline moving into the New Year.