Imagine this: It’s early November. Your crews are booked solid. Your calendar is full. Leads keep rolling in… and they’re qualified, excited, and ready to buy.
That’s the dream, right? But not very realistic.
Right?
Wrong?
It’s achievable when you build a sales and marketing strategy that drives momentum in your holiday light business.
This guide covers 10 proven tactics to help you scale faster, close more jobs, and become the go-to lighting company in your area. Whether you’re in year one or aiming for $1 million+, these moves work.
1. Make the Customer the Hero
In a business like holiday lights—where emotion drives purchases—your messaging matters. It’s not just about what you offer; it’s about what your lights mean to the client.
Focus your marketing copy and sales pitches on how lighting makes the client feel: magical, festive, proud. Help them envision their home as the showpiece of the block, bringing joy to their kids or guests.
💡 Pro Tip: Use emotional language in your website and ads. Say things like: "Your kids will love it," or "Outshine the block this year." Magic sells.
2. Own the Neighborhood: The Rule of 27
Customers need to see your brand 27 times before they take action. This is why strategic saturation in a small area works better than being scattered across a huge city.
Choose your 3–5 best neighborhoods and go all in:
- Yard signs
- Wrapped vehicles parked on high-traffic corners
- Flyers and door hangers
- Paid ads with geo-targeting
💡 Pro Tip: Park your wrapped truck overnight at busy intersections. Free advertising to thousands of drivers every day.
3. Build Your Plan, Not Just Your Calendar
Want to hit big numbers? Start with a solid revenue goal, then reverse-engineer it. Use a simple spreadsheet to figure out:
- Target number of installs
- Average job size
- Required close rate
- Weekly and monthly benchmarks
Allocate 10–15% of your goal to marketing. If your goal is $100K, be ready to invest $10–15K in direct mail, digital ads, and local promotions.
💡 Pro Tip: A well-planned campaign should be 50% strategy, 50% execution. Don’t just “wing it” during the season.
4. Dial for Dollars
Got past customers? Call them! Email is passive—calls get responses. One successful company called each lead 8 times per season and saw 30% of revenue come from rebooked clients.
💡 Pro Tip: Hire a part-time VA (Virtual Assistant) to handle callbacks, confirm bookings, and follow up on leads. Start at $6/hour.
5. Light It, Sign It, Sell It
Every install should include:
- A yard sign (bonus: light it up using a few bulbs and an extension cord)
- 30 door hangers—15 up, 15 down
- A visual wow factor: wreaths, garland, floods
These displays work as live billboards. Make sure every job markets the next one.
💡 Pro Tip: Use a Big Star Lights sample kit onsite. Let neighbors see and touch the lights—it's an easy way to win interest.
6. Knock for Revenue
Door knocking isn’t dead—it’s a high-ROI strategy if done right. In a one-hour blitz, you can hit 30 homes, talk to 6–8 people, quote 3, and book 1–2 jobs.
💡 Pro Tip: Use this script: “Hi, we just finished lighting up your neighbor’s house. Would you like a quick quote for yours?” It works.
7. Activate Your Sphere of Influence
Tap into your network:
- Join BNI or your Chamber of Commerce
- Attend community markets or fairs
- Partner with realtors or landscapers
- Offer a charity install to generate goodwill and press
💡 Pro Tip: Lighting a high-traffic treehouse for a sick child resulted in a front-page feature for one installer. Give back, and the leads follow.
8. Free Stringing = Free Leads
This is gold for newer businesses: install lights on 3–5 high-visibility homes for free in exchange for leaving a lit yard sign up. Choose key corners or entry points to popular neighborhoods.
One company turned $2K in free installs into $40K in new business. Why? Because those homes became glowing endorsements.
💡 Pro Tip: Offer to sell the lights after the season or store them and convert them into paying clients next year.
9. Upsell on Site, Profit on the Spot
Train your team to upsell during installs. When the house lights up and the client is smiling, offer:
- Stake lights along pathways
- Additional roofline or window lighting
- Trees, bushes, or floods
$500+ upsells per job are realistic with a simple script and average pricing list.
💡 Pro Tip: Give installers pricing authority. Example: $50 per strand, $10/ft of stake light. Quick quotes = quick closes.
10. Structure Incentives That Sell
Want more sales? Reward the team.
- 5% commission on upsells
- $25–$50 bonus for new leads or booked quotes
- Performance bonuses for top installers
💡 Pro Tip: One installer added $2,000 in upsells per day with incentives. Small bonuses = big results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I lease or sell the lights?
In Canada, selling is standard. In the U.S., leasing dominates. Match your model to the region and customer expectations.
How should I price a house?
Use linear feet: $8–10 for first story, $9–11 for second, and more for third. Trees and bushes are priced by strand (typically $40–$60).
Do I charge for removals?
Yes—bake it into your install package. For sold lights, drop the price by about 50% in year two, since the product is already purchased.
How do I handle maintenance?
Cover maintenance in year one. After that, charge per bulb or strand, unless you're bundling it into a premium service plan.
What’s the best way to quote remotely?
Use Google Maps with the measure tool. But in-person quotes connect better emotionally and improve conversion rates.
Are radio ads worth it?
Only in smaller markets or if you're doing $1M+ in revenue. Otherwise, ground game and digital spend are more efficient.
Do I need to store the lights for clients?
Yes—if you want control and repeat business. Use labeled bins with vent holes. Include storage as part of your full-service offer.
How do I manage cash flow?
Take 25–50% deposits. Stock $5–10K of inventory. Consider preseason ordering with vendor discounts to improve margins.
Ready to Grow?
Scaling your holiday light business doesn’t require luck. It takes a clear plan, consistent marketing, and a team that’s trained and motivated. Pick 2–3 tactics from this guide and implement them this week.
You’ll build momentum fast. Soon, your business will be lighting up more than rooftops. It'll be lighting up your revenue, too.